tjr's review against another edition
4.0
I have a soft spot for books on writing. There's something about reading how others describe the craft of writing that I find really appealing. Thankfully, after investing time and money into The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction I came away feeling that I learned something new and fresh.
The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction is a no-nonsense guide to writing in these two respective genres. Athans quickly gets to the point, and stays on point throughout the entire book. The one criticism I have is that I found, after finishing the book, is that I wanted more: more examples, more little exercises, more stuff.
My favourite sections were those on plot and character development. I made notes, and I now have a “master file” spreadsheet that I put together using information that I picked up from The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction. Using a spreadsheet is a great idea to keep track of notes and organize thoughts, and thankfully Athans points out this obvious detail in the book. It's a simple little detail, but one that can provide immeasurable return.
All in all The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction is a good little book, and a welcome addition to the growing list of science fiction/fantasy writing guides. If you're in the market for something new on the topic, or if you are interested finding the perfect starting point to delve into the subject of writing sci-fi, then pick up this book.
The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction is a no-nonsense guide to writing in these two respective genres. Athans quickly gets to the point, and stays on point throughout the entire book. The one criticism I have is that I found, after finishing the book, is that I wanted more: more examples, more little exercises, more stuff.
My favourite sections were those on plot and character development. I made notes, and I now have a “master file” spreadsheet that I put together using information that I picked up from The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction. Using a spreadsheet is a great idea to keep track of notes and organize thoughts, and thankfully Athans points out this obvious detail in the book. It's a simple little detail, but one that can provide immeasurable return.
All in all The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction is a good little book, and a welcome addition to the growing list of science fiction/fantasy writing guides. If you're in the market for something new on the topic, or if you are interested finding the perfect starting point to delve into the subject of writing sci-fi, then pick up this book.
birdkeeperklink's review against another edition
4.0
Huh. I thought I reviewed this at the time I finished it? Apparently not.
This book is very, very helpful. While there are tons of writing guides and reference books out there, there aren't many that focus specifically on one genre. This book's focus on fantasy and sci-fi was very helpful in getting me to think about aspects of my novel-that-will-never-be-written that other writing guides don't cover.
This book is very, very helpful. While there are tons of writing guides and reference books out there, there aren't many that focus specifically on one genre. This book's focus on fantasy and sci-fi was very helpful in getting me to think about aspects of my novel-that-will-never-be-written that other writing guides don't cover.
unwrappingwords's review against another edition
5.0
I don't think I can praise this book enough. It gives some really good pointers, not just on writing fantasy & science fiction, but on writing in general. It's not a how to book, more of a guide of what to remember and consider when writing, mainly in those genres but most of the advice can be applied to other genres of writing, too. In places it feels like a gentle reminder. In others, it felt like I was picking up things I hadn't really considered before or maybe had forgotten about. Not just that but the book itself is fun to read. A brilliant book for any writer.
brinnet's review against another edition
4.0
This book gives great insight to things to consider when writing your own sci-fi/fantasy novel. Although I majored in literature, I've never had much of an idea of what makes a book seem cliche or how to improve writing. Either I liked something or I didn't, but I couldn't quite pinpoint what was missing/needed. This book fills in the holes I was missing. It's explicit, honest, and perhaps most importantly, easy to read. I didn't feel like reading this was homework (I was browsing through books, liked it, and paid real world money for it...so, in fact, it wasn't homework). The book is mostly focused on how to write a "bestseller" and spends a short bit at the end about publishing it. If you're looking for details about how to publish, there's probably a better book out there. However, the author actually is an editor and has accepted and rejected thousands of books (or, thousands per book he accepts) -- so hurray for reading something written by someone who's actually part of the biz.
Bottom line: I'd absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants to start learning more about what makes good fantasy/sci-fi writing. You won't have to slog through this one.
Bottom line: I'd absolutely recommend this book to anyone who wants to start learning more about what makes good fantasy/sci-fi writing. You won't have to slog through this one.
kdbooks55's review against another edition
2.0
Most of the info is pretty basic, nothing I haven't read before.
abwrites's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Don't judge a book by its cover, they say; and they're right, because this book has an awful, kind of cringy cover (my wife physically cringed when she saw it), but it's been the best book on writing SFF that I've picked up so far.
jennyrbaker's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, information overload, but in an awesome way! This is better than Orson Scott Card's book on the same subject. There was more focus and details on the aspects that I wanted to learn more about. More later!