Writing Fiction : A Guide to Narrative Craft

by Burroway, Janet; Stuckey-French, Elizabeth; Stuckey-French, Ned

• ISBN13: 9780321277367
• ISBN10: 0321277368
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-01-01
• Publisher: Longman

Summary

A bestseller through six editions,Writing Fictionby novelists Janet Burroway and Elizabeth Stuckey-French explores the elements of fiction, providing practical writing techniques and concrete examples. Written in a tone that is personal and non-prescriptive, the text encourages writers to develop proficiency through each step of the writing process, offering an abundance of exercises designed to spur writing and creativity. The text also integrates diverse contemporary short stories in every chapter in the belief that the reading of inspiring fiction goes hand-in-hand with the writing of fresh and exciting stories.Thorough and practical discussions of all the major fictional elements offer students a comprehensive guide to the craft of writing stories. Topics include freewriting, plot, style, characterization, dialogue, time, place, imagery, and point of view. For novice writers looking to develop proficiency.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
To Instructors: About This Book	ix
To Students: About the Writing Workshop	xi
1 WHATEVER WORKS: The Writing Process	1	(24)
Get Started	2	(10)
Journal Keeping	3	(1)
Freewriting	4	(2)
Exercises	6	(1)
The Computer	7	(1)
The Critic: A Caution	7	(1)
Choosing a Subject	8	(4)
Keep Going	12	(2)
A Word about Theme	14	(8)
Shitty First Drafts	15	(3)
ANNE LAMOTT
Why! Write	18	(8)
JOAN DIDION
Writing Exercises	22	(3)
2 SEEING IS BELIEVING: Showing and Telling	25	(55)
Significant Detail	26	(7)
Writing about Emotion	31	(1)
Filtering	32	(1)
The Active Voice	33	(5)
Prose Rhythm 36 Mechanics	38	(39)
Big Me	39	(14)
DAN CHAON
The Things They Carried	53	(12)
TIM O'BRIEN
Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?	65	(21)
JOYCE CAROL OATES
Writing Exercises	77	(3)
3 BUILDING CHARACTER: Characterization, Part I	80	(57)
The Direct Methods of Character Presentation	81	(1)
Appearance	81	(2)
Action	83	(3)
Dialogue	86	(11)
Summary, Indirect, and Direct Dialogue	86	(1)
Economy in Dialogue	87	(1)
Characterizing Dialogue	88	(1)
Other Uses of Dialogue	89	(1)
Dialogue as Action	90	(2)
Text and Subtext	92	(1)
"No" Dialogue	93	(1)
Specificity	94	(1)
Format and Style	95	(1)
Vernacular	96	(1)
Thought	97	(38)
Gryphon	99	(11)
CHARLES BAXTER
Every Tongue Shall Confess	110	(10)
ZZ PACKER
Rock Springs	120	(17)
RICHARD FORD
Writing Exercises	135	(2)
4 THE FLESH MADE WORD: Characterization, Part II	137	(36)
The Indirect Methods of Character Presentation	137	(3)
Authorial Interpretation	137	(1)
Interpretation by Another Character	138	(2)
Conflict Between Methods of Presentation	140	(5)
The Character Journal	142	(1)
The Universal Paradox	143	(2)
Credibility	145	(2)
Purpose	147	(1)
Complexity	147	(2)
Change	149	(1)
Reinventing Character	150	(2)
Creating a Group or Crowd	152	(1)
Character: A Summary	153	(17)
A Visit of Charity	154	(4)
EUDORA WEALTY
Bullet in the Brain	158	(3)
TOBIAS WOLFF
Tandolfo the Great	161	(26)
RICHARD BAUSCH
Writing Exercises	170	(3)
5 FAR, FAR AWAY: Fictional Place	173	(45)
Place and Atmosphere	176	(1)
Harmony and Conflict Between Character and Place	177	(1)
Place and Character	178	(2)
Place and Emotion	180	(2)
Symbolic and Suggestive Place	182	(4)
Alien and Familiar Place	186	(1)
An Exercise in Place	187	(28)
The English Pupil	188	(7)
ANDREA BARRETT
Wickedness	195	(11)
RON HANSEN
Love and Hydrogen	206	(23)
JIM SHEPARD
Writing Exercises	215	(3)
6 LONG AGO: Fictional Time	218	(41)
Summary and Scene	219	(5)
Revising Summary and Scene	224	(3)
Flashback	227	(2)
Slow Motion	229	(28)
The Swimmer	231	(8)
JOHN CHEEVER
Mrs. Duffa Writes a Letter	239	(14)
CHITRA BANERJEE DIVAKARUNI
A Serious Talk	253	(23)
RAYMOND CARVER
Writing Exercises	257	(2)
7 THE TOWER AND THE NET: Story Form, Plot, and Structure	259	(37)
Conflict, Crisis, and Resolution	261	(3)
The Arc of the Story	264	(1)
Patterns of Power	265	(2)
Connection and Disconnection	267	(2)
Story Form as a Check Mark	269	(4)
Story and Plot	273	(2)
The Short Story and the Novel	275	(1)
Reading as Writers	276	(16)
The Use of Force	277	(2)
WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS
Happy Endings	279	(3)
MARGARET ATWOOD
Everything That Rises Must Converge	282	(14)
FLANNERY O'CONNOR
Writing Exercises	292	(4)
8 CALL ME ISHMAEL: Point of View	296	(40)
Who Speaks?	296	(8)
Third Person	297	(2)
Second Person	299	(1)
First Person	300	(4)
To Whom?	304	(3)
The Reader	304	(1)
Another Character	304	(1)
The Self	305	(1)
Interior Monologue	305	(1)
Stream of Consciousness	306	(1)
In What Form?	307	(1)
At What Distance?	308	(2)
Consistency: A Final Caution	310	(22)
Orientation	311	(4)
DANIEL OROZCO
Who's Irish	315	(8)
GISH JEN
Gusev	323	(20)
ANTON CHEKHOV
Writing Exercises	332	(4)
9 IS AND IS NOT: Comparison	336	(23)
Types of Metaphor and Simile	337	(2)
Metaphoric Faults to Avoid	339	(4)
Allegory	343	(1)
Symbol	343	(14)
The Symbolic Mind	346	(16)
The First Day	347	(1)
EDWARD P. JONES
Hotel Touraine	350	(1)
ROBERT OLEN BUTLER
Writing Exercises	357	(2)
10 I GOTTA USE WORDS WHEN I TALK TO YOU: Theme	359	(29)
Idea and Morality in Theme	360	(2)
How Fictional Elements Contribute to Theme	362	(3)
A Man Told Me the Story of His Life	363	(2)
GRACE PALEY
Developing Theme as You Write	365	(20)
Winky	368	(9)
GEORGE SAUNDERS
This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona	377	(19)
SHERMAN ALEXIE
Writing Exercises	385	(3)
11 PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM: Revision	388	(25)
Re-Vision	389	(1)
Worry It and Walk Away	389	(2)
Criticism and the Story Workshop	391	(2)
Revision Questions	393	(2)
Further Suggestions for Revision	395	(1)
Examples of the Revision Process	396	(14)
Notes on "Keith"	398	(2)
RON CARLSON
Keith	400	(10)
RON CARLSON
Writing Exercises	410	(3)
Appendix A: Kinds of Fiction	413	(11)
Appendix B: Suggestions for Further Reading 417 Credits	424	(2)
Index	426