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Solutions for Writers: Practical Craft Techniques for Fiction and Non-fiction
 
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Solutions for Writers: Practical Craft Techniques for Fiction and Non-fiction (Paperback)

by Sol Stein (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Solutions for Writers: Practical Craft Techniques for Fiction and Non-fiction + Solutions for Novelists: Secrets of a Master Editor + How to Grow a Novel
Price For All Three: £29.87

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Product details

  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Souvenir Press Ltd; New Ed edition (26 Aug 1999)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0285635255
  • ISBN-13: 978-0285635258
  • Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 15.5 x 2.5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 43,729 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #88 in  Books > Reference > Writing > Editing

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
"Your predecessor," warns Sol Stein in this imminently useful guide, "recited his stories around a fire. If he failed to arouse his listeners' anticipation and droned on, or if his audience guessed what happened next, they either fell asleep or killed him. You are lucky! If you fail to arouse your reader's interest, the worst that will happen is that you won't get published." Perhaps a tad stern for the meek at heart, but if editing a coterie of literary greats--Elia Kazan, Dylan Thomas, and James Baldwin, to name a few--plus hammering out nine novels, two prize-winning plays and a book of non-fiction doesn't earn him the right, what does?

Stein is not one to disguise the fact that writing is hard work. Chapters focus on crucial "how to's"--hooking the reader, creating suspense, cultivating eccentricity, successfully employing literary devices--along with all the essential nuts and bolts. Copious examples enhance the overall effectiveness of his advice. For instance, in "Come Right In: First Sentences, First Paragraphs," he presents a dozen or more first lines from some of the 20th century's best fiction, then shows how an off-putting opener might be improved.

Stern has no easy fixes or magic pills. But if you want practical suggestions for firming flabby prose, you're sure to dog-ear this handy, informative book. --Martha Silano --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished professional, whether your field is fiction, non-fiction or journalism, you will find in this book a wealth of helpful guidance from one of the century's master editors, unavailable anywhere else. No high-flown theory, just usefull solutions that will show you how to rework writing that is flawed, how to improve writing that is good, how to create interesting writing in the first place. After reading this book you will be able to: grab your readers with your opening sentence - sketch in your characters with a few deft words - create attention-holding suspense - write dialogue that is both exciting and moves the story forward - use flasbacks to telling effect - write love scenes that really work - vary the pace of your writing - judge where to cut and prune - think up really selling titles - enhance non-fiction with the techniques of fiction - and much, much more. Above all you will learn the secrets of successful revision and acquire the art of assessing your own work objectively. Fresh, useful, informative and fun to read and reread, 'Solutions for Writers', is packed with ideas, examples of techniques in practice, and advice that makes you see the craft of writing in an entirely new light. It is a book that you will mark up, dog-ear and cherish.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Solutions for Writers: Practical Craft Techniques for Fiction and Non-fiction
69% buy the item featured on this page:
Solutions for Writers: Practical Craft Techniques for Fiction and Non-fiction 5.0 out of 5 stars (2)
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Solutions for Novelists: Secrets of a Master Editor 4.8 out of 5 stars (4)
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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Full of gems and practical advice, 24 Mar 2001
By A Customer
Working on the umpteenth draft of my second novel, this book has pointed out all the mistakes I made in the original planning phase. I realise now why my book 'sags' in the middle. Thankfully, 'Solutions' offers supremely practical ... well, solutions. With tips from chapter 9, 'Suspense: Keeping the Reader Reading', I should be able to fix the sag.

There are also techniques for non-fiction writers, worth reading even if you have never written an article and never intend to.

'Solutions for Writers' is also full of great quotes, like Vonnegut's "Make your characters want something right away even if it's only a glass of water." But my favourite is one in the chapter titled 'Liposuctioning Flab' which I'd never come across before: "If you catch an adjective, kill it!" (Mark Twain)

There's also a fun Ten Commandments for Writers at the end. Commandment number 8: "Thou shalt have no rest on the sabbath, for thy characters shall live in thy mind and memory now and forever."

I'm just glad I've found this book before plotting out novel number three!

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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Genuinely useful insights for any writer, 19 Sep 2004
By Rolo "rolo211" (London, UK) - See all my reviews
I'd written a whole novel before I picked up Sol Stein's book and started reading it seriously. I so wish I'd done that before.
It is packed with genuinely useful insights, written in a witty, anecdotal style that is a pleasure to read. Much of the advice evoked the 'yeah, yeah, know all that stuff' response at first sight. When I picked it up again, months later, it immediately highlighted many weakness and problems in my own work. He opens our eyes to the obvious faults we fail to notice.
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