Writing Fiction Craft

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 The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers.

A creative writer's shelf should hold at least three essential books: a dictionary, a style guide, and Writing Fiction. Janet Burroway's best-selling classic is the most widely used creative writing text in America, and for more than three decades, it has helped hundreds of thousands of students learn the craft.

Whether you’re dreaming of galactic empires, magical kingdoms, or dystopian futures, this comprehensive guide will help you bring your imagined worlds to life—and keep readers turning pages. Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy is your essential companion for crafting compelling characters, building immersive settings, and mastering the tools of powerful storytelling. You’ll learn: Worldbuilding Creating magic systems and technologies that feel real Pacing, suspense, and scene structure Character arcs, voice, viewpoint, and more How to write each genre, from time travel to high fantasy...

This national bestseller is "a significant contribution to discussions of the art of fiction and a necessary challenge to received views about whose stories are told, how they are told and for whom they are intended" (Laila Lalami, The New York Times Book Review). The traditional writing...

In this book, I'll reveal the powerful techniques employed by best-selling authors, and I'll show you how to apply them to rivet your readers. I'll start with the basics of Point of View - if you're already familiar with the concept, you can treat them as a refresher - and then guide you to advanced strategies for taking your reader deep.

Master writer’s block and spark your creativity with this workbook full of helpful tips and a variety of prompts for writers of all experience levels to create their perfect dystopian story! Write a Dystopian Novel guides writers of all experience levels through the tropes and themes that...

Gotham Writers' Workshop has mastered the art of teaching the craft of writing in a way that is practical, accessible, and entertaining. Now the techniques of this renowned school are available in this audiobook. Once you've listened—and written—your way through this book, you'll have a command of craft that will enable you to turn your ideas into effective short stories and novels. You will be a writer.

Fellow writers, have you heard about this thing called AI? And that new kid on the block, ChatGPT? Are you curious about its effect on our beloved art of writing or concerned about what all this means? Write With AI: Guide for Fiction and Nonfiction Authors is a step-by-step guide that will show you how to use Artificial Intelligence for both your fiction and nonfiction writing. It will also give you the background to understand the claims, concerns, and limitations of AI technology as well as keep up with the pace of AI-driven change. After reading this book, you will: Get Acquainted with ...

“Guide makes using AI seem easy” - Amazon Review “A Plotser’s Perfect Brainstorming Partner” - Amazon Review “Made me a romance writing AI ninja!” - Amazon Review Romance writers, take your romance writing to the next level with Artificial Intelligence and this guide from a USA Today Bestselling romance author of over 80+ romance novels. Hi, I’m author Rachelle Ayala, a prolific author and writing coach with my Romance In A Month method, and I’m here to lead you through the wonderful world of AI (Artificial Intelligence). I’ll show you the importance of prompting and how...

The ultimate guide to writing a great screenplay and building a screenwriting career, from the creators of the hit podcast Scriptnotes—featuring contributions from film and TV legends Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Michael Schur, Rian Johnson, Aline Brosh McKenna, Ashley Nicole Black, Seth...

Everybody wants to write a book, but most authors fall short. If only there was a clear, systematic, structured approach to crafting bestsellers that would... help you organize your creative ideas unravel the messy writing process save months of editing and revision increase engagement and get more book reviews keep readers glued to each page with dramatic tension impress your mom (and everyone else) with your genius When I started out as an author, I read every book on craft, plotting and writing techniques I could find - but they left me more confused than ever. I ended up quitting, and ...

Unlock the Secrets to Captivating Storytelling You sit at your desk, staring at a blank page, struggling to bring your ideas to life. What if you could uncover the keys to turning those ideas into compelling narratives? This guide is your roadmap, showing you how to harness the power of storytelling, no matter your experience level. Imagine crafting characters and scenes so immersive that readers feel every laugh, tear, and thrill. With practical strategies, you’ll break through creative blocks, develop your unique voice, and make each writing milestone an achievement worth celebrating. ...

Dive into the world of fiction with a pen in hand and a wealth of imaginative narratives in mind! This engaging book is your playground for learning how to craft captivating, concise tales that pack a punch. Explore the elements of storytelling, including character development, plot structure, and dialogue, and learn to apply them to short forms from flash fiction to novelettes. Whether you've got a head buzzing with potential whodunnits, ghost stories, or heartfelt dramas, we'll guide your journey from the first spark of an idea to a fully-realized short story. You'll learn to weave ...

Crafting Immersive Fiction: A Comprehensive Guide is the ultimate resource for writers eager to create stories that captivate from start to finish. Whether you're a new writer or a seasoned author, this guide offers the tools you need to craft unforgettable fiction. What’s Inside: Core Elements of Storytelling: Develop complex characters, authentic voices, and engaging arcs. Understand plot structure, from exposition to resolution, and how to balance themes and subtext to deepen your narrative. Building Conflict and Stakes: Master the art of tension, conflict, and pacing to keep readers ...

Learn Fun and Creative Ways to Enhance Your Descriptions! The advice, tools, and reference lists in this writing guide for fiction authors will inspire writers to create original and vibrant descriptions of characters, locations, weather, and mood that can greatly enhance anyone’s storytelling, whether you’re writing adult fiction, young adult fiction, or children’s books. Fictional and real settings are much more effective, dramatic, and evocative when they’re visible, auditory, olfactory, and tactile. Character depictions are much more imaginative, lifelike, and vivid for readers ...

You’ve written a short story or a novel. You keep receiving rejection slips from editors and publishing houses … and now you’re not sure it’s good enough to self-publish. You know your story needs a rewrite yet don’t know how to improve it … besides, work or school is hectic, the house needs to be cleaned, and the kids demand your attention, so who has time? … But we bet you can find just 7 minutes a day to achieve your dream of getting that story published. If you can, this is the book for you. This practical, how-to guide takes you step-by-step through improving your story ...

Creative writing is not a talent you’re either born with or not—it is a craft that can be built, sharpened, and mastered through deliberate practice. The stories we remember—the ones that live inside us for years—were not accidental. They were engineered with emotional resonance, intentional structure, and a storyteller who understood how to guide the reader’s imagination without ever letting them see the strings.

Learn to Improve Emotional Descriptions, Create Believable Settings, and Craft Powerful Descriptive Writing. This guidebook is a companion to the first volume in the Fiction Writing Tools series, "The Writer's Guide to Character Emotion" on descriptive writing and Deep POV, with Immersive Writing Techniques. Within this in-depth writing craft book are practical tools on how to apply descriptive writing to create realistic settings, visceral responses, and lifelike characters. Included are lists and advice on: Setting Descriptors Character Personality Traits Character Development Descriptive...

Jane Roland and her painter friends are looking forward to a busy, fun-filled holiday season at the town's art center—watercolor exhibits, concerts, and a festive gala. But, when the screams of a child pierce the gaiety at the Halloween reception, Jane discovers a skeleton in the art closet. There's a dark history lurking below the center's charming exterior, and the deeper Jane digs into the secrets of the past, the more she realizes that art can be a deadly obsession.

This Scene Revision Manual Can Take Your Writing Skills to the Next Level and Make the Editing Process Fun! Every writer knows that scenes are the building blocks of every great story. Revision should be fun and never overwhelming. Many of us have written a scene and felt as though it was lacking something. Or perhaps you wrote an entire novel, but want to know how to make it shine. This scene revision workbook can improve anyone's writing and works for every genre to ensure that every scene is stronger, purposeful, and impactful. Using this self-editing guide for writers on my own ...