by Jason Joyner | Mar 19, 2007 | Blog, fiction, writing craft
On my first day of talking about books on writing, the Cubicle Reverend suggested that a lot of books on writing fiction are written by people who haven’t been published otherwise. This can be a good point – it is important to know an author’s qualifications for giving advice. OTOH, one must use this point with discretion. The authors of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers are editors, so their take is obviously from a different side of things (I couldn’t find where they had published other books/fiction – if someone knows a book, let me know).
Ultimately there is no good way to know if a book will work for you. Reviews on Amazon tell you one thing. Personal recommendations can be good, but this doesn’t always work out either.
I had heard good things about The First Five Pages from Noah Lukeman, so I got it. I thought he was very sparse in explaining his examples, and I really didn’t get much from it at all. See? Even referrals from people you know can be misleading. That isn’t stopping me from throwing out some books for discussion. My hope is that someone will find a book listed here is a helpful resource and grow in their craft from it.
I started with the latest fiction craft book I had read. Tomorrow I plan on highlighting the first book I read on the subject!
by Jason Joyner | Mar 18, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, pirates
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
THE RELIANCE( Barbour, January 1, 2007) by
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
M. L. (MARYLU) TYNDALL grew up on the beaches of South Florida loving the sea and the warm tropics. But despite the beauty around her, she always felt an ache in her soul–a longing for something more.
After college, she married and moved to California where she had two children and settled into a job at a local computer company. Although she had done everything the world expected, she was still miserable. She hated her job and her marriage was falling apart.
Still searching for purpose, adventure and true love, she spent her late twenties and early thirties doing all the things the world told her would make her happy, and after years, her children suffered, her second marriage suffered, and she was still miserable.
One day, she picked up her old Bible, dusted it off, and began to read. Somewhere in the middle, God opened her hardened heart to see that He was real, that He still loved her, and that He had a purpose for her life, if she’s only give her heart to Him completely.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A YOUNG BRIDE separated from her husband just as a child has been conceived…
A GRIEVING HUSBAND tempted to take his anger out through the vices of his past…
A MARRIAGE AND A SHIP threatenend to be split apart by villainous Caribbean pirates…
In
THE RELIANCE, Edmund Merrick tormented by the apparent demise of his pregnant wife Charlisse, sails away to drown his sorrows. He turns his back on God and reverts to a life of villainy, joining forces with the demented French pirate Collier. When his mind clears from its rum-induced haze, will Edmund find the will to escape?
Seemingly abandoned by her new husband, Charlisse battles her own insecurities as she is thrown into the clutches of the vengeful pirate Kent, who holds her and Lady Isabel captive.
Will she be swept away by the undertow of treachery and despair? Can Edmund and Charlisse battle the tempests that threaten to tear them apart and steer their way to the faith-filled haven they so desperately seek? Or will they ultimately lose their love and lives to the whirlpool of treachery and deceit?
by Jason Joyner | Mar 18, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction, pirates
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
THE RELIANCE( Barbour, January 1, 2007) by
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
M. L. (MARYLU) TYNDALL grew up on the beaches of South Florida loving the sea and the warm tropics. But despite the beauty around her, she always felt an ache in her soul–a longing for something more.
After college, she married and moved to California where she had two children and settled into a job at a local computer company. Although she had done everything the world expected, she was still miserable. She hated her job and her marriage was falling apart.
Still searching for purpose, adventure and true love, she spent her late twenties and early thirties doing all the things the world told her would make her happy, and after years, her children suffered, her second marriage suffered, and she was still miserable.
One day, she picked up her old Bible, dusted it off, and began to read. Somewhere in the middle, God opened her hardened heart to see that He was real, that He still loved her, and that He had a purpose for her life, if she’s only give her heart to Him completely.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A YOUNG BRIDE separated from her husband just as a child has been conceived…
A GRIEVING HUSBAND tempted to take his anger out through the vices of his past…
A MARRIAGE AND A SHIP threatenend to be split apart by villainous Caribbean pirates…
In
THE RELIANCE, Edmund Merrick tormented by the apparent demise of his pregnant wife Charlisse, sails away to drown his sorrows. He turns his back on God and reverts to a life of villainy, joining forces with the demented French pirate Collier. When his mind clears from its rum-induced haze, will Edmund find the will to escape?
