نوشتن داستان: مقدمه‌ای بر هنر داستان‌نویسی

Useful for writers at any level or age, this guide explains the basic steps to effective fiction writing. From an award-winning author, sound, practical advice is included on the most significant elements of fiction, such as plot, character development, and voice, and strategies are provided for the effective use of tense and the dialogue. All forms of fiction are explored, including novels, novellas, short stories, and crime fiction. In addition, the writing concepts introduced are illustrated with examples from a wide variety of known writers, presenting a candid picture of the pleasure and pitfalls from a wide range of fiction-writing experiences. Library Journal Australian fiction writer Disher (The Sunken Road) has written a useful handbook for the beginning writer of fiction. It's pointless to wait for inspiration, Disher advises would-be writers, who, he argues, should write whether [they] feel like it or not. He then takes the developing writer through all the stages of the writing process, from finding story ideas to understanding how characters and dialog work to reveal plot. Separate chapters focus on issues specific to the various forms of fiction. Disher warns that it takes more than absorbing characters and exciting plots to compel readers: The words on the page-the style-must also compel. Hence, a chapter each is devoted to practical tips on using language economically and dealing with writer's block. Do it, don't tell me about it, exclaims Disher-good advice comes from a writer who does just that. The concluding section lists a wonderful array of sources for further reading that the author draws upon throughout the book. Highly recommended for beginning students of creative writing.-Herbert E. Shapiro, SUNY/Empire State Coll., Rochester Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. Contents......Page 10 Author’s Note......Page 8 Before You Start......Page 16 Do You Really Want to Write?......Page 18 Under-Confidence......Page 19 Over-Confidence......Page 23 How This Book Works......Page 24 Good Work Habits......Page 26 Going Public......Page 30 The Changing Nature of Fiction......Page 37 What Should Fiction do?......Page 42 Finding Ideas......Page 45 Ideas and Characters......Page 50 Writing Triggers......Page 51 The Scope of Your Idea......Page 52 The Significant and The Mundane......Page 54 New, Unique, Different......Page 55 Developing Ideas......Page 56 Ideas and Theme......Page 58 Types of Characters......Page 60 Character as a Plotting Aid......Page 61 Character and Conflict......Page 63 Character is Action......Page 64 Revealing Character......Page 66 Believability......Page 72 Character and Consistency......Page 74 Basing Fictional Characters on Real People......Page 75 5. Dialogue......Page 78 Dialogue and Characterisation......Page 79 Dramatising Scenes......Page 83 Revealing Plot Information......Page 86 Some Dos and Don’ts......Page 88 Listen......Page 90 6. Point of View......Page 91 Determining the Point of View......Page 92 Third-person Point of View......Page 93 Second-person Point of View......Page 97 First-person Point of View......Page 100 Shifting and Combining Points of View......Page 112 Narrative Distance......Page 113 Some Definitions......Page 114 Plot and Character......Page 115 Plot and Conflict......Page 117 ‘Plotless’ Fiction......Page 118 To Plan or Not to Plan......Page 120 When Should You Plan?......Page 123 How to Plan......Page 124 Testing a Plan......Page 126 Trust Your Instincts......Page 127 Traditional Structures......Page 128 Some Variations......Page 129 Innovative Fiction......Page 132 What Influences Structure?......Page 135 Building Blocks......Page 136 10. Setting......Page 148 Characters and Setting......Page 149 Evoking the Setting......Page 150 Foreshadowing......Page 154 The Words on the Page......Page 155 Familiar Places......Page 156 Other Worlds and Times......Page 157 This is Not a Short Story......Page 159 A Short History of the Short Story......Page 160 Defining Characteristics of Traditional Short Stories......Page 163 A Story at Work......Page 165 Analysis......Page 173 Making a Story Longer......Page 179 Organisation in a Short-Story Collection......Page 180 The Novel in the Marketplace......Page 182 Children’s Novels......Page 184 How Long Should a Novel Be?......Page 185 How Chapters Work......Page 187 Why Read on?......Page 188 A Conventional Structure for Your First Novel......Page 190 13. The Words on the Page......Page 192 Order Out of Chaos......Page 193 Beg, Borrow or Steal?......Page 194 Words......Page 195 Sentences......Page 199 Paragraphs......Page 202 Tenses......Page 203 Syntax Determines Content Determines Syntax .........Page 204 Tone......Page 207 Writer’s Block......Page 210 Main Problem Areas......Page 212 Some Common Weaknesses in Crime Fiction......Page 221 A Judge’s Report......Page 222 Conclusion......Page 224 Further Reading......Page 226 Sources......Page 228 Clearly and compactly explains the fundamentals of good fiction-writing, with examples from a wide variety of known writers. The art of writing fiction successfully requires not only talent but craft. This book is a guide to that craft - for writers who want to understand and master the basics of what makes a novel or story work well. The principles and sound practical advice offered arise from Garry Disher's own deep experience as a professional writer, as well as a teacher of writing, an editor of collections, and a judge for fiction awards. Disher illustrates his points with examples from many other Australian and international fiction writers, presenting a candid picture of the pleasures and pitfalls across a diversity of fiction-writing experiences.Ranging across from the most significant elements of fiction, such as plot characterisation and voice, to fine details like the use of tense, Disher's hands-on advice can only help fiction writers write better fiction. A guide to writing fiction includes advice on plot, character development, and voice, and strategies are provided for the effective use of tense and dialogue. All forms of fiction are explored, including novels, novellas, short stories, and crime fiction