A review by chylu
Damn Fine Story: Mastering the Tools of a Powerful Narrative by Chuck Wendig
5.0
An inspiring and encouraging read. I especially loved the second chapter, with its emphasis on how characters *are* the story: characters *are* their problem, and their solution to that problem *is* the story.
I also appreciate that Wendig sticks to a small handful of well-known stories (primarily Star Wars, Die Hard, The Princess Bride, and Buffy) to explain his thought processes. I've read more than a few craft books (and I wouldn't call this a craft book per se as it's not about "how to write" but more about what makes a good story -- but for the purposes of this review I'll call it a craft book) that only refer to the author's OWN BOOKS to illustrate their theories. I tend to put those books down well before finishing them.
I'd recommend this for any storytellers, particularly if you're tired of the "THIS IS HOW TO WRITE A BOOK"-type craft books that promise to show you the magic formula. Those can be useful to have in your toolkit and in your subconscious while you work, but I find a book like this much more organic and applicable.
I also appreciate that Wendig sticks to a small handful of well-known stories (primarily Star Wars, Die Hard, The Princess Bride, and Buffy) to explain his thought processes. I've read more than a few craft books (and I wouldn't call this a craft book per se as it's not about "how to write" but more about what makes a good story -- but for the purposes of this review I'll call it a craft book) that only refer to the author's OWN BOOKS to illustrate their theories. I tend to put those books down well before finishing them.
I'd recommend this for any storytellers, particularly if you're tired of the "THIS IS HOW TO WRITE A BOOK"-type craft books that promise to show you the magic formula. Those can be useful to have in your toolkit and in your subconscious while you work, but I find a book like this much more organic and applicable.