Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Rating: 5 out of 5

Everyone needs a refresher course on Plot and Structure and this is just the book to give it to you. Well written. Easy to understand and absorb, I highly recommended Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure.

What I like most about this book is how easy it is to understand and actually learn from. I’m also reading many of the books Bell mentions in his acknowledgments and many of them just haven’t grabbed me. I find myself rereading to grasp the concepts and then I have to put the book down to digest what I’ve read.

I like the layout of Plot & Structure. There are fourteen chapters covering everything from What is a Plot, Anyway? to Common Plot Problems and Cures. There are lots of bolded headings, lists, and charts, which makes for easier reading. And did I mention great examples.

All of those plot questions you have… you’ll find the answers in here. All the words and phrases you hear other writers mention, you’ll find them explained. In fact, you’ll find things you’ve never heard of and they’ll make that lightbulb above your head light up.

I really like Bell’s list of Twenty Ways to get Hundreds of Plot Ideas, because all of us need fresh ideas from time to time. And once you have those ideas, there’s a chapter covering the beginning of your novel, the middle (including how to keep the plot moving) and the ending.

Along the way and in the Appendix you’ll find excerises to help you craft your story. But if you’re anything like me, the whole book will have you examining every inch of your own work.

Based on Plot & Structure, I’ll be checking out all of Bell’s books.

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