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lyra_brie's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mfumarolo's review against another edition
4.0
ARC provided by the publisher - thank you!
More complete thoughts will be coming closer to release, but I will say that I LOVED 2 out of the three stories in this book, and even the one that wasn't my particular cup of tea, I eventually got into it by the end. Also, the notes from the authors on their writing processes were so keen and thought provoking to me, not only as an aspiring writer, but as a reader to know how they build their stories. Can't wait to share this book with students, especially those interested in creative writing.
More complete thoughts will be coming closer to release, but I will say that I LOVED 2 out of the three stories in this book, and even the one that wasn't my particular cup of tea, I eventually got into it by the end. Also, the notes from the authors on their writing processes were so keen and thought provoking to me, not only as an aspiring writer, but as a reader to know how they build their stories. Can't wait to share this book with students, especially those interested in creative writing.
pattydsf's review against another edition
4.0
”Although this is a book on methods of writing fiction, it is not a book on the method of writing fiction. We – Tessa, Brenna, Maggie – are each professional novelists, but we approach writing in different ways. This book is meant to illuminate just three of the infinite ways to get to The End.”
Oh my! What a wonderful book. I had such a good time reading these stories and the author’s comments that the rest of the world just stopped. Brenna, Maggie and Tessa are great storytellers. Even better, they are able to write about how they go about writing. I think anyone who wants to write fiction should pick up this book.
I have never had any intention of being an author. Since writing seems to be hard work, not magic, putting my fictional thoughts on paper for the entire world to see has no interest for me. I am happy to share my thoughts on my reading on this website, but that is my limit.
The stories are well told. Each author has a way of looking at the world that is special to them. Brenna works through the idea of the story, Tessa is a world builder and Maggie devotes her writing to the characters she invents. It was good to read these stories knowing each writer’s interest. I was thoroughly engaged by all the stories and would like to spend more time with the characters that these women have invented.
Although the comments throughout the book were aimed at new writers, as a reader I found them helpful also. I tend to read so that I visit new worlds and meet new people. It was fascinating to see how these authors dealt with those issues.
Maybe you don’t usually read material aimed at young adults. Well, these stories are for anyone – the characters are not immature. Maybe you never thought about what appeals to you about stories – don’t worry, you can ignore the comments. This book is a good read, well worth most readers’ time. Just read the intro and see if it appeals to you.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Carolrhoda Lab for sharing an ebook copy of this title before it was published.
Oh my! What a wonderful book. I had such a good time reading these stories and the author’s comments that the rest of the world just stopped. Brenna, Maggie and Tessa are great storytellers. Even better, they are able to write about how they go about writing. I think anyone who wants to write fiction should pick up this book.
I have never had any intention of being an author. Since writing seems to be hard work, not magic, putting my fictional thoughts on paper for the entire world to see has no interest for me. I am happy to share my thoughts on my reading on this website, but that is my limit.
The stories are well told. Each author has a way of looking at the world that is special to them. Brenna works through the idea of the story, Tessa is a world builder and Maggie devotes her writing to the characters she invents. It was good to read these stories knowing each writer’s interest. I was thoroughly engaged by all the stories and would like to spend more time with the characters that these women have invented.
Although the comments throughout the book were aimed at new writers, as a reader I found them helpful also. I tend to read so that I visit new worlds and meet new people. It was fascinating to see how these authors dealt with those issues.
Maybe you don’t usually read material aimed at young adults. Well, these stories are for anyone – the characters are not immature. Maybe you never thought about what appeals to you about stories – don’t worry, you can ignore the comments. This book is a good read, well worth most readers’ time. Just read the intro and see if it appeals to you.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Carolrhoda Lab for sharing an ebook copy of this title before it was published.
nickystrickland's review against another edition
4.0
Very helpful to see how the process of writing occurs for three writers as they form the stories shown in the book.
lataylor10z's review against another edition
2.0
1 star for Maggie Stiefvater and "Ladylike"
1 star for Tessa Gratton and "Desert Canticle"
5 stars for Brenna Yovanoff and "Drowning Variations"
Stiefvater and Gratton both came off as very arrogant and proud of their writing. That isn't normally a problem except I couldn't see in their writing what they were bragging about. Gratton was so enamored with her world building, which was interesting, but you can create a very interesting world but that means nothing if they story you are telling in it falls flat. And for all Stiefvater's talk about characterization, I could not care less about the characters she created. Both Stiefvater's and Gratton's stories were incredibly boring.
On the other hand I loved how Yovanoff used her section. I could easily see the development of the idea and her notes in the margin weren't annoying. And I thoroughly enjoyed her stories. All of them, from the first variation to the final.
