This book is about identifying the choices available when creating, fixing, steering, and discovering plots and then learning what narrative problems they are apt to create and how to choose an effective strategy for solving them. The result? Strong, solid stories and novels that move.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Only "okay" book about Plot:
I just finished reading "Plot" by Ansen Dibell and I have to say I'm disappointed. Although she did have a few valuable pieces of information about plotting your work, I found myself growing impatient with how it was presented. As other reviewers have noted, the book lacked coherence, and there are more effective books out there on the topic. I found that I wanted more examples of novels and short stories as examples of what Ms. Dibell was presenting in each chapter. I found her use of "Empire Strikes... more info
One of the Weakest Writers Digest Books:
As far as I can tell there is no textual difference between the "1999" paperback edition shown here and the earlier 1988 hardcover version. It's a rambling pastiche of ideas and commentary on various aspects of writing, with only loose homage paid to the actual topic of "plot." There is much better guidance available on most of the wide array of topics the author touches on so briefly (and inadequately) in this book. One's time would surely be better spent with such helpful titles as: Plot &... more info
"Like a recepie for a cake":
A big help for anyone who has written a plot that "starts to go wrong just after the first big scene"
Plot is all:
Its not often you wanders into a junk shop and pick up a gem, but that is what I found with Dibell's '88 edition of 'Plot..'. I'm tempted to buy the '99 edition just to see how the author has improved it. At under $2, that's too good a bargain to miss, but I do not understand how any determined writer can sell such valuable reference book. With all the hype about 'character' and claims there are only a limited number of plots that have all been done to death, it seems rather passe to study... more info
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