The Complete Guide to Writing Fiction

A complete and concise guide to writing and selling long and short fiction, including outlining, narrative writing, details, description, pacing, and action.

Although the venerable Santa Barbara Writers' Conference, held in June, covers almost all aspects of words colliding together--from travel writing to poetry to film scripting--this volume focuses solely on the fiction aspects of the confab. Addresses given by various keynoters over the years, from Eudora Welty to Harlan Ellison, Tom McGuane to James Michener, cover all aspects of modern tale-spinning. Lively reading, all pointing to the advice given by Ellison: "The trick is not becoming a writer folks, the trick is staying a writer." Perhaps this volume will make that stay a little easier.