City Travel Guides > Books > Writing

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.Three Uses of the Knife: On the Nature and Purpose of Drama
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: David Mamet

June 13, 2000
I read this book every year, and every year I take something new from it. There's SO much in this short book. It's FILLED with truth about life, art, and life & art.
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.How to Write a Damn Good Mystery: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide from Inspiration to Finished Manuscript
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: James N. Frey

February 12, 2004
This is a good basic guide to writing a mystery from inspiration to book signings. The instructional side of things is enlivened by showing a mystery novel in the making--"Murder in Montana"--which puts an interesting spin on the process. Frey has a nice, easy style and uses humor to good effect. For the student/writer of mystery fiction, I would also recommend How to Write a Mystery by Larry Beinhart.
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.Writing Mysteries
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
from: Writers Digest Books

April 22, 2002
I used this book as a way to refresh my perspective on a mystery novel after finishing a second draft. I highlighted perhaps a dozen relevant/useful passages in the entire 300-page book. There are a handful of interesting ideas, but the biggest challenge I encountered is that the quality of the advice is entirely dependent on the author of each chapter - so, if what you want to learn about happens to have been written about by an average advice-giver, you're out of luck. For a better treatment - more concise and productive, and of better quality throughout - consider Hallie Ephron's "Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel."
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.The Weekend Novelist Writes A Mystery
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: Robert J. Ray

April 06, 1998
This seems to be a very well conceived and helpful book. It has a detailed plan for taking one from a blank page to a finished novel in a year's time. I haven't read through the whole book yet. NOR have I worked through many exercises yet, but found the first several exercises very helpful. Already my characters are coming to life. I expect great things in the weeks ahead.
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.Daemon Hall
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: Andrew Nance

June 12, 2007
I picked this up after my little brother checked it out from the library. Which is great because this is a teenager book, pure and simple. However, I must say that I really enjoyed it. Nance's whole objective, it seemed, was to praise creative writing and storytelling, and he certainly did his job with this book that tells the tale of five teenagers invited to spend the night in a haunted house telling scary stories. It's better than it sounds and is very reminiscent of some of those old "Fear Street" books. Nance is clearly educated on various authors and folklore and he spreads information throughout the story. The characters are not particularly well-drawn, and some of the drama had me rolling my eyes--but I'm sure teens will fall head-over-heels for the ... Read More:
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.The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: Martin Roth

February 25, 2003
I purchased this book with some doubt. I wasn't sure if it was going to be what I was looking for as an aspiring horror & mystery writer. I have to say, I only read half way through this book so far; it's fantastic! Packed with information that any writer should know. This book covers everything from drugs, to criminals, to writing.

You don't have to be a writer to read this book. I find this as a manual, and it contains as much information as a criminology text book! You have to purchase this book, I promise you will learn things that you never had any clue about.

I know a lot of drug/criminal slang, and this book has helped me to learn every more. I can not say enough, Martin Roth wrote one heck of a book here. It has many ... Read More:
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.Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odd Questions from Crime Writers
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: D. P. Lyle

August 21, 2007
Very interesting book. I enjoyed it, but it was more technical than I expected. Lots of great, gruesome questions.
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.You Can Write a Mystery (You Can Write)
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: Gillian Roberts

August 15, 1999
This book is very well written. I really enjoyed reading this, and the information in the end of this book is priceless!!! Gillian Roberts did an excellent job, and she keeps it simple. I would highly recommend this book for any aspiring writer. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Robert's work. Thanks so Much. Take Care Mikey.
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.Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: Patricia Highsmith

September 08, 2001
I found this book enjoyable to read, but not very useful as a practical guide. Written almost like an interview, Highsmith details the writing of her various books and short stories. If you're a fan of hers (as I am), these stories are entertaining since they show the genesis of her ideas and insights into her writing.

However, it is difficult to see how many of her suggestions could be applied outside of the situation where she used them. It was almost as if she provided great anecdotes, but couldn't render general principles that would be useful in varied writing circumstances. If you're a Highsmith fan, you'll really enjoy this small book. If you're looking for general writing advice, another book might serve you better.

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.Elements of Mystery Fiction, The: Writing the Modern Whodunit
City Travel Guides > Books > Writing
by: William Tapply

May 15, 2004
William G. Tapply has great credentials for explaining about how to write mystery fiction: His series of Brady Coyne mysteries have been providing much reading pleasure to mