Scan barcode
steven_v's review
4.0
This is a fairly well-written book about how to write fiction. The author, Jeff Gerke, provides good advice about two different areas -- how to create good characters, and how to create a good plot.
Gerke begins by positing, and I would say I agree, that all writers fall into one of two basic types: plot-based or character-based. For plot-based writers, the external events of the story (i.e., the plot) come easily, but crafting good characters is difficult. For character-based writers, making realistic, believable characters with interesting inner journeys is easy, but building an external plot to entertain the reader is difficult.
Gerke, who admits he is a plot-based novelist, then provides a very good explanation of how to include both in your writing -- good, believable characters who undergo an inner journey, and an interesting and exciting plot that keeps the reader turning pages. He explains all the basic concepts that one would encounter in a typical writing class or book about writing.
But what sets this book apart from all others I have read, except perhaps Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder, of whose writing Gerke strongly reminds me, is that Greke provides the budding writer with a set of methods to actually accomplish the goals he sets out. For example, he doesn't just tell you "your character needs to be realistic;" he provides you with a whole chapter on how to make the character be realistic. He doesn't just tell you that Act I is "where all the important stuff is introduced," but he provides you with a list of items you should consult to make sure your Act I is doing what it is supposed to do. In each chapter, he suggests exercises the reader can do to develop the novel. If you follow each exercise, by the end, you will have a well-plotted novel with a set of interesting characters and a protagonist whose inner journey meshes well with the external plot.
As a consequence, this book is one of the few I have encountered about writing (with Save the Cat! being the other) that actually gives the budding novelist actionable advice. I have not yet tried Gerke's system (I have read this book over a holiday without any real ability to start writing a novel or keep notes or doing extensive research), but I plan to put it into action in the near future, and I have no doubt it will help -- because it already has.
In many ways, Gerke's system reminds me of Snyder's from Save the Cat!, as I have said above. The main difference is that Snyder's book is almost entirely focused on how to achieve the plot -- the external journey of the character. He mentions the inner journey and addresses it in a chapter or two, but he does not spend anywhere near the number of pages on how to build a good one and flesh it out that Gerke does. Snyder's process is also a good deal more formulaic. For example, Gerke takes a dim view of telling people that Act I should be over on a certain page, whereas Snyder clearly tells the reader on which page each event should happen (to be fair, Snyder is explaining how to write a 110-page standard-length movie script, and Gerke is talking about writing an open-ended novel). But overall, their advice is remarkably similar.
Interestingly, at least half of Gerke's examples come from movies rather than novels. I suppose in part, he does this because he can be more sure people have seen Star Wars or Titanic (since almost everyone has) than he can be that they have read Lord of the Flies. I don't have an issue with this, although some readers might be bothered by it.
But perhaps my favorite bit of advice that Gerke provides, which I have seen nowhere else and which, in fact, many other advice books (including Save the Cat!) contradict, is that one should not worry about the length of each act in a 3-act structure. It's OK, he says, if it takes half of the book to get through Act I. As I began to think about other stories I have loved, I noticed that a few of them have very long first acts as well. Thus Gerke states explicitly what I have always intuited, and it is something that has bothered me about the advice of other books on 3-act structure.
Overall, this is one of the most helpful books on writing I have encountered so far (and I've read at least 10 of them, if not more). One a very basic level, Gerke doesn't say anything you probably haven't heard a thousand times before if you are a budding writer - all characters in a novel should be realistic and not stereotypes; the protagonist needs to change in a major way; there should be a "ticking time bomb" to force the plot forward; the external and internal struggles should be related. But the difference between this book and all the other places where you receive such advice is that Gerke doesn't just tell you that you need it, and perhaps provide examples of other books/movies that have it -- he shows you how you can put those things into your story, and provides you with a series of exercises and assignments designed to help you do it.
If I could recommend only one book on how to write, this would be it. I have found it immensely helpful and well worth the purchase prices.
Gerke begins by positing, and I would say I agree, that all writers fall into one of two basic types: plot-based or character-based. For plot-based writers, the external events of the story (i.e., the plot) come easily, but crafting good characters is difficult. For character-based writers, making realistic, believable characters with interesting inner journeys is easy, but building an external plot to entertain the reader is difficult.
Gerke, who admits he is a plot-based novelist, then provides a very good explanation of how to include both in your writing -- good, believable characters who undergo an inner journey, and an interesting and exciting plot that keeps the reader turning pages. He explains all the basic concepts that one would encounter in a typical writing class or book about writing.
But what sets this book apart from all others I have read, except perhaps Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder, of whose writing Gerke strongly reminds me, is that Greke provides the budding writer with a set of methods to actually accomplish the goals he sets out. For example, he doesn't just tell you "your character needs to be realistic;" he provides you with a whole chapter on how to make the character be realistic. He doesn't just tell you that Act I is "where all the important stuff is introduced," but he provides you with a list of items you should consult to make sure your Act I is doing what it is supposed to do. In each chapter, he suggests exercises the reader can do to develop the novel. If you follow each exercise, by the end, you will have a well-plotted novel with a set of interesting characters and a protagonist whose inner journey meshes well with the external plot.
As a consequence, this book is one of the few I have encountered about writing (with Save the Cat! being the other) that actually gives the budding novelist actionable advice. I have not yet tried Gerke's system (I have read this book over a holiday without any real ability to start writing a novel or keep notes or doing extensive research), but I plan to put it into action in the near future, and I have no doubt it will help -- because it already has.
In many ways, Gerke's system reminds me of Snyder's from Save the Cat!, as I have said above. The main difference is that Snyder's book is almost entirely focused on how to achieve the plot -- the external journey of the character. He mentions the inner journey and addresses it in a chapter or two, but he does not spend anywhere near the number of pages on how to build a good one and flesh it out that Gerke does. Snyder's process is also a good deal more formulaic. For example, Gerke takes a dim view of telling people that Act I should be over on a certain page, whereas Snyder clearly tells the reader on which page each event should happen (to be fair, Snyder is explaining how to write a 110-page standard-length movie script, and Gerke is talking about writing an open-ended novel). But overall, their advice is remarkably similar.
Interestingly, at least half of Gerke's examples come from movies rather than novels. I suppose in part, he does this because he can be more sure people have seen Star Wars or Titanic (since almost everyone has) than he can be that they have read Lord of the Flies. I don't have an issue with this, although some readers might be bothered by it.
But perhaps my favorite bit of advice that Gerke provides, which I have seen nowhere else and which, in fact, many other advice books (including Save the Cat!) contradict, is that one should not worry about the length of each act in a 3-act structure. It's OK, he says, if it takes half of the book to get through Act I. As I began to think about other stories I have loved, I noticed that a few of them have very long first acts as well. Thus Gerke states explicitly what I have always intuited, and it is something that has bothered me about the advice of other books on 3-act structure.
Overall, this is one of the most helpful books on writing I have encountered so far (and I've read at least 10 of them, if not more). One a very basic level, Gerke doesn't say anything you probably haven't heard a thousand times before if you are a budding writer - all characters in a novel should be realistic and not stereotypes; the protagonist needs to change in a major way; there should be a "ticking time bomb" to force the plot forward; the external and internal struggles should be related. But the difference between this book and all the other places where you receive such advice is that Gerke doesn't just tell you that you need it, and perhaps provide examples of other books/movies that have it -- he shows you how you can put those things into your story, and provides you with a series of exercises and assignments designed to help you do it.
If I could recommend only one book on how to write, this would be it. I have found it immensely helpful and well worth the purchase prices.
leahegood's review
4.0
Finally finished this book! I started it in January and, through no fault of its own, haven't picked it back up again until recently. Jeff Gerke shares some very helpful tips concerning creating great characters and page turning plots. I especially like his advice on how to use Myers-Briggs personality tests for characters development and time bombs to keep the plot moving. I also appreciated the fact that all of the examples used in this book were appropriate.
emcbee's review
5.0
A system, but not a strict one
This book kept getting recommended to me so I bought it and read it. I followed the exercises for a new project and I definitely like the results. I hope I get the opportunity to take the author's class in person, but in th meantime the book introduces the complete system.
This book kept getting recommended to me so I bought it and read it. I followed the exercises for a new project and I definitely like the results. I hope I get the opportunity to take the author's class in person, but in th meantime the book introduces the complete system.
myrandajo's review
5.0
It was a blast following along with this book and taking notes for the story I'm working on!
A lot of the character exercises reminded me of stuff I'd do when working on a role for a play and the revelation that I could use those same exercises for writing made me so happy.
Well! Writing time, then!
A lot of the character exercises reminded me of stuff I'd do when working on a role for a play and the revelation that I could use those same exercises for writing made me so happy.
Well! Writing time, then!
nightwater32's review
5.0
Great book for getting to the heart of plotting and character development. As one who is admittedly weak in plot, I feel like this book really broke it down into the components necessary for me to get my head around where I've been going wrong, see what I've been doing right, and go forward with more confidence to put it all together successfully.
js_warren's review
3.0
This book almost lost me 38 pages in, during the "Race and Ethnicity" subsection, when it became painfully obvious that a white dude had written it. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with a white author. But when a cringe-y section is what clues you in... that's not great.
I stuck with it, though, and I'm glad I did. My writing "education" has been the act of reading tons of books. I've got nothing formal under my belt, other than some standard English classes, so some more pointed instruction felt like a good idea. I was running on pure instinct with the book I'm currently writing (my first, and hopefully not my last).
As luck would have it, my instincts were pretty good, but by no means perfect. This book helped highlight some weaknesses and mistakes, which has already been helpful. And while I didn't agree with everything in the book, even the act of disagreeing tended to solidify something or another in my mind. Hell, by the end of the book I was having trouble maintaining focus because I couldn't stop thinking about my story (that's meant to be a "yay, it got my creative juices flowing" statement rather than "this was boring" potshot).
Are there better options than this out there? Probably. But this is the one I knew about (via a friend), and it was definitely a net positive for me. Looking forward to diving back into my story with a better feel for what I'm trying to accomplish.
I stuck with it, though, and I'm glad I did. My writing "education" has been the act of reading tons of books. I've got nothing formal under my belt, other than some standard English classes, so some more pointed instruction felt like a good idea. I was running on pure instinct with the book I'm currently writing (my first, and hopefully not my last).
As luck would have it, my instincts were pretty good, but by no means perfect. This book helped highlight some weaknesses and mistakes, which has already been helpful. And while I didn't agree with everything in the book, even the act of disagreeing tended to solidify something or another in my mind. Hell, by the end of the book I was having trouble maintaining focus because I couldn't stop thinking about my story (that's meant to be a "yay, it got my creative juices flowing" statement rather than "this was boring" potshot).
Are there better options than this out there? Probably. But this is the one I knew about (via a friend), and it was definitely a net positive for me. Looking forward to diving back into my story with a better feel for what I'm trying to accomplish.
warwriter's review
2.0
Very good. Well done explanation of the formula of three acts, how to combine both plotting and character (basically work backwards).
rkj's review
5.0
A mine of information. Have read it from cover to cover, but will forever keep it handy as a reference book and a means of beating writer's block. I believe my protagonist just morphed from a female to a fully-fledged woman.
More...