The Writing Book

A Workbook for Fiction Writers

3.76 based on 16 reviews.

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Paperback Book

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Product Description

This is a practical workbook that guides writers, step-by-step, toward completing a work of fiction. Free of generalizing platitudes, it instead focuses on the specifics of craft: from getting started, discovering characters, writing dialogue and description, to evaluating the design of a draft, and of course revision. Exercises found in this book are actual techniques working writers rely on. They include speed writing, sorting and grouping, rewriting an incident in various styles, experimenting with tone, voice, syntax, and more. Designed to cover every stage of the process--from brainstorming an idea to the final draft--these practical suggestions help writers to liberate their creativity and to refine existing work. Excerpts from published authors are also included and help to illustrate the techniques taught.

Product Details

  • Media: Paperback Book, 208 pages
  • Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Aug. 31st, 1999)
  • ISBN-10: 186448943X
  • ISBN-13: 9781864489439
  • Dimensions: 5.02 x 7.53 x 0.42 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 0.60 lbs

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Customer Reviews

  • Book Rating 5 out of 5
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    by Clare from Brisbane, Australia | Mar 11, 2009

    This is a really excellent work book for people who want to write or who are currently writing fiction. It is an incredibly useful book for people like myself who are running workshops on creative writing.

    Each chapter is divided into 3 sections. The first section explains the category - eg character, voice, point of view, dialogue, the second section offers examples and the third offers large numbers of practical exercises which can be used either by the solitary writer or in a workshop.

    The other thing I like about it is that it uses Australian material which makes it easier to engage my students who are, of course, all doing the course in Australia. Kate Grenville also writes in an easy conversational style which makes for enjoyable reading.



  • Book Rating 5 out of 5
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    by Lewlewlewmanchu from Melbourne, 07, Australia | Feb 17, 2010

    excellent for the stuck wannabe writer who needs structured exercises to get moving



  • Book Rating 3 out of 5
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    by Tawny from Seattle, WA | Jun 20, 2008

    Favorite quotes:
    1. "The more you read, the better you'll write."
    2. "Yours is an individual voice because you're an individual, not quite like any other. Whatever good things come out of your writing will happen because of that individuality."
    3. "Punctuation will always be only an approximation of the sound of speech, in the same way that musical notation is only a guide to how a piece of music should sound."



  • Book Rating 3 out of 5
    Read Reviews on Goodreads

    by Veronica from Sydney, nsw, Australia | Mar 30, 2010

  • Book Rating 3 out of 5
    Read Reviews on Goodreads

    by Lisa from Melbourne, Australia | Mar 28, 2010

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