How Fiction Works
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Average rating3.8
An elegant little book by famed critic and New Yorker writer, James Woods, exploring the art of writing fiction, and writing well. Written for any lover of the novel - writers, teachers, readers - it delves into the mechanics, art and mystery that is good writing, the history of the craft and its evolution, with examples culled from Woods' personal library of favourites & a few duds.
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I have the same criticism of this book as I have about recent books on education; Wood writes as if he is revealing scientific truth rather than quite changeable theory and opinion. And, I hate to tell him, but his book is nothing but one man's opinions. It may be that all the heads are nodding along with Wood right now, but this, too, will pass. Wood writes beautifully himself and his thoughts are full of lovely metaphors and clever insights. But is this the truth revealed for all time? No. Just a nice book with lots of interesting twists and turns on other people's writings.
