This comprehensive, informal, practical guide/anthology approaches the elements of fiction from the writer's point of view. Writing Fiction includes freewriting to revision, addressing how writers must work through problems in plot, style, characterization, dialogue, atmosphere, imagery, and point of view to write exciting and fresh stories. The tone of this market-leading text is non-prescriptive and personal, helping students feel comfortable with themselves and their writing.
A widely used guide to narrative craft, Writing Fiction is an elegant, informal, and practical text/anthology. In its third edition, it continues to range from intuitive freewriting to revision, treat the elements of fiction from the writers point of view, and offer solutions to structure, imagery, and style. Important features in the third edition include:
- Chapters analyzing the elements of fiction that include short examples from published and unpublished work and 25 whole stories that illustrate narrative craft
- Suggestions for discussion that include retrospective questions linking stories back to elements discussed earlier
- Exercises after each chapter geared to helping the student face the situations and problems fiction writers face in each area
- A new chapter on revision that includes what to look for. how to treat criticism, and the possible pleasures of the rewriting process
- 75 percent of the selections are new
Preface
1 Whatever Works: The Writing Process
Get Started
Keep Going
From One Writer's Beginnings EUDORA WELTY
From The Art of Fiction JOHN GARDNER
From The Writing Life ANNIE DILLARD
2 War Games: Story Form and Structure
Conflict, Crisis, and Resolution
Story and Plot
The Short Story and the Novel
3 Seeing Is Believing: Showing and Telling
Significant Detail
The Active Voice
Prose Rhythm
Mechanics
"The Things They Carried" TIM O'BRIEN
"Rape Fantasies" MARGARET ATWOOD
4 Book People: Characterization, Part I
Individual, Typical, and Universal Characters
Round and Flat Characters
The Aristotelian Hero
The Indirect Method of Character Presentation: Authorial Interpretation
The Direct Methods of Character Presentation
Appearance
"Girl" JAMAICA KINCAID
"Orbiting" BHARATI MUKHERJEE
5 The Flesh Made Word: Characterization, Part II
The Direct Methods of Character Presentation (Cont'd)
Character: A Summary
"My Man Bovane" TONI CADE BAMBARA
"Everything That Rises Must Converge" FLANNERY O'CONNOR
6 Climate Control: Atmosphere
Narrative Place
Narrative Time
"How Far She Went" MARY HOOD
"Waiting for Mr. Kim" CAROL ROH-SPAULDING
7 Call Me Ishmael: Point of View, Part I
Who Speaks?
To Whom?
In What Form?
"The Masked Marvel's Last Toehold" RICHARD SELZER
"The Wrysons" JOHN CHEEVER
8 Assorted Liars: Point of View, Part II
At What Distance?
With What Limitations?
"The Era of Great Numbers" LEE K. ABBOTT
"I and I" JOHN HOLMAN
9 Is And Is Not: Comparison
Types of Metaphor and Simile
Metaphoric Faults to Avoid
Allegory
Symbol
The Objective Correlative
"Signs and Symbols" VLADIMIR NABOKOV
"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" URSULA K. LE GUIN
10 I Gotta Use Words When I Talk To You: Theme
Idea and Morality in Theme
How Fictional Elements Contribute to Theme
A Man Told Me the Story of His Life GRACE PALEY
Developing Theme as You Write
"Cathedral" RAYMOND CARVER
"Ralph the Duck" FREDERICK BUSCH
11 Play It Again, Sam: Revision
Worry It and Walk Away
Criticism
Revision Questions
An Example of the Revision Process
"Aliki Towers" HEATHER SELLERS
"From Dawn to Noon" HEATHER SELLERS
"Squirrelly's Grouper" BOB SHACOCHIS
Appendix A – Narrative Techniques: Workshop Symbol Code
Format
Usage
Style
Appendix B – Suggestions For Further Reading
Acknowledgments
Index