Seemingly abandoned by her new husband, Charlisse battles her own insecurities as she is thrown into the clutches of the vengeful pirate Kent, who holds her and Lady Isabel captive.
Will she be swept away by the undertow of treachery and despair? Can Edmund and Charlisse battle the tempests that threaten to tear them apart and steer their way to the faith-filled haven they so desperately seek? Or will they ultimately lose their love and lives to the whirlpool of treachery and deceit?
by Jason Joyner | Mar 13, 2007 | Blog, fiction, writing craft
There are many places where lists of books on writing can be found. However, it is nice to have books recommended by people, even apart from Amazon reviews. I’ve benefited from different perspectives, and I’ve read books that didn’t really help me in growth as a writer.
I know I’m really new at this game, but I think a little dialogue on good writing books never hurts.
—
The most recent book I’ve read on the subject of writing is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. This book had been mentioned a lot as far as “must-read” books on the subject. I think seeing it featured at the site Where the Map Ends by editor Jeff Gerke sealed it for me as far as buying it.
It was a very good purchase. The book focuses on 12 different aspects of fiction, from the perennial writing advise to “show, not tell” to POV, dialogue, and voice. It came across as easily understood, yet I found myself reading a chapter and waiting a day or two to read more, so I could digest what was shared.
After reading several books on a subject, you start to glean less and less as material is repeated (unless repeated in a good way). Self-Editing does bring out aspects of these topics that are fresh or a good reminder of how to do things right. There were also concepts I hadn’t come across before. For example, with POV I understood first person, third person close, and third person omniscient. However, they describe a technique of starting omniscient at the beginning of a scene but moving into a close perspective at the end. It sounds like a powerful tool that could be used to bring a scene more life – I’m just not sure if I’m ready to pull it off well yet!
There are exercises that one can take advantage of (reading on a bus doesn’t always lend itself to using them). Overall, this is a very helpful book that I think helped a lot with understanding the whole process of editing a work myself, sharpening it as best I can. It definitely is for someone who understands the basics of characterization, plot, etc.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 13, 2007 | Blog, fiction, writing craft
There are many places where lists of books on writing can be found. However, it is nice to have books recommended by people, even apart from Amazon reviews. I’ve benefited from different perspectives, and I’ve read books that didn’t really help me in growth as a writer.
I know I’m really new at this game, but I think a little dialogue on good writing books never hurts.
—
The most recent book I’ve read on the subject of writing is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. This book had been mentioned a lot as far as “must-read” books on the subject. I think seeing it featured at the site Where the Map Ends by editor Jeff Gerke sealed it for me as far as buying it.
It was a very good purchase. The book focuses on 12 different aspects of fiction, from the perennial writing advise to “show, not tell” to POV, dialogue, and voice. It came across as easily understood, yet I found myself reading a chapter and waiting a day or two to read more, so I could digest what was shared.
After reading several books on a subject, you start to glean less and less as material is repeated (unless repeated in a good way). Self-Editing does bring out aspects of these topics that are fresh or a good reminder of how to do things right. There were also concepts I hadn’t come across before. For example, with POV I understood first person, third person close, and third person omniscient. However, they describe a technique of starting omniscient at the beginning of a scene but moving into a close perspective at the end. It sounds like a powerful tool that could be used to bring a scene more life – I’m just not sure if I’m ready to pull it off well yet!
There are exercises that one can take advantage of (reading on a bus doesn’t always lend itself to using them). Overall, this is a very helpful book that I think helped a lot with understanding the whole process of editing a work myself, sharpening it as best I can. It definitely is for someone who understands the basics of characterization, plot, etc.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 3, 2007 | Blog, CFBA, fiction
Synopsis:
Sophie ventures to Spain on a quest of love. She longs to be with her fiance Michael, a news photographer. She gets to Spain in the midst of civil war. Her innocence is destroyed by the conflict. Michael is away and Sophie must navigate the fog of war on her own. She survives and finds the truth of life.
Sophie is an intrigue protaganist who has a tenacious spirit, which makes her adventure an inspiring story. The novel draws you in by allowing you to relate to the characters’ lives.
A Valley of Betrayal is a good read because you live the lives of the people. You imagine their hurts. You see the devastation of war and the power of survival.