1 star for Tessa Gratton and "Desert Canticle"
5 stars for Brenna Yovanoff and "Drowning Variations"
Stiefvater and Gratton both came off as very arrogant and proud of their writing. That isn't normally a problem except I couldn't see in their writing what they were bragging about. Gratton was so enamored with her world building, which was interesting, but you can create a very interesting world but that means nothing if they story you are telling in it falls flat. And for all Stiefvater's talk about characterization, I could not care less about the characters she created. Both Stiefvater's and Gratton's stories were incredibly boring.
On the other hand I loved how Yovanoff used her section. I could easily see the development of the idea and her notes in the margin weren't annoying. And I thoroughly enjoyed her stories. All of them, from the first variation to the final.
trin_ney18's review against another edition
3.0
I actually finished this book a couple days ago. I've just been very busy but once we're done with the musical I will be reading so much more. So for now I hope this short review will do.
I liked this book, I wouldn't say love but it was good. It made me want to write. It was actually a huge help for some of my writing blocks and once I have more time I will be referencing this and writing a story finally.
I liked this book, I wouldn't say love but it was good. It made me want to write. It was actually a huge help for some of my writing blocks and once I have more time I will be referencing this and writing a story finally.
ginnikin's review against another edition
Really only read Maggie's story. The other two didn't work for me.
missprint_'s review against another edition
5.0
In an old walk up in Brooklyn, a young woman is hired as a reader and companion for a strange older woman. What starts a job quickly turns into something much more important as Petra learns about context, ladylike behavior, and speaking her mind all while finding an unusual kind of friendship in "Ladylike" by Maggie Stiefvater.
In a faraway land a young soldier works to disarm magical bombs left behind by rebels. The hum of the desert lulls him and the mysterious magician on his team enchants him, but sometimes loving something is hard until you know the truth about yourself in "Desert Canticle" by Tessa Gratton.
In a town where water is scarce, drowning is a rarity. There are a lot of ways to tell the you about the boy she found drowned in a half inch of water, but there's only one right story for Jane and the drowning place in "Drowning Variations" by Brenna Yovanoff.
The Anatomy of Curiosity (2015) is the second anthology from authors (and critique partners) Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stievfater and Brenna Yovanoff. In this followup to The Curiosities the focus is more squarely on the mechanics of writing and how ideas can become stories.
For this collection each author wrote a new novella and details their writing process in a preface and margin comments. Between each story all three authors also discuss how they tackled finding critique partners, revision, and _______.
Each author frames their margin comments and notes in the context of their focus when writing. Stiefvater discusses character (how she builds characters and conveys characterization through different aspects of the story), Gratton focuses on world-building (how worlds shape characters and how world-building choices shape the rest of the story), while Yovanoff talks about ideas (getting from the idea she has to the story she wants to tell with a particular project).
It's worth noting that The Anatomy of Curiosity can be read, first and foremost, as a set of engaging fantasy novellas. As fans of these authors would expect, each novella is well-written and evocative in its own right. In reading the marginalia and supplemental materials, however, readers are treated to not only excellent fiction but also an insider's view of the creative process from three incredibly talented writers.
The Anatomy of Curiosity is a must-read for aspiring authors and fantasy fans alike.
*An advance copy of this book was acquired for review from the publisher at BEA 2015*
In a faraway land a young soldier works to disarm magical bombs left behind by rebels. The hum of the desert lulls him and the mysterious magician on his team enchants him, but sometimes loving something is hard until you know the truth about yourself in "Desert Canticle" by Tessa Gratton.
In a town where water is scarce, drowning is a rarity. There are a lot of ways to tell the you about the boy she found drowned in a half inch of water, but there's only one right story for Jane and the drowning place in "Drowning Variations" by Brenna Yovanoff.
The Anatomy of Curiosity (2015) is the second anthology from authors (and critique partners) Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stievfater and Brenna Yovanoff. In this followup to The Curiosities the focus is more squarely on the mechanics of writing and how ideas can become stories.
For this collection each author wrote a new novella and details their writing process in a preface and margin comments. Between each story all three authors also discuss how they tackled finding critique partners, revision, and _______.
Each author frames their margin comments and notes in the context of their focus when writing. Stiefvater discusses character (how she builds characters and conveys characterization through different aspects of the story), Gratton focuses on world-building (how worlds shape characters and how world-building choices shape the rest of the story), while Yovanoff talks about ideas (getting from the idea she has to the story she wants to tell with a particular project).
It's worth noting that The Anatomy of Curiosity can be read, first and foremost, as a set of engaging fantasy novellas. As fans of these authors would expect, each novella is well-written and evocative in its own right. In reading the marginalia and supplemental materials, however, readers are treated to not only excellent fiction but also an insider's view of the creative process from three incredibly talented writers.
The Anatomy of Curiosity is a must-read for aspiring authors and fantasy fans alike.
*An advance copy of this book was acquired for review from the publisher at BEA 2015*
dami_96's review against another edition
4.0
I love this book because it so helpful when your having writers block.