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Several years ago,
after many years of writing nonfiction, I decided to write a
novel—a medical thriller in the mold of Robin Cook, Michael
Crichton, and Michael Palmer. The problem was that, although I
knew how to write and had received a number of awards for
nonfiction works, I didn’t know how to write fiction. So, before
putting fingers to keyboard I did a thorough search of the
literature, which included reading numerous books and hundreds of
website articles. What I discovered was that there simply wasn’t
one good source from which to learn the craft of writing fiction.
My research culminated in the publishing of my first novel,
Caduceus Awry, which was a finalist in the Eudora Welty Film and
Fiction Festival novel writing contest.
Writing Genre Fiction: A Guide to the Craft is the book I was
looking for when I set out on my quest to learn how to write genre
fiction. It is an attempt to share what I learned from my research.
It covers the six key elements of genre fiction; the various genres
and subgenres; a large number of genre-fiction writing techniques;
plot, subplots, and parallel plots; structure; scene and sequel;
characterization; dialogue; emotions; and body language. It also
covers additional information about copyrighting and plagiarism,
where to get ideas, manuscript formatting and revising, and query
letters and synopses, In addition, an appendix covers a large number
of grammar tips.
Reviews
Amazon.com
"A good overview of fiction elements. Should be easy to read for
beginners and holds a few new details for more experienced writers"
"WRITING
GENRE FICTION: A GUIDE TO THE CRAFT is one of the most complete
guides on writing out there. I've written a number of short stories
and taken several writing classes. None of them have delved into
infusing your characters with emotion or covered dialogue as
extensively. This guide on writing makes a great addition to my
reference library."
Other
authors
In an interview by Richard Mabry, best selling author Michael Palmer
recommended Writing Genre Fiction: A Guide to the Craft for
non-physicians wishing to write a medical thriller.
Best-selling novelist Robert Dugoni recommended Writing Genre
Fiction: A Guide to the Craft as "one of your absolute
must-read writing resources." He lists it as "one of the six books
every author should have and study."
The
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Key Elements of Genre Fiction
1
Literary Fiction versus Genre Fiction 2
- Literary Fiction 2
- Genre Fiction 2
Fiction Length 3
Key Elements 4
- Plot, Story, and
- Structure 4
- Setting 6
- Characters 7
- Point of View 11
- Prose 12
- Theme and
- Subject 14
Chapter 2. Choosing
your Genre 19
Action/Adventure 20
Christian 21
Fantasy 21
- Light Fantasy 21
- Arthurian Legend 22
- Heroic Fantasy 22
Gay/Lesbian 23
Historical 24
Horror 24
Mystery/Detective 25
- The Amateur
- Detective 26
- The Cozy 27
- The Police
- Procedural 27
- The Private
- Detective 28
- The Puzzle 29
Romance 29
- Contemporary 29
- Gothic 30
- Regency 30
- Other Subgenres 31
Science Fiction 31
- Apocalyptic/
Post-apocalyptic 32
- Cyberpunk 32
- First Contact 32
- Hard 33
- Military 33
- Soft/Sociological 34
- Space Opera 35
- Time Travel 35
Spy/Espionage 35
Thriller 36
- Medical Thriller 37
- Legal Thriller 37
- Technothriller 38
Western 38
Young Adult 39
Chapter 3. Backstory
to Description 43
Backstory 43
- Direct Methods 43
- Indirect Methods 50
- Backstory Length 51
Clichés 52
- Cliché Phrases 52
- Cliché Characters 54
- Cliché Situations 55
Description 56
- Blending
- Description 56
- Brand Names 57
- The Words to Use 57
Chapter 4. Figurative Language to Introspection,
Insight,
& Perception 63
Figurative Language 63
- Painting Mental
- Pictures 63
- Substituting Words
- for Sounds 64
- Other Functions 65
Foreshadowing and Flash Forward 66
- Foreshadowing 66
- Flash Forward 67
Form and Structure 68
- Form 68
- Structure 69
Imagery 69
- Levels of Imagery 70
- Suggestions for
- Using Imagery 71
Information 71
Interlocking Episodes 71
Introspection, Insight,
and Perception 72
- Introspection 72
- Insight 73
- Perception 73
Chapter 5. Linking Episodes to Series Novels
77
Linking Episodes 77
Modifiers 78
- Adjectives 78
- Adverbs 79
- Valueless Modifiers 80
Narrative 81 |
Point of View 82
- First-person
- Point
of View 82
- Third-person
- Point of
View 83
- Multiple Points
- of
View 86
- Second-person
- Point
of View 86
Sentences 87
- Sentence
- Fragments 87
- Sentence Variety 87
Series Novels 88
Chapter 6. Setting to Special Scenes
91
Setting 91
- Time 92
- Place 92
- Experience 95
- Mood 95
Simultaneity 99
Special Scenes 100
- Action Scenes 100
- Crowd/Battle
- Scenes 102
- Death Scenes 105
- Love Scenes 105
Chapter 7. Style
and Tone to Verb Strength 111
Style and Tone 111
- Style 111
- Tone 112
Symbolism and
Allegory 112
- Symbolism 112
- Allegory 112
Telling versus
Showing 113
- Telling 113
- Showing 114
Time 115
Transitions 115
- Simple Transitions
- 116
- Jump-cut
- Transitions 117
- Chapter Breaks 119
Verb Strength 119
- Active versus
- Passive Voice 119
- Strong versus
- Weak Verbs 120
Chapter 8. Plot 123
Plot Structure 123
Parallel Plots and Subplots 125
- Parallel Plots 125
- Subplots 126
Crisis and
Challenge 127
- Crisis 127
- Challenge 127
Conflict and
Suspense 128
- Conflict 128
- Suspense 132
Coincidence 134
Withholding
Information 135
Story Focus 135
- Plot Driven
- Story 135
- Idea Driven
- Story 136
- Character Driven
- Story 136
Twenty Basic Plots 137
Plot Summary 146
Outlining 147
Chapter 9.
