josiahdegraaf's review
4.0
Most of this book was review for me, and I tend to prefer books that are a bit more systematic in its exploration of storytelling. But it was still a good book with plenty of solid tips! And I did learn a few things from it. Especially if more systematic approaches like Weiland's aren't your cup of tea, you may prefer MacDonald's approach.
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
timdams's review
3.0
Actually a mustread. However, the author seems a bit too full of himself and also provides way to many examples for the (few) novel points he likes to bring across.
jbrautigam4's review against another edition
3.0
It’s fine. For a book on storytelling, I think it needs a little more structure (ironically), but definitely worth the read.
vinjii's review
4.0
If you're looking for an excellent book that teaches how to create compelling stories, look no further. Invisible Ink is a quick and easy read, provides plenty of examples and explains everything without drowning the reader in details.
codalion's review
4.0
This is one of the most useful, concise books I've read about storytelling. It's very no-frills and written with the assumption that the reader already is a committed writer who doesn't need to be sold on the spiritual or emotional significance of writing: which I appreciate, since one thing that turns me off about many books on writing is that they try to instill their audience with inspiration. I have inspiration. When I don't have inspiration, it's beyond the power of a writer's memoir to inculcate. I take the fire of real and honest motivation from all the usual places: an idea, a new favorite book or show, an obsession, a good day. I don't need that from a book on writing at this stage. I need helpful perspective.
McDonald's book is good for that. Even though it contains some very straightforward, very beginner-level advice, it also has some concise observations that resonate: and some clarifying truth that's important to keep in mind. I imagine if you find this kind of thing prescriptive and trammeling: great, you'll know that immediately. But if you're interested in flexible skeletal structure, this is a good one.
The masculine/feminine analogy is obnoxious, though. Not only does it come with the author's unnecessary and defensive and sort of blandly 1990s views on gender, but I'm not sure it makes any sense as a comparison in the first place. It's true that many writers tend too hard towards shallow bare-bones plot obsessions and many get bogged down in concept and prose and atmosphere, but I don't think this is a gender split; like 80% of the time it's a maturity split. Kid/teen writers and other total beginners characteristically only think about external plot. Then if/when they develop a knack or ear for prose and think critically and deeply about characterization, they lean hard on this--especially since it often gains them praise as a young writer and marks them apart from category 1. Then they often get sort of stuck in a rut there.
I think reading this as a gender thing requires a parrotfish model, or maybe an inverted erastes/eromenos situation. I dunno. In any case, I think if there is a strong gendering slant in patterns in young writers here, it has a lot more to do with complicated sexism and masculinity-related issues in education. As long as literacy carries both a homophobic stigma and the subtextual worry that it's not a lucrative pursuit for a future provider, boys are going to be underrepresented in it--at a certain age more girls read and write, period.
Anyway, the book is still very useful. I like some of the obvious identifications--like the stuff about dialogue--and then the harsh but totally real advice about writing for other writers (ie, don't) and how to think of feedback.
McDonald's book is good for that. Even though it contains some very straightforward, very beginner-level advice, it also has some concise observations that resonate: and some clarifying truth that's important to keep in mind. I imagine if you find this kind of thing prescriptive and trammeling: great, you'll know that immediately. But if you're interested in flexible skeletal structure, this is a good one.
The masculine/feminine analogy is obnoxious, though. Not only does it come with the author's unnecessary and defensive and sort of blandly 1990s views on gender, but I'm not sure it makes any sense as a comparison in the first place. It's true that many writers tend too hard towards shallow bare-bones plot obsessions and many get bogged down in concept and prose and atmosphere, but I don't think this is a gender split; like 80% of the time it's a maturity split. Kid/teen writers and other total beginners characteristically only think about external plot. Then if/when they develop a knack or ear for prose and think critically and deeply about characterization, they lean hard on this--especially since it often gains them praise as a young writer and marks them apart from category 1. Then they often get sort of stuck in a rut there.
I think reading this as a gender thing requires a parrotfish model, or maybe an inverted erastes/eromenos situation. I dunno. In any case, I think if there is a strong gendering slant in patterns in young writers here, it has a lot more to do with complicated sexism and masculinity-related issues in education. As long as literacy carries both a homophobic stigma and the subtextual worry that it's not a lucrative pursuit for a future provider, boys are going to be underrepresented in it--at a certain age more girls read and write, period.
Anyway, the book is still very useful. I like some of the obvious identifications--like the stuff about dialogue--and then the harsh but totally real advice about writing for other writers (ie, don't) and how to think of feedback.
thebooknote's review
5.0
An astonishing read regarding the structure of story that I will re-read and reference many times for sure. The pieces of advice McDonald give may seem deceptively simple with the clarity in his writing, but I for one think that it will take years of practice for any storyteller to nail all of these concepts in their workings. If you are a storyteller of any kind and aspire to become great: read this book!