- not sure I learned much
was thought provoking ( )

A good review of "things not to forget" while in the sargasso of writing a novel (as I am right now). Whether it's stuff you've learned before or never heard at all, this book is well worth taking off the shelf and giving a quick read. ( )

This was published in 1999, so a fair amount of what it offers is out of date. If you were looking to be a novelist between 1950 and 1990, though, this would have been a great source of information. Even today, much of what it says about basic storytelling remains valid, at least for popular fiction.

One thing that is changing (thankfully) is increased diversity. Novels today don't need to be as formulaic or appeal to as large a percentage of readers as they once did because eBooks (which aren't mentioned at all), don't cost much to produce and nothing to stock. Then there is POD, indie publishing, small presses and the like, which can offer readers much greater selection than they once had. This, I think, is a good thing because in the last century all that got past profit-motivated editors and publishers were books they thought would sell well, lowest common denominator popular fiction. If your tastes did not match those of the majority, you could have a tough time finding books you loved.

In How to Grow a Novel, Stein often mentions what readers like or want or expect, as if all readers are the same. There were a few places in which he makes such a claim, and my reaction was 'I don't.' For example, he mentions footnotes as something to avoid, but Terry Pratchett, whose books I love, was famous for them. Stein claims that readers want to be 'kidnapped' into the authors' fictional worlds to the extent that the real world seems 'flimsy'. Not me. Fiction that tries to pretend not to be kind of annoys me. He also stresses that authors need to evoke emotions in their stories. Again, not so much with me. I've always preferred stories that are more 'think' than 'feel'. I'm not looking for escapism. I don't need emotional catharsis. That's not what I want in a book. I tend to favor clearly fictional stories with themes, ideas, and insights that relate to the real world (e.g. Pratchett, again). Some popular, mass-appeal fiction is all right, but, with few exceptions, these a not books I love.

But for general advice for budding novelists who want to write popular fiction, this remains a pretty good guide despite its age. ( )

Excellent in a different way from Stein's ultimate writing guide. This has practical insiders info from the publishing world. ( )

A must for the working library of any and every writer. ( )