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longjensilver's review against another edition
3.0
There are some genuinely helpful and well explained strategies buried underneath the frustratingly pointless tangents. Some specific random diatribes seemed scientifically engineered to piss me off.
serenaac's review against another edition
1.0
John Gardner's The Art of Fiction is pretentious and not one of my favorite writing books at all. I've heard about this book for sometime and figured I would give it a try. So I picked it up from the library, hoping to learn something new and enjoy the book. I usually don't bash books on the blog, but I cannot recommend this one outright.
Gardner's style of writing in the book bored me to tears; it reminded me of those professors that put the class to sleep in college. I was an eager college student who wanted to learn in every class, but there were those teachers that don't have the knack to keep students' attention. John Gardner, I fear, is one of those people...or at least that is how he came across in this book.
What I can say that is good about it is that it helped me discern the type of story I have been working on and how to frame it better. I discovered this information in the section where he discusses tales vs. epic vs. yarn. I'm glad that I read that section of the book because it was helpful, though that was near the beginning.
Much of this book is written in a way that puts down the reader who is less familiar with Gardner's "favorites" who are mentioned often, like Thackeray. I almost felt like I had learned nothing in my undergrad English major, though I know the contrary to be true.
In the copy of this book I got from the library, I found a small pen-written "Amen" in one section that highlighted what many students feel about literature classes in high school. Often students find classes overly focused on the classic writers, like Coleridge, when "Howard the Duck" is more entertaining. Gardner uses this discussion to draw a line between popular fiction and what he calls "art." I wonder if he meant to be condescending in this passage. I got the impression that popular fiction is the crap on his heel as he walks down a pristine garden path.
However, there are some great nuggets of information in this book. He recommends that authors/writers allow their characters to have free will and not impose their own desires or direction upon characters. This same advice is reiterated throughout the book in regard to style. Gardner also points out some common mistakes made by amateur writers. I won't list those here, but they were helpful in many ways. Sometimes, I slip as well.
Gardner's style of writing in the book bored me to tears; it reminded me of those professors that put the class to sleep in college. I was an eager college student who wanted to learn in every class, but there were those teachers that don't have the knack to keep students' attention. John Gardner, I fear, is one of those people...or at least that is how he came across in this book.
What I can say that is good about it is that it helped me discern the type of story I have been working on and how to frame it better. I discovered this information in the section where he discusses tales vs. epic vs. yarn. I'm glad that I read that section of the book because it was helpful, though that was near the beginning.
Much of this book is written in a way that puts down the reader who is less familiar with Gardner's "favorites" who are mentioned often, like Thackeray. I almost felt like I had learned nothing in my undergrad English major, though I know the contrary to be true.
In the copy of this book I got from the library, I found a small pen-written "Amen" in one section that highlighted what many students feel about literature classes in high school. Often students find classes overly focused on the classic writers, like Coleridge, when "Howard the Duck" is more entertaining. Gardner uses this discussion to draw a line between popular fiction and what he calls "art." I wonder if he meant to be condescending in this passage. I got the impression that popular fiction is the crap on his heel as he walks down a pristine garden path.
However, there are some great nuggets of information in this book. He recommends that authors/writers allow their characters to have free will and not impose their own desires or direction upon characters. This same advice is reiterated throughout the book in regard to style. Gardner also points out some common mistakes made by amateur writers. I won't list those here, but they were helpful in many ways. Sometimes, I slip as well.
crissytrap's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great book on craft. I'll go back to it for sure.
jayshay's review against another edition
2.0
Remember being really turned off by the tone of this book, should re-check that at some point. My vague memory is a cranky dude trying to discourage new writers if they couldn't do his exercises. But this is an old, vague memory.
drewjameson's review against another edition
5.0
There are many reasons why everyone's writing teacher tells them to read this amazing, concrete, in-depth guidebook. Gardner lays out the process of writing, and learning to be a writer, in a practical manner, but always emphasizes the ethical obligation to write something new, something relevant, something bold. As all books by writers on writing seem to do, he indulges a few vague and unsupported flights of fancy and waxes pompous from time to time, but this is by far the most concrete, structural and useful book on writing I've ever read.
ominousevent's review against another edition
2.0
Some interesting and even useful ideas and suggestions, but they're almost submerged in Gardner's smug elitism (and some worrying language that suggests at least some degree of ambient racism). Sometimes when Gardner is being eloquently rude about something he doesn't like he's very funny, but most of the time he just reminds me of that pithy remark about the failure mode of clever being asshole.
alanathehangry's review against another edition
4.0
I learned a lot from this book. Most specifically:
-"the fictional dream" and why it's vital to never disrupt it
-Every piece of the novel, no matter how small, must truly fit and have its own backstory. Must exist for a reason
-Be specific, not abstract. Always use detail. Use "thrash" instead of "hostile maneuvers"
-Verbs with auxiliaries ("were fighting") are never as sharp in focus as verbs without auxiliaries ("fought")
-"She noticed" or "she saw" should be suppressed in favor of direct presentation
-Remove fancy talk/complex language if you can say it simply
-Show, don't tell
Among many many other things (my write craft notebook is filled). It is a bit dry and smacks slightly of sexism (or at least male preference) as Gardner only uses "he" as the writer.
-"the fictional dream" and why it's vital to never disrupt it
-Every piece of the novel, no matter how small, must truly fit and have its own backstory. Must exist for a reason
-Be specific, not abstract. Always use detail. Use "thrash" instead of "hostile maneuvers"
-Verbs with auxiliaries ("were fighting") are never as sharp in focus as verbs without auxiliaries ("fought")
-"She noticed" or "she saw" should be suppressed in favor of direct presentation
-Remove fancy talk/complex language if you can say it simply
-Show, don't tell
Among many many other things (my write craft notebook is filled). It is a bit dry and smacks slightly of sexism (or at least male preference) as Gardner only uses "he" as the writer.
sabine364's review against another edition
2.0
Not a huge fan of Gardner. It may be because this work is so outdated, but I find that I disagree on some major points about how narrative "succeeds."
nina_andreyevna's review against another edition
5.0
Dear Mr. Gardner,
You don't know me, but I know you - particularly another work of yours, Grendel. I was intrigued by your sense of humor and your unerring ear for words. However, I figured this would be our first and last meeting.
Consider me surprised, then, when my parents gave your little gray book to me for Christmas. "Thought it might be interesting," they said, which is accurate; I plan to go into creative writing, and a little guidance would be helpful. Most advice I've gotten would have me studying John Grisham or switching majors.
Imagine, then, my delight in discovering that not only were you a fantastic writer, you had the theory to boot. What IS fiction? Well, now I can hold forth on that very topic. How should one approach plotting? You've got me again. Exercises to strengthen technique? Oh, Mr. Gardner, you had me at hello.
Basically, come back from the dead and mentor me?
Love,
Nina
You don't know me, but I know you - particularly another work of yours, Grendel. I was intrigued by your sense of humor and your unerring ear for words. However, I figured this would be our first and last meeting.
Consider me surprised, then, when my parents gave your little gray book to me for Christmas. "Thought it might be interesting," they said, which is accurate; I plan to go into creative writing, and a little guidance would be helpful. Most advice I've gotten would have me studying John Grisham or switching majors.
Imagine, then, my delight in discovering that not only were you a fantastic writer, you had the theory to boot. What IS fiction? Well, now I can hold forth on that very topic. How should one approach plotting? You've got me again. Exercises to strengthen technique? Oh, Mr. Gardner, you had me at hello.
Basically, come back from the dead and mentor me?
Love,
Nina