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The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write with Emotional Power, Develop Achingly Real Characters, Move Your Readers, and Create Riveting Moral Stakes
by
Engage Your Readers with Emotion
While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you.
That's where ...more
While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you.
That's where ...more
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Paperback, 240 pages
Published
December 30th 2016
by Writer's Digest Books
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Start your review of The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write with Emotional Power, Develop Achingly Real Characters, Move Your Readers, and Create Riveting Moral Stakes
I wish I'd written this book myself if only so I could share every single chapter with my own readers. Because it's brilliant. More than just on-point writing instruction, this is an inspirational challenge calling all writers to be their best selves and write stories that, in turn, inspire and challenge readers in all the best ways. I wasn't expecting that from this book, but I was certainly inspired and challenged myself. Read it!
One of the things I love about Donald Maass’s craft books is that he keeps taking it up a notch, keeps pushing boundaries. Which in turn continues to challenge his pupils. Although I firmly believe this book will help any writer who reads it, I feel like it found its way to my hands at the perfect point in my writing journey. It takes the craft of fiction beyond the basic mechanics of characterization and plot construction, and so I would advise brand new writers to perhaps start with Maass’s
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Three and a half stars.
I got dozens of notes out of it, as usual, but this one didn't do it for me. Maybe the weakest of his that I've read. It irked me how dogmatic he was about what people want out of reading fiction, as part of the stated belief that pretty much every human being has an essentially compatible set of beliefs, which seems to me extraordinarily naïve.
He suggests not going to very dark places with your protagonists, because people don't want to read about characters in very ...more
I got dozens of notes out of it, as usual, but this one didn't do it for me. Maybe the weakest of his that I've read. It irked me how dogmatic he was about what people want out of reading fiction, as part of the stated belief that pretty much every human being has an essentially compatible set of beliefs, which seems to me extraordinarily naïve.
He suggests not going to very dark places with your protagonists, because people don't want to read about characters in very ...more
I accidentally deleted my review of this book and I've already returned it to the library, so I no longer have quotes to cite. This book went into the DNF pile. My main issues with the book included the following:
1. The author's snobbery - of the 'classics & literary fiction are better than all else' variety.
2. Annoyingly misogynistic or otherwise patronizing statements. The author clearly knows better, as each statement that could be taken as misogynistic or discriminatory is either ...more
1. The author's snobbery - of the 'classics & literary fiction are better than all else' variety.
2. Annoyingly misogynistic or otherwise patronizing statements. The author clearly knows better, as each statement that could be taken as misogynistic or discriminatory is either ...more
There is so much in this short book. It is a book to revise a manuscript with, to take you through those scenes that are necessary but aren't working, to force you deeper in the story...to go beyond your own fear as a writer. I need to reread and reread it repeatedly.
This is a provocative writing book. As always with these sorts of books, I think the best reaction is probably to take with you what’s useful and leave behind the rest after having given some consideration to it - if you're going to do something that's not generally advised, you want to be doing it deliberately, not thoughtlessly. And I think there’s a fair amount in here worthy of consideration, though it’s also sometimes less helpful than it could be, particularly when Maass devotes large
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An Ultimate Guide for Writers
Donald Maass’s THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION: HOW TO WRITE THE STORY BENEATH THE SURFACE is the ultimate writer’s guide to telling a story. Set aside the countless books about plotting, structure, and craft and read this book before you go any further in imagining, drafting, and revising your stories. Throughout this pithy, important book, Maass instructs, demonstrates, motivates, and then gently pushes you out the door to write your story as only you can do. Read ...more
Donald Maass’s THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION: HOW TO WRITE THE STORY BENEATH THE SURFACE is the ultimate writer’s guide to telling a story. Set aside the countless books about plotting, structure, and craft and read this book before you go any further in imagining, drafting, and revising your stories. Throughout this pithy, important book, Maass instructs, demonstrates, motivates, and then gently pushes you out the door to write your story as only you can do. Read ...more
Keep a notebook handy, because you'll need it while reading this book. I read this while drafting a very complex — and emotional — novel, and every few pages I had ideas on how I could make my story better. Highly recommend!
