A fiction-writing text by a well-known sci-fi author, editor and professor.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Excellent Advice:
This book is worth owning because Gunn gives some excellent advice in certain sections. However, it depends on what type of "writing" book you need. The one book you can really jump into and read in one sitting is Orson Scott Card's "How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy." I recommend Orson's book if you are thinking of writing SF&F, but you aren't sure if it's the right genre for you. Orson breaks everything down to basics so you will immediately know if SF&F is what you're after, but the... more info
Disappointed:
After the glowing reviews I read online, I was disappointed in this book. It was quite obviously patched together from previously published materials that did not meld gracefully: just looking at the chapter headings, it is obvious that no one would have organized a book that way if starting from scratch. At the very least, the book should have been edited to remove the obvious repetitions. Appendices in the back are basically class notes in the form of bulleted lists and sentence fragments. The title... more info
Outstanding and highly reccomended:
The first chapter (Why People Read Fiction) is worth the price of the book alone. Some reviewers have nitpicked a few typos and repetition. Having taught eye surgery for 45 years and having written a textbook on eye surgery - I can say with confidence that repetition lies at the heart of teaching typos not withstanding. Be that as it may - the aspiring writer will find much of value within these pages.
thoughts on science fiction:
This book a compilation of James Gunn's writings about writing science fiction. There are articles about the craft, the history of science fiction, and about the work of some famous science fiction writers. If you are looking for a basic book on how to write fiction, this is not the one to start with. I like this book because it talks about what goes into writing science fiction, both techniques and how other authors have approached it. Think of it as a more advanced writing book, though non-writers who are... more info
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