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Five Fiction Picks

How to Grow a Novel: The Most Common Mistakes Writers Make And How To Overcome Them
by Sol Stein - 1999
This book has moved up on our list of fiction writing books. In How to Grow a Novel, Stein coaches fiction writers in providing exactly those things for readers. First off, says Stein, you must write what you read; don't try to pull off a romance novel if you are a student of serious literature, or a literary masterpiece if you thrive on thrillers. With that in mind, Stein gears his book toward both "those who are trying to write a good book and those who are trying to write a good read." Most of How to Grow a Novel delineates what Stein considers to be a writer's obligations to his readers.

What If?: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers
by Anne Bernays, Pamela Painter - 1991
With more than twenty-five years of experience teaching creative writing between them, Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter offer more than seventy-five exercises for both beginners and more experienced writers. These exercises are designed to develop and refine two basic skills: how to write like a writer and, just as important, how to think like a writer. They deal with such topics as discovering where to start and end a story; learning when to use dialogue and when to use indirect discourse; transforming real events into fiction; and finding language that both sings and communicates precisely. This book is great for all writers: Poets, fiction, and non-fiction.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
by Renni Browne, Dave King - 1994
There's not much of the old-style editing going on at publishing houses thse days, so Renni Browne, veteran of William Morrow and other publishers, founded the Editorial Department in 1980 to teach fiction writers the techniques professional editors (many of whom have gone independent) use to prepare a manuscript for publication. In this book, she and senior editor Dave King share their accumulated expertise in a series of brilliantly compact lessons. One page from their simply and markedly improved version of a scene from The Great Gatsby alone would make a compelling advertisement for their techniques. Very highly recommended.

Writing Fiction, 6th Edition
by Janet Burroway, Susan Weinberg - 2002
Writing Fiction guides the writer from first inspiration to final revision. Supported by abundanct exercises, this guide/anthology explores and integrates the elements of fiction while the authors offer practical techniques and concrete examples. Topics include free-writing to revision, plot, style, characterization, dialogue, atmosphere, imagery, and point of view. An anthology of diverse and contemporary short stories followed by suggestions for discussion and writing exercises illustrates concepts while offering variety in pace and exposure to this increasingly popular form. The sixth edition also features more short short stories than any previous edition and includes quotation boxes that offer advice and inspirational words from established writers on a wide range of topics--such as writing from experience, story structure, openings and endings, and revision. Well worth the price.

Writing Dialogue
by Tom Chiarella - 1998
Fictional dialogue is a bear, and even when you think you have it down pat, a good refresher course never hurts. Chiarella guides the fiction writer through directional dialogue, characterizations, and even silence, which sometimes speaks louder than any words. The first rule? You can't write dialogue until you begin to listen. Interesting and inspirational perspective, wonderful tool for the fiction writer, whether it be novels or short stories.