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The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (Paperback)

by Jack M. Bickham (Author) "WRITERS ARE A FAVORITE SUBJECT FOR CARTOONISTS, FROM CHARLES SCHULZ of Peanuts fame to those who contribute to The New Yorker ..." (more)
4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
RRP: £9.99
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The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes + Plot and Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot that Grips Readers from Start to Finish (Write Great Fiction)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Writer's Digest Books; New edition edition (Aug 1998)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0898798213
  • ISBN-13: 978-0898798210
  • Product Dimensions: 22.4 x 15.2 x 1 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 22,224 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #11 in  Books > Reference > Writing > Fiction
    #31 in  Books > Reference > Writing > Writing Skills
    #50 in  Books > Reference > Writing > Editing

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Product Description

Product Description
The author diagnoses and treats the most frequently made errors by writers of fiction. The book includes tips, tricks, and techniques to enable the aspiring writer to rectify these errors.
Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
WRITERS ARE A FAVORITE SUBJECT FOR CARTOONISTS, FROM CHARLES SCHULZ of Peanuts fame to those who contribute to The New Yorker. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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24 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (24 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Valuable and a great spur, 7 Jan 2006
By N. Frary "apachenf" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Everytime I read this book it inspires me to keep on going.
It has shown me several serious mistakes that I had made in my writing of commercial fiction and I would recommend it as the ideal book for any struggling authors - particularly us unpublished amateurs who are still learning with an intent to go commercial.
I find this the perfect book to take to airports or bus stations as the chapters are short and pithy. Each 'mistake' will only take a couple of minutes to read but should arouse much thought about your own work. They say that the only way to become a rule breaker - a maverick who sets their own rules or forges their own style is to know the rules. This book shows you the rules so that if you decide to break them then at least you know what you are doing and why it may or may not work.
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37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing and inspirational, 22 Aug 1998
By A Customer
In this very short volume, Bickham manages to get to the essence of writing good popular fiction. His language is very easy to understand, very easy to apply, and yet reveals his decades of experience. He has distilled it all down into this one book, and it's a must for all those who want to write more effective popular fiction. For those looking for even more, try his 'How to Write and Sell Your Novel', which contains longer, more in-depth treatment of the material.

Warning: For those wanting to write 'literary fiction' or such stuff, this is not the book for you.

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64 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a recommended read for all would-be novelists, 27 Jan 2000
By A Customer
Although the title sounds negative, this book pulls no punches in telling you exactly what you should be doing with your writing. I particularly found his advice on the craft of writing scene structure useful. I have no hesitation in recommending it - it's a great buy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Too much of a one trick pony.
This would have better been titled, "Writing for Dummies".

If you have read any decent books whatsoever on fiction writing, you won't find much (if anything) in here... Read more
Published 2 months ago by tiggrie

4.0 out of 5 stars Easily Digestible Chunks of Necessary Knowledge
Jack Bickham's book "The 38 most common fiction writing mistakes" is a very good book for those pressed for time. Read more
Published 3 months ago by A. Shackcloth

4.0 out of 5 stars The 38 most common fiction writing mistakes
Very useful as a checklist tool, presented many mistakes that hadn't occurred to me, as well as going through some obvious ones. Concise, not waffly.
Published 3 months ago by Clare W

5.0 out of 5 stars Sunsets and Alligators
I'm a writer who hasn't started writing yet so how can I review a book about the most common writing mistakes? Read more
Published 5 months ago by A. C. Harper

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful advice for budding novelists
This is not a 'how to write' book - rather, it's one that points out where you're going wrong (or where you may go wrong if you haven't yet started writing). Read more
Published 9 months ago by Annabel Kantaria

2.0 out of 5 stars If you know nothing about writing...
...then this is the book for you. It does give a comprehensive overview of a lot of the pitfalls in writing and warrants the two starts for being clear about what they are and how... Read more
Published 14 months ago by The Macs

2.0 out of 5 stars There are far better books on writing out there...
Whilst by no means a complete waste of time, Bickman's book doesn't have the general application that some better guides offer. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mr. D. C. Tallerman

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are looking for a book like this....
...then you have found the book you need. Excellent advice, easy to read and you will spot improvements you can make in your own work very quickly after picking up this book... Read more
Published on 12 Jun 2007 by Tezmike

1.0 out of 5 stars If you truly know absolutely nothing about writing
Save your money, buy something else. As a writer of 8 published non-fiction works who is working on a novel and a collection of short stories I devour anything I can on... Read more
Published on 27 April 2007 by Cl Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Buy This Book
Very little I can say, I cannot praise this book enough. If you seriously want to write fiction that will be enjoyable for others to read - buy this book. Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2006 by methos

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