The Elements of Storytelling: How to Write Compelling Fiction (Wiley Books for Writers Series) - Softcover

Rubie, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0471130451 ISBN 13: 9780471130451

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996

Synopsis

"I recommend this book to all aspiring novelists." --Kent Carroll, Publisher and Executive Editor Carroll & Graf

"I would not hesitate to recommend The Elements of Storytelling to aspiring writers, or to better published ones who need to be reminded of the essentials of the craft.

(That's all of us, by the way!)" --Robert Goddard

Author of In Pale Battalions and Full Circle

"Should be on every writer's bookshelf right between The Elements of Style and the thesaurus." --Tom Colgan, Senior Editor Avon Books

"A wonderful book that every aspiring professional writer should own." --Matthew Bialer, literary agent William Morris Agency

Telling a story is one of the most basic--and difficult--challenges a fiction writer must face. Acclaimed author, editor, and literary agent Peter Rubie knows that challenge firsthand. By sharing his creative and critical expertise, he gives you the helpful advice you need to master the art of storytelling, including how to:
* Create compelling characters and strong plotlines
* Pace a story and develop a coherent structure and style
* Refine your technique with thought-provoking exercises that hone your storytelling skills
* Anticipate the realities of getting your work published--how to make it happen while maintaining confidence and motivation

About this title

Review

Peter Rubie's "holistic" approach to fiction writing is simple without being simplistic. Rubie addresses issues of character, viewpoint, dialogue, pacing, etc., but his emphasis is on their contribution to the big picture. "The art of the storyteller," he says, "is figuring out a story. The craft of the storyteller is working out the best way to tell that story." The Elements of Storytelling addresses both art and craft. For the former, Rubie presents exercises throughout the book aimed at developing story ideas, creating characters, and the like. For the latter, he offers up a generous helping of common sense. "Start the scene as near the action as possible," he recommends. "Ideally, everything in the story should have more than one function." And, "When writing dialogue, keep in mind that people rarely explain themselves." One of Rubie's most interesting pieces of advice involves the use of the theories behind method acting to get inside one's characters and bring them to life. "Without admitting to and exploring your own dark nature," he says, "you will never successfully understand it in others. I am not suggesting you must become a Nazi or a cannibalistic serial killer in order to successfully create them as fictional characters. I am suggesting that you try to find that part of yourself that, under certain circumstances, you could imagine going berserk and committing singularly antisocial acts." --Jane Steinberg

From the Publisher

Rubie's unique combination of experience as an author, agent and editor provides beginning writers with the advice they need to master the difficult craft of writing fiction. He addresses the realities of getting published along with techniques for maintaining confidence and motivation in the face of rejection. Describes the approaches to storytelling--getting ideas, creating characters, establishing point of view, developing style and structuring a coherent story. Includes thought-provoking exercises for each topic discussed.

About this edition

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0471130451
• ISBN 13: 9780471130451
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192