How to Write Best Selling Fiction

by Dean Koontz

From dust jacket notes: "...In this book, Dean Koontz, whose own books have sold more than 25 million copies, shares his insight into the publishing world and shows writers how to write the kind of book that a publisher can promote as a lead title - a well-written, thoroughly researched, complex, wide-appeal novel that can sell the millions of copies necessary to finance an extensive advertising and promotion campaign. Koontz takes a practical, detailed approach to the art, craft, and business of novel writing. You'll learn how to structure a story for greatest reader appeal, how to provide depth of characterization without slowing the pace, and how to recognize and use the sort of theme that is timely and appealing. Plus you'll receive thorough instruction on other writing techniques as they apply to today's novel, including background, viewpoint, scene setting, transitions, and dialogue. On the business side, Koontz gives an insider's view of how to deal profitably with editors and agents, advice on contracts, and tips on paperback and book club sales, foreign rights, and film rights. His final advice to writers is to read, read, read. To help you get started, he supplies a list of today's best-sellers which will provide further insight into the kind of novel that will succeed today...."

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference

312 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Acknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.

Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.

Facebook: Facebook.com/DeanKoontzOfficial
Twitter: @DeanKoontz
Website: DeanKoontz.com

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given the difficulty in tracking down a copy of this book (to say nothing of the cost if you do find one) and how outdated some of the information is, I’m not sure why this book enjoys such a cult status. Actually, I answer my own question: it’s hard to find and expensive, ergo it must be brilliant.

It’s fine. Like I said, a lot of the information is outdated, and too many chapters are less advice and more personal opinion (although this book did get me thinking about what the line is between opinion and advice, so points for inspiring a good philosophical debate?).

Honestly, most of the advice contained in this book is such that aspiring writers can find it online for free. And there are many, many more recent books on writing fiction that are just as good or better. Not recommended.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although an older book, I have used this guide many times. Dean has stated that he does not wish others to read or use this book as he wrote it when he was so young and so much has changed over the years. I can't say that I agree with him totally as I have found a lot of his information has withstood the test of time. It is rare to find for cheap and I'm hoping he will do another writing guide in the near future.

[Jaylia3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of print but worth getting your hands on even if you only fantasize about writing fiction. My daughter grew up with this book and wanted to take it to college because it is such a pleasure--using one of his exercises we made up a title for a book we haven't yet written--Orbiting Body Parts.

[Casie Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a lot of hubris from a young Dean Koontz in this novel but you can't help but come along for the ride. Learning about the publishing business 45 years ago was fascinating and also disheartening (advances havent increased at all!) There is a lot of advice in this novel that is relevant today and much that doesnt stand up but provides an interesting foundation for writers today. All in all I wish I could own this book but it is both out of print and very expensive.

[Jordan Lombard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the information here, such as what the "current" market is doing, is out of date. However, the middle sections were Koontz gets into the nuts and bolts of writing a novel, are extremely valuable to the new writer. He talks about plot and structure, dialogue tags, and researching places you've never been, among other things. He writes in a clear, precise manner that is easy to understand and I appreciated how he worded a few things.

On top of all this, he lists 99 authors he recommends and talks about a few of their titles he especially likes, many of whom are well known, like Robert Heinlein and Dashiell Hammett.

The sucky part about this book is that it is out of print and used copies can run from $150-$400+, likely because collectors of Koontz's work have driven the price up over the years. He's been saying he'll write a newer edition for awhile now, but I've not seen any indication that one is on the horizon. If it ever does happen though, rest assured, I'll be the first person waiting in line for it.

[Mary Crabtree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't be turned off by the boldness of the title. This is really a good book for anyone that wants to write. Koontz offers advice on pacing, voice, point of view and even his recommended reading list. It's out of print, hard to find and kinda expensive but well worth the trouble.
A generous look at some of Koontz's tricks of the trade.

[Michael Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly one of the classics! Extremely hard to find and very expensive on the back market. Worth every penny. Koontz gives the budding author inside information on writing and the industry (at the time). Great resource for any author. Highly recommended.