Mr. Maass is one of my favorite craft authors. I connect with his teachings and love putting his suggestions into my work.
I took The Emotional Craft of Writing class prior to his releasing this book, and could not wait for it to be released. It's every bit as good as I expected.
If you're looking for a book on how to create characters who will resonate with readers on an emotional level, this is a fantastic resource. I'll be rereading it and going over my highlighted areas many times.
I took The Emotional Craft of Writing class prior to his releasing this book, and could not wait for it to be released. It's every bit as good as I expected.
If you're looking for a book on how to create characters who will resonate with readers on an emotional level, this is a fantastic resource. I'll be rereading it and going over my highlighted areas many times.
This book is not big, but its depth is immeasurable. I allowed myself to be immersed completely in the lessons, taking in Maass' word of wisdom, considering my stories, and favorites written by others. Once again, Maass encourages and guides writers into a depth of story that many ignore but all will benefit from. It is a great study on how to write a story and ends with a call to writers that will inspire and encourage the creation of more words. Brilliant book.
Some good reminders in this book on hitting emotional targets in your writing. Maass is, as usual, pretty bang on & writes in an easy straightforward style. I recommend this one for your writing collection.
One of the best books on craft I've ever read
I cannot recommended literary agent/writer Maass enough - his work is the rare mix of inspiring & practical at the same time. If you're a fiction writer, you need to read this book, and deeply consider the questions he offers at the end of every section. But don't miss the last chapter! Of all the tools he gives you, his pep talk at the end makes you want to go out & change the world with your writing. (His other books are pretty phenomenal ...more
I cannot recommended literary agent/writer Maass enough - his work is the rare mix of inspiring & practical at the same time. If you're a fiction writer, you need to read this book, and deeply consider the questions he offers at the end of every section. But don't miss the last chapter! Of all the tools he gives you, his pep talk at the end makes you want to go out & change the world with your writing. (His other books are pretty phenomenal ...more
I thought I needed to take notes each chapter... and then realized the book itself is all the notes I need. So I read it, enjoyed the examples Maass gives, dissected my own writings, and came out feeling more confident a writer. Maass hits a topic that’s hard for me to articulate: the unworthiness of writing fiction compared to the greats. And yet, he says the best thing to offer is me. So I’ll do just that—confidently this time. Thanks, Maass! :)
Oh. My. Wow. This book was incredible. Personally, it really impressed upon me the beauty of storytelling and life in general. It's probably one of those craft books I'll end up reading over again.
Though I'd give a word of caution to any overly younger writers looking for a craft book to read (given some language and content), I really enjoyed it. *thumbs up*
Though I'd give a word of caution to any overly younger writers looking for a craft book to read (given some language and content), I really enjoyed it. *thumbs up*
Very informative but also uplifting. I found myself underlining and dog earing pages that I wanted to return to. This will very soon become a well worn, folded and marked up tool to help me on my writing journeys.
Thorough
Maas does it again. Thorough and informative, this book specifically focuses on crafting emotional fiction, with great examples and inspiring exercises. Highly recommend!
Maas does it again. Thorough and informative, this book specifically focuses on crafting emotional fiction, with great examples and inspiring exercises. Highly recommend!
A really good writing craft book. It contains many practical techniques on how to stir emotion in a reader in a myriad of situations, most of which is going to be more useful on a rewrite for a pantster like me. I am sure I will refer to this time and again over the next few years.
The Emotional Craft of Fiction is one of the best handbooks I've added to my shelves in a long time, and I will refer to it often as a checklist tool for my revision process. It feels like the missing toolbox that I've been seeking but didn't know how to request. The advice Maass offers is practical and insightful. I understand. So often with this type of book, the author gives page after page of example without telling me why it works or how to approach the problem with my own work. In
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This book spoke to the dissatisfaction I've had with a lot of books over the years. There has definitely been a trend toward constant action and terrible, dismal, oppressive worlds. While I find those books enjoyable and sometimes un-put-down-able, they're not books I re-read or worlds I want to revisit. Maass' latest book makes the point that there are other ways to create tension on the page than constant physical danger and oppression.
