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Title: Characters and Viewpoint (Elements of Fiction Writing) by Orson Scott Card ISBN: 0-89879-927-9 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: April, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.57 (37 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Gave me more than I hoped for
Comment: I'll just be upfront: I love this book. It gave me just the kind of information I needed on making great characters and chosing the right viewpoint and penetration. As an added bonus it also gives you a few pointers on good storytelling. Basically, it's real theme is "how to thrill the reader". The book is filled with excellent examples as well, which really illustrates the point the author wants to make. I have made a dozen pages of notes...
The only minor nag is the continuous recycling of the character names Pete and Nora in all self-written examples! Eventhough the characters themselves fulfil different roles in each example, their names are always the same. Of course, it takes a great book to even notice this slight hiccup.
Rating: 4
Summary: Good Book by an Excellent Author
Comment: Orson Scott Card is one of the foremost Sci-Fi authors today. He has written numerous novels and short stories, several of which have become major motion pictures.
He gives his advice on character development and viewpoint in this book, which does it rather well. Viewpoint, for me, was a tough subject, and Card covers the basics rather well. He discusses common mistakes, as well as ways to improve. He explains the good points, as well as the bad points about each point of view, then lets you decide which to use.
His characterization help is flawless. I have read several other books on this, and his advice is similar, if not the same as other authors. I have found that his basic format is probably the best way to "create" a person - writing character back-stories, etc. He gives his advice for creating the necessary changes that have to occur over the course of a story, and also gives the reasons why these changes must occur.
This book deserves to be on any beginning writer's bookshelf, although experienced writers may not find the point of view information useful. I feel any writer, experienced or not would benefit from the characterization info.
Rating: 5
Summary: All you want to know and more
Comment: Orson Scott Card, a well-known, successful sci-fi writer, master of the craft of characterization, gives us with this book one of the few writing-reference volumes that flawlessly delivers everything it promises and more. Whether you want to write fiction of any genre, or scripts and plays, and whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, this book has tons of essential, useful and solid information to offer.
Written in a clear, engaging style and organized in a user-friendly format this thoroughly informative volume is divided into three parts (Inventing Characters, Constructing Characters and Performing Characters) that cover everything you need to know to breathe life and believability into your characters and mold them to accurately fit your story, including among others:
*The factors that make a good character
*How to come up with ideas for your characters
*How different types of stories relate to the characters
*How to give emotion to the characters
*The different types of characters
*Transformations in the lives of characters
*The pros and cons of each point-of-view
The author's suggested exercises reinforced by the excellent examples that illustrate his exposition are helpful additions that allow the reader to immediately apply the lessons learned. Humorous anecdotes and important advice on general storytelling (sources for ideas, plot twists, story structure) are an added bonus.
With this book, you will not only learn how to create great, memorable characters, but you will also attain a greater appreciation of fiction, whether in book or film format, by gaining understanding of the processes required in all aspects of characterization.
With a great binding, sure to resist constant rereads and quick consultations, and a modest price this book is the best value on the market for the advice offered.
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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: How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card, Orson Scott Card ISBN: 158297103X Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: September, 2001 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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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: Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella ISBN: 1884910327 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: February, 1998 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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