[Bri (the short story guy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little dated, but super helpful if you wanna become a writer.

[Margie Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is dated, but Koontz makes great points about why writing 3rd person is effective. I was able to locate it in a college library, as it is out of print.

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is an interesting read and dated, both in a number of ways. The two main takeaways seem to be "Publishers are Evil...but not all" and "Read! If you want to write, read!"
There's no question that Koontz is a bestselling author so one would think he'd have a lot to offer. I didn't find much revelatory in this book. Definitely a lack of advice re technique, character, plot, dialogue, ... Definitely lots of suggestions for whom to read to learn technique, character, plot, dialogue, ...
There's a lot about the business of writing in the book, specifically how bad publishing drives out good publishing (read "lots of bad books drive out good books") and he gives several examples of poorly written, edited, printed, ...books taking up bookstore shelves so there's less room for accomplished writers to put their wares out.
Makes one wonder what he'd have to say about the self-publishing industry.
I've written more about How to Write Best Selling Fiction on my blog if you're interested.
Bottom line, the book is okay, not outstanding, probably worth a read but not much more.

[Melissa Kapow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so glad to find this in the LA County Library system so I could read it, instead of spending $250 on ebay. It is very dated, yes, I skipped the chapter on publishing, but the chapters about plot, character development, and dialogue were very compelling and worth reading. He also provides a list of writers worth reading which was also good.

He offers up a short chapter of a book and then breaks down what was used where, and why, and it's very informative to get a thorough breakdown like that.

Having never read a Koontz novel, and with romance being more my speed, I'm not the best authority on his advice, but if you write suspense, thrillers, or mystery, you'd probably find this book very helpful.

[Chris Norbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dated? Yes (1981 copyright). Still timely and valid? Yes. Of course writing and publishing have changed drastically in 44 years, but Koontz gives the reader dozens of timeless tips and must-dos for writing successful commercial fiction.

The suggested reading list alone is worth the book. Yes, many of the writers are "unknowns" to many of us, especially younger writers, but I plan to investigate many of the writers who are new to me, plus many whose books I've already read.

I appreciated most all the concrete suggestions and tips that were clearly stated and make lots of sense. I'll keep this one on my shelf and refer to it often.

[Joe Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aspiring novelists can choose from plenty of "how to" books about their craft, but seldom do we find one by a truly successful mainstream author. Koontz's book is an insightful exception. Although the author specializes in suspense fiction, he provides practical guidance for a variety of fiction categories. Too bad it has been out of print for so long; most of its examples have passed into obscurity with it.

[Scott Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it so far. A little outdated because of how long ago it was written, but the wisdom is priceless. Just the fact that he wrote the book, not for money, but to try to help other authors, makes it a truly wonderful read.

[John Blade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many books on the subject of writing and this one is the absolute best so far.
The book is no longer in circulation and is for sale for around $500 a copy.
I was lucky enough to find the book available through the local library sharing program.
A thorough and interesting read.

[Steven Wald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is outstanding. It has a huge amount of practical and understandable writing advice. It may be that some of the descriptions of the publishing business, including writing in genres, has changed, but still a great resource.

[Gabriel Gonçalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straight to the point tips for those who dream of becoming a writer. It's like sitting with a best selling author and having coffee with him while he gives you tips in the fashion of a 'here's what ya gonna do' talk. It even has a list of suggested reads that are outdated but are still gold.

[James Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, but it's been selling for $600+, and I'll tell you the information in the book isn't worth that much. Go to your public library.

[Conor · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has genuinely good advice on dialogue and character creation but half of the book is spent talking about the book industry in the 90’s which just isn’t as relevant as it is to the modern day. If that part had been cut this would have been four stars.

[Yasmin Coats · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, still valuable even though it was written some time ago. Sadly collectors are making it highly expensive to get a copy, but thankfully library's aren't stingy. Find a copy and read it if you're learning to write and you enjoy reading Dean Koontz. What he has to share is timeless.

