Scan barcode
taradoesreading's review against another edition
4.0
Very difficult to read but absolutely worth it. Really great, classic writing advice.
shiftyteeth's review against another edition
4.0
Very thought provoking and helpful for when I get stuck but as a book for beginners it is extremely challenging. I found it a little breathy and hard to follow at points. Nevertheless it has definitely helped me in my progression as a writer.
kjboldon's review against another edition
4.0
A better subtitle would be "for the beginning writer" as one can do that at any age, and not be young. There are many teachings and gems in here that make this a classic deserving a permanent spot in a writers library, among them Gardner's constant reminder that the writer of fiction should be creating a vivid continuous dream for readers, and strive not to jolt them out of the narrative. The text is marred, however, by a not inconsiderable amount of sexist, racist, classist comments, as well as a lot of text devoted to white male fiction of the mid 1900s. While perhaps of its time, Gardner often crossed over into blatant assholery. I borrowed this from the library and will be buying my own copy--used.
gothicgunslinger's review against another edition
5.0
I got distracted from this book over the summer, but I finally got back to it and finished it today. A really good craft book for those looking to hone their creative writing. Gardner has fantastic points and examples. It can get a bit pedantic in its tone, but I still consider it one of the essential books for writers. It was mentioned in almost every writing class I've ever had and I'm glad I finally read the entire thing, not just handouts given to me by my professors.
kaqueershi's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed when Gardner went into specifics and found the 'Common Errors' chapter especially helpful. But everything else, his Theory of Fiction, was much more academic and a bit over my head. Bonus points for multiple Howard the Duck references though.
venusiandreamer's review against another edition
2.0
I had to read this for my creative writing class and I definitely think that Gardner had some great insight into Fiction.
The hard thing to wrap my head around was that everything had a loophole. There was structure, but if you deviated you were only allowed to do so for the sake of a unique vision. I like that there was this modern and less critical view on fiction, however, when you are reading in order to see into a critic's perspective, it's hard to take seriously when you can just claim mistakes or deviations from the norm as purposeful.
One thing I appreciated was the examples and exercises that Gardner provided. He allows people from all different backgrounds and education levels to enjoy his work and put his theory into praxis. This si really important and making this accessible to anyone reading the book is super important.
The hard thing to wrap my head around was that everything had a loophole. There was structure, but if you deviated you were only allowed to do so for the sake of a unique vision. I like that there was this modern and less critical view on fiction, however, when you are reading in order to see into a critic's perspective, it's hard to take seriously when you can just claim mistakes or deviations from the norm as purposeful.
One thing I appreciated was the examples and exercises that Gardner provided. He allows people from all different backgrounds and education levels to enjoy his work and put his theory into praxis. This si really important and making this accessible to anyone reading the book is super important.
dalcecilruno's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books on writing I've read. No magic formulas, no quick and easy. There is a lot to unpack here, and the book will remain one of my craft companions for many years to come.
After reading all the sections, there are several writing exercises for the reader to start a concrete practice. It's fantastic, you don't need more of my rambles, go read it.
After reading all the sections, there are several writing exercises for the reader to start a concrete practice. It's fantastic, you don't need more of my rambles, go read it.
rpmirabella's review against another edition
3.0
If you're looking for encouragement look elsewhere. Useful, yes, and a good foundation, but also scary. If you write any kind of "genre" fiction, Gardner has nothing kind to say to you.