Structure 151
Title 152
- Categories 152
- Importance 153
Prologue 154
- Types of
- Prologues 155
- Prologue Test 157
Beginning 157
- Story Question 159
- Questions Readers
- Ask 159
- Components of the Beginning 161
- Wide and Narrow Beginnings 172
- Beginnings to
- Avoid 173
Middle 174
- Complications 175
- Crisis 177
- The Sagging
- Middle 178
End 181
- Climax 182
- Resolution 182
- Types of
- Endings 183
- Stated Goal versus
- True Goal 185
- Deus ex Machina 186
- Symbolic Event 187
Epilogue 188
Structure Chart 188
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Chapter 10.
Scene
and sequel 193
Scene 194
- Questions to
- Answer 194
- Cause and Effect 196
- Scene Stages 197
- Scene Length 200
Sequel 200
- Purposes of
- a Sequel 201
- Sequel Stages 203
- Sequel Length 208
Variation of Scene-- Sequel Structure 208
- Scene Structure Variation 208
- Sequel Structure Variation 209
Ways to Keep the
Reader Worried 209
- Scene Ways 209
- Sequel Ways 210
Pacing 210
Chapter 11. Characterization
213
Character
Classification 213
- Major Characters 214
- Minor Characters 218
- Major or Minor Characters 219
Character
Description 223
- Dominant
- Characteristics 223
- Tags 224
- Uniqueness 225
- Involvement 227
- Desires and
- Goals 228
- Compensation 228
- Self-image 229
Character
Development 229
- Methods of Creating
- Characters 230
- Character
- Change 230
Names 231
Personality
Components 233
Examples of Character Attributes 236
How to Bring in a Character 238
Character Chart 239
Chapter 12.
Dialogue 245
Conversation versus Dialogue 245
Direct and Indirect Dialogue 246
Uses of Dialogue 246
Types of Dialogue 249
- Directed
- Dialogue 249
- Interpolated
- Dialogue 250
- Misdirected
- Dialogue 250
- Modulated
- Dialogue 252
Dialogue
Techniques 253
Dialogue
Conventions 255
- Men Talking
- to Men 255
- Bits and Pieces
- versus Chunks 256
- Situational
- Dialogue 256
- Individuality 257
- Internal Dialogue 257
- Emphasis 257
- Sounds 257
- Speeches 258
- Cursing 259
Rules for Good
Dialogue 259
- Dialogue Tags 260
- Speech Tags 260
- Action Tags 261
- Creative Dialogue
- Tag Syndrome 261
- Excessive Direct Address 262
Overuse of
Modifiers 262
Dialect, Slang,
and Jargon 263
- Dialect 263
- Slang 264
- Jargon 264
- Slang and Jargon Websites 265
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Punctuating
Dialogue 265
- Statements,
- Questions, and
- Exclamations 265
- New Speaker 266
- More than One Paragraph of
Dialogue 266
- Nested Quotation
- Marks 266Chapter
13. Emotions 269
Characteristics
of Emotion 269
- Etiology of
- Emotions 269
- Mixed
- Emotions 270
- Range of
- Emotions 270
- Levels of
- Emotion 270
Emotions and
Body Language 271
Table of
Emotions 271
Examples of Emotions 276
- Descriptive
- Phrases 276
- Emotional
- Situations 277
Chapter 14.
Body Language 283
Types of Body
Language 284
- Facial
- Expressions 284
- Gestures 285
- Posture 286
- Spatial
- Relationships 287
Groups 288
Table of Body
Language 289
Examples of Body Language 293
Chapter 15. Additional Information
297
Copyright and
Plagiarism 297
- Copyright 297
- Plagiarism 299
Getting Ideas 300
- Sources for
- Ideas 301
- Record your
- Ideas 302
Manuscript 302
- Format 302
- Revision 304
Query Letter and Synopsis 309
- Query Letter 309
- Synopsis 312
Appendix.
Grammar Tips 319
Comma and
Semicolon Use 319
- Lists 319
- Nonessential
- and Essential
- Clauses 319
Commonly Confused
Words 320
Double
Negatives 329
Modifiers 329
- Dangling
- Modifiers 330
- Nearly, Almost,
- and Only 330
One Word or
Two? 331
Possessives 333
Pronouns 333
- Case 333
- Noun-pronoun
- Agreement 334
- Antecedent
- Agreement 334
Sentence
Structure 334
- Comma Splice 334
- Run-On (Fused) Sentences 335
Split Infinitives 335
Subject-Verb
Agreement 336
Verbals 338
- Participles 339
- Gerunds 339
- Infinitives 340
- When to Use
- Verbals 340
Whether or Not 341 |
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