Maass' final point in this book is that while yes, ...more
Maass' final point in this book is that while yes, ...more
I only got 50 pages in and I couldn’t bring myself to read any further. Not only is this book not well-written, it also doesn’t contribute anything new to the craft of writing fiction. The advice is so general and common-knowledge, that the author almost doesn’t SAY anything. And when he does say things, they’re almost laughably misleading. For example, he insists that characters should have redeeming qualities for readers to have an emotional attachment to the story—that characters should
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This book was useful...for the most part. Some of the examples that were used didn't really work for me and didn't seem to fit what he was trying to illustrate. Others were perfect and actually evoked emotion in me (despite the fact that I've never read the books). The reason I purchased the book was because it contained exercises and those were pretty useful. My biggest issue with this book is that everything is heavily biased (which is the case with most writing advice). One person's
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A number of reviews about this book pretty much encapsulate my views. Liz Fenwick said, “… it is a book to revise a manuscript with … I need to reread it … repeatedly.” Jill Hinton said, “One of the best books on craft I’ve ever read.” As an emerging writer, I couldn’t agree more. This book is a treasure chest for dipping into often and deeply. The techniques Maass talks about are not things I remember being taught at university or creative writing class, and he has a gift for lucid
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This was a birthday present from my mother, who dares to support my fever dream of writing a book. I didn't realize that it was only released a few weeks ago, so I suppose a review is in order! This is a beautifully composed manifesto of why writers feel compelled to write. It's also a plea for more genuine emotional content from aspiring authors. If I have a complaint, it's that the actual writing advice within tends to be far more ideological than practical. But I still appreciate the way
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I found I could not read this book without a highlighter in hand! So many "a-ha" moments for me and this is a book I will be re-reading anytime I feel stuck, anytime I'm starting a new book, anytime I'm working on revisions. I can't say enough good things as I fully believe this book is helping me grow as a writer! If you write, you need to read this book! :)
If you're looking for a book on how to make readers connect with your writing emotionally, I'd recommend Lisa Cron's Wired for Story over this. It covers the same basic concepts, but goes into much more depth.
Each read teaches me more. This one is denser than others by Maass, but well worth the effort.
An essential book for writers
This book is critical for writers who want to explore the emotional layers and motives of their characters. An informative and engaging read.
This book is critical for writers who want to explore the emotional layers and motives of their characters. An informative and engaging read.
There are many good points in this book, and a lot of useful tools and exercises, but the author inserts himself in annoying ways (moreso, it seems, as the book progresses). He is too wordy and repetitive, sounds old fashioned (somewhat sexist, at minimum), and self-congratulatory. Those aspects can be grating. However, I still recommend this book. Just know that you have to look past all of that. As I've progressed further in the book I've skimmed over a lot of the examples. I don't find them
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The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass came with several recommendations, so I was excited to finally get a chance to read this book. Unfortunately, I didn’t like this book as much as I thought I would. That might be because I was hearing quite a bit of hype about the book, so I may have set my expectations too high.
That being said, The Emotional Craft of Fiction still contained useful information, which I think will be helpful in writing characters and making stories more satisfying to ...more
That being said, The Emotional Craft of Fiction still contained useful information, which I think will be helpful in writing characters and making stories more satisfying to ...more
I read this book as part of a twitter study group. Discussing the content with a group made the content more approachable and practical. Some chapters, like chapter two, were incredibly inspiring, other's felt a bit vague or repetitive. There are a ton of exercises in the book with a handy index in the back and I'm sure I will use many of them as a tool in the future.
As a writer resource, I believe this book doesn't stand on its own. It is better paired with Story Genius (Lisa Cron), and The ...more
As a writer resource, I believe this book doesn't stand on its own. It is better paired with Story Genius (Lisa Cron), and The ...more
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“The first task in building a compelling story world is to create hope.”
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“Why is it important to look at fiction writing through the lens of emotional experience? Because that’s the way readers read. They don’t so much read as respond. They do not automatically adopt your outlook and outrage. They formulate their own. You are not the author of what readers feel, just the provocateur of those feelings. You may curate your characters’ experiences and put them on display, but the exhibit’s meaning is different in thousands of ways for thousands of different museum visitors, your readers. Not”
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