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A review by nimishg
The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch
3.0
I'm an absolute beginner who had this book recommended.
It seems to be full of wisdom that makes sense in retrospect or maybe summarizes intuitions that an intermediate-writer might have been struggling to make, and I think an intermediate writer might get a lot more out of this than I did.
As an actual total beginner, though, it's a little all over the place. I was able to get a few really nice solid stand-alone tips out of it, but I feel like it was lots of tips for problems I haven't encountered yet as opposed to 'how to begin'.
Still, it is deeply encouraging (except for a random chapter close to the beginning which is deliberately discouraging for 'realism') and full of the writer's personal musing so you kind of get the idea of what he's feeling and has felt while engaging in writing and generally seems positive.
It seems to be full of wisdom that makes sense in retrospect or maybe summarizes intuitions that an intermediate-writer might have been struggling to make, and I think an intermediate writer might get a lot more out of this than I did.
As an actual total beginner, though, it's a little all over the place. I was able to get a few really nice solid stand-alone tips out of it, but I feel like it was lots of tips for problems I haven't encountered yet as opposed to 'how to begin'.
Still, it is deeply encouraging (except for a random chapter close to the beginning which is deliberately discouraging for 'realism') and full of the writer's personal musing so you kind of get the idea of what he's feeling and has felt while engaging in writing and generally seems positive.