[Lada · Rating 4 out of 5]

The direct and practical advice alone make this book worth reading. However, the age of the book (1982 update to a 1972 book) make it an extra interesting read, as Koontz looks forward to saving time once he gets an IBM word processor (vs writing many drafts on a typewriter), advises considering whether the Soviet Union will still exist when one writes fiction set in 2010, and mentions many books that are now long out of print. He also doesn't shy away from pointing to less-successful (in his opinion) work by authors he otherwise praises, which is startling (and informative) relative to more recent writing-advice books which stick to praising award-winning novelists and make up bad examples or vaguely reference mistakes made by unidentified authors. He also praised authors of thrillers/mysteries, e.g. Ed McBain (Evan Hunter) and John D. MacDonald, whom I've enjoyed but not heard praised as great writers in other how-to-write books.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent "How to" book from a master writer. Koontz details the necessary concepts for writing - plot, characterization, background, style and more - giving examples of what to do and what not to do. He also gives pointers on how the industry works. This was written in 1981 so some items (typewriters, encyclopedias, etc) are out of date, but most of the advice on writing is valid. The last chapter is a listing of writers and their works that he suggests reading. Again, only works up to 1980 are listed but many authors are recognizable names and their works are clasics. My only quibble is Koontz spends time in the book discouraging potential authors to not write genre fiction, specifically science fiction and mysteries yet many if not most of the novels he recommends are from those genres.

[Gary Gillen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard about How to Write Best Selling Fiction by Dean Koontz (published in 1981) from many sources over the years but did not pick up a copy. An internet writing teacher I follow, Jerry Jenkins, mentioned it at jerryjenkins.com. The advice within helped him to write fast and well. So, with those recommendations in mind, I resolved to buy the book. I gathered together my Amazon gift cards and ordered a copy. His advice is solid and applicable for today. I am a better writer having read this book, so I am glad I purchased it. It is one of the best writing books I have read. If you enjoy writing, then I suggest buying or borrowing a copy.

[Lonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting insight from a best selling author before he became as large as he is. Some of the items mentioned were very dated but funny that Koontz was ahead of his time on a couple of others. The funniest tidbit about this book comes directly from Koontz's website: " He suggests this book is only for collectors who are completists, and he doesn’t recommend that anyone turn to it for valuable writing advice."

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no doubt this was a fantastic book in the '70's. For the things about genre writing that are timeless, it is spot on, unfortunately, tastes and the market have changed since then and as a result large chunks of this book are now irrelevant. Still, there is value to be had here and even the parts that talk about now forgotten genres/sub-genres are worth the quick review. There is inspiration into how to handle newer genre fiction that wasn't a thought yet then - if you dig and think.

[Hitomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

20年くらい前にかって放置していた本です。書かれたのはさらに20年さかのぼった1981年です。名前にRが入っていることからも、だいぶ初期に書かれたんですね。でも、この時まだまだ35歳です。若いですね。私が彼の本を読み漁る前に書いているようです。売れっ子作家は、99%くらい才能と運だと思ってましたが、相当努力してるんですね。すらすら書いていたんじゃないんだ！とわかって安心しました。誰でも成功するって書いてますが、才能なかったら、綺麗な文章のつまらない作品になりそうです。そもそも作品にならないか・・・
40年前の本なので、ミステリーがかなり下に位置付けられていますが、その後人物描写もプロットも背景描写も飛び切り丁寧な、世界的大ヒット作品がたくさん出てるので、今どう思ってるのか知りたいな。この本のアップデート版書いてたら面白いな。

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think a lot of what this book has to offer is outdated, but it's still an excellent resource for those who want to learn to write, and learn from one of the best.

I don't own this book- it's a library book. :) Hence the special shelf.

[Jay Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think all new authors like myself should read this book. This book was written decades back. It is still relevant because the basic tenets of writing, as book correctly says, has not changes. It covers topics from plot, scene, dialogue and character development so nicely and completely.

[Charles Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth is I have skimmed, surveyed, read and read this book as a reference book and text book and I am going back over it again and again

It’s truly a great book and will never be outdated

And no my copy is not for sale

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely essential. Did you pay attention to what I just said? GO OUT AND GET THIS OLD BOOK AND READ IT!