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Title: Scene and Structure by Jack M. Bickham ISBN: 0-89879-906-6 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: April, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (29 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: A "How To" for Writing "Pot-Boilers"
Comment: If you want to write overly melodramatic pot-boilers of the Sam Spade variety with unbelievable plots and dialogue, then by all means buy this book. If you want to write well, however, I would look elsewhere. The author is overly fond of his own work, which is normal, I suppose. But in my opinion, his own work is a good example of what NOT to do.
The whole book could have--and should have--been edited down to one chapter. There is TOO much unusable information, bad advice, and repetition.
The good information is simply the basic structure of scene-sequel, and cause and effect, with just a few other pointers, such as how to link scenes. But the good information is hiding amidst a lot of bad advice. Most of the rest should have been cut. It is too formula-oriented and will confuse the beginner. If the author's advice is followed, I suspect it will cause him/her to adopt a style which went out with the "action-packed detective comics" of the thirties and forties. This comes through loud and clear in his own writing, not to mention by his continuous use of "your hero" instead of "the protagonist".
Rating: 5
Summary: Looks like it'll be dull--it's anything BUT!
Comment: Where was this book when I was writing my first three novels? Halfway through this book, I threw out everything after chapter two of my current book (and I had 13 chapters already written!) and started rewriting feverishly. Powerful stuff. If you haven't read this book, you probably don't know enough about how to write captivating scenes and what to do with the characters AFTER the scene is over. I only put this book down long enough to apply what I was learning. It's worth every penny. A heartfelt wish Jack Bickham had written much, much more about the art of writing...
Rating: 4
Summary: Great message, poorly edited.
Comment: It amazes me that a book club that sells books to potential writers will allow such a poorly edited book to be released with their imprint.
Bickham's message is solid gold. The advice he gives is worthy of being repeated in creative writing courses in the best universities in the world. However, a good editor with a sharp pencil is needed. Somebody please buy Writers Book Club a copy of Strunk and White. They sorely need it.
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Title: Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Orson Scott Card ISBN: 0898799279 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: April, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: Beginnings, Middles & Ends (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Nancy Kress ISBN: 0898799058 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: May, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: Setting (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Jack M. Bickham ISBN: 0898799481 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: August, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: Plot (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Ansen Dibell ISBN: 0898799465 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: August, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: Description (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Monica Wood ISBN: 0898799082 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: August, 1999 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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