Plot & Structure: (Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To...

Plot & Structure: (Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To Finish) ... | James Scott Bell | Outstanding and detailed analysis of plot structures

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Plot & Structure: ...

	Plot & Structure: (Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To Finish) ... James Scott Bell Writers Digest Books, 2004 - 240 pages average customer review:based on 78 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Great resource

I've been writing non fiction for over ten years. This summer I decided to start working on a novel that has been brewing in my mind since I was fourteen. I wrote the first three chapters and my plot stalled. This book gave me the ideas I needed to get excited about my novel. I own many "how to" books on writing and this one is laid out brilliantly.

Outstanding and detailed analysis of plot structures

I don't need to say much except to echo what's already been said by other reviewers. This is easily the most useful handbook on fiction writing that I've ever read. I own most of the Writer's Guide series and they are very good, mostly. This one stands pretty distinctly above them all.
If you're looking for a "craft" book, look elsewhere. This book will not teach you how to write a solid sentence. But it will teach you to fashion a plot and make sense of all those crazy ideas that are clanging around in your head. His techniques are highly practical and productive.
I'm tempted to give this one star in hopes of dissuading others from learning from Bell and adding to the slushpile, reducing my chances of getting to the editor's desk. But in good conscience I can't do that. Bell's book absolutely rocks.

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The first book that you must read

This is a good introductory book, and works for various types of media, like cinema (screenplay) and comics.

It's a simple and objective book, direct to the point. It's interesting to note that other books like Screenplay by Syd Field and Story by Robert Mckee will be more valuable after you read Plot & Structure, because now you will have a better understanding of story construction.

It's not a revolutionary book, but it's very solid and highly practical.

Recommended.

An Invaluable Writing Tool

This book is a must have for every fiction writer, non-fiction writer who wants to try fiction, or for someone who dreams of becoming an author.

I write my books intuitively. Then my first publisher suggested I start teaching creative writing workshops.

"Great idea," I told her.

But deep inside I was scared silly. How the heck would I go about teaching something that I was doing intuitively?

Thank goodness for this book! Now I can see and understand the process that I've been using as a writer. This is not only helping me improve my skills, it's also helping me have a lot more fun writing my next book.

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For those who seek clarity, you may begin here.

Not having the luxury of an MFA, I struggled to create my interpretation of a marketable novel until I finally faced the truth. I didn't know what I was doing.

"Okay then," I thought, "what exactly am I lacking?"

I attended a very good workshop which revealed what I had already come to suspect. My writing had too much imagery and not enough, plot or structure. I went looking for a solution and, would you believe it, I found there was a book written just for me.

"Plot & Structure, Techniques and exercises for crafting a plot that grips readers from start to finish," by James Scott Bell was the first step on my road to literary recovery. I followed this wonderful little book with another, "Techniques of the Selling Writer" by Dwight V. Swain. The two volumes go together well, in my opinion, complimenting one another on a common list of topics.

I'd recommend them both as well as the rest of the "Write Great Fiction" series from Writer's Digest Books. You might also consider, "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, How to Edit Yourself Into Print" by Renni Brown and Dave King.

I needed to find better footing, to bone up on fiction basics. These books plus a subscription to "the Writer" magazine have been my school. If you desire a better grasp of the basics, you might want to start here.

Michael, doing better, in Seattle.

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