The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface in The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club

Oct 31, 2019 Margo Kelly rated it it was amazing

If you're wanting to improve your skills as a writer, read books written by Donald Maass.

Having devoured two other books written by Donald Maass, I was thrilled to finally read THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION.

One of the elements I love best about his books is when he includes exercises to put principles into practice. In THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION, these "exercises" are each titled "Emotional Mastery." There are 34 different ones throughout the book, and there is even a checklist in the bac If you're wanting to improve your skills as a writer, read books written by Donald Maass.

Having devoured two other books written by Donald Maass, I was thrilled to finally read THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION.

One of the elements I love best about his books is when he includes exercises to put principles into practice. In THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION, these "exercises" are each titled "Emotional Mastery." There are 34 different ones throughout the book, and there is even a checklist in the back of the book to mark your progress completing the exercises.

Within "Emotional Mastery 8: The Meaning of Everything" Maass writes: "Choose some dry information that must be imparted for your story to make sense. Who has this knowledge? How does that character see these facts as no one else does? ... What is good, bad, worrisome, reassuring, or in some other way revealing about these facts? What does your character love or hate about what these facts are saying? What would she change about this information if possible? What would he change about himself? ... Don't be afraid of slowing the pace. When you deepen the meaning of things, no one will complain" (page 67).

An additional highlight of this book is the chapter at the end: "The Writer's Emotional Journey." While I loved the entire book, this chapter had me nodding my head and saying, "Yes."

Maass writes: "Many fiction writers do not feel worthy of their calling. ... When writers approach their craft that way, it shows. You can sense when fiction is masking cynicism or anger. ... The spirit that you bring to your writing desk either infects your pages or enlivens them. ... How you feel inside is how we will feel in reading. ... In some ways the most important work you do in writing your novel is the work you do on yourself. ... your fundamental outlook, your positive spirit, your embrace of goodness, your faith in humanity. It shows in ... granting strength to your characters and filling their hearts with expectation" (pages 177-178).

I could continue to quote passages and sing the praises of this book, or I could simply say: Go read this book if you want to improve your skills as a writer. Oh, wait, that's how I started this review! Go. Now. Read. Practice. Improve. And ...

Enjoy the gift of being called a writer.
...more

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Oct 26, 2017 Ronel Janse van Vuuren rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, writing-craft

All fiction writers want to write a book that keeps readers engaged and cause them to feel everything the protagonist does. But not everyone is successful at that.

This book teaches how to write the story beneath the surface (as the subtitle says) by showing how to master each step in the emotional journey. There are exercises to figure out exactly how to incorporate each lesson into your current WIP. And the imagery used – from the highs and lows of a subway ride and how it can be applied to a c ...more

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Jan 14, 2021 C.M. Keller rated it it was amazing

This is the first time I’ve written a book review before finishing a book. In fact, I’m only a third of the way into it. But I decided to write a review already because the first third is worth the price of the book.

What is the book? Donald Maass’s The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface. (It was published in 2016—I wish I’d read it then.) The purpose of the book is to teach writers how to engage the emotions of the reader, which is very different than merely ...more

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Apr 18, 2017 Susan Swiderski rated it really liked it

Shelves: entertaining, educational, non-fiction, writing

This upbeat fast-reading book provides guidelines and simple exercises designed to help writers develop their writing skills in a more connect-with-the-reader kind of way. Emotional writing is the hollandaise sauce atop your eggs Benedict. You don't HAVE to dig deeply and write like this, and you don't HAVE to slather sauce on your eggs, but why not go for the gusto? ...more

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