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Fiction: The Art and Craft of Writing and Getting Published
This complete manual on writing fiction in all genres takes readers through each phase -- from story idea to manuscript to submission -- with a step-by-step guide to the editing and publishing process (including negotiating a contract with or without an agent), and an informative section on writer's conferences and workshops.
- GenresNonfictionWriting
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 19, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 18, 2022
Ironically, in this book Michael Seidman, writes this:
Then e-publishing happened, and made a large chunk of his book outdated.
The early part, about writing, was very valuable. Comparing writers to snipers, for instance, and saying both need to watch for peripheral movement, rather than being obsessed with targets, I found insightful. How males writers need to be more mindful of the senses. Women have better senses of smell than men, he said. And they are more aware.
He gives awareness training exercises, like noting the first five things you notice when you enter a room, and utilizing them later in your writing. So there's useful stuff, and stuff which may be redundant. 3.5 stars
Things change. It may be our vision of the world, it may be the world itself.
Then e-publishing happened, and made a large chunk of his book outdated.
The early part, about writing, was very valuable. Comparing writers to snipers, for instance, and saying both need to watch for peripheral movement, rather than being obsessed with targets, I found insightful. How males writers need to be more mindful of the senses. Women have better senses of smell than men, he said. And they are more aware.
He gives awareness training exercises, like noting the first five things you notice when you enter a room, and utilizing them later in your writing. So there's useful stuff, and stuff which may be redundant. 3.5 stars
June 11, 2010
The book has a very conversational tone, which is both good and bad. It's nice to feel that this editor just decided to sit down and chat about writing and publishing, but I also got a bit sick of listening to his voice. I did learn a few things and thought he raised some good questions to ask about your writing. What really bothered me was the book seriously needed a copy editor. Seriously. It's hard to take it to heart when he talks about the importance of a near-flawless manuscript when you're tripping over issues in verb agreement, basic typography and misplaced words. Just saying.
January 6, 2014
Full disclaimer: this book is a little outdated. Published in 1999, the information on the state of publishing as a business is not all that useful, given the sea changes that have taken place since then. This book notes the rise of amazon as a new bookseller, and e-books don't yet exist.
With all that said, the writing half of the book is still valid, and contains not only instruction but exercises as well. Some of the advice is universal to all writing instruction (show, don't tell; kill your darlings; work from the general to the specific) but as reminders, they work. The exercises are subjective in their value, but trying them can't make you a worse writer. Overall, the writing advice is good, but not great.
The publishing-related half of the book may be outdated, but still holds wisdom. The focus mixes between the hard facts of publishing (the outdated material) and the more general, philosophical perspective of the industry. For writers, this latter bit is timeless. The admonition against getting angry and frustrated with the process, the suggestion to maintain a calm professionalism in all your dealings, and the reminder that publishing is a business with a bottom line to meet are all truths that have not changed despite the rise of Internet-based book sales.
In all, this book is not the first one you should read about writing, but if you want to make it a career, this should be one of the books in your never-ending list to read.
With all that said, the writing half of the book is still valid, and contains not only instruction but exercises as well. Some of the advice is universal to all writing instruction (show, don't tell; kill your darlings; work from the general to the specific) but as reminders, they work. The exercises are subjective in their value, but trying them can't make you a worse writer. Overall, the writing advice is good, but not great.
The publishing-related half of the book may be outdated, but still holds wisdom. The focus mixes between the hard facts of publishing (the outdated material) and the more general, philosophical perspective of the industry. For writers, this latter bit is timeless. The admonition against getting angry and frustrated with the process, the suggestion to maintain a calm professionalism in all your dealings, and the reminder that publishing is a business with a bottom line to meet are all truths that have not changed despite the rise of Internet-based book sales.
In all, this book is not the first one you should read about writing, but if you want to make it a career, this should be one of the books in your never-ending list to read.
October 13, 2008
Eh. Important read with great detail on the publishing industry but a little dry and more written in the style of 'I've been in the business so I know everything'. Heavy handed at times but good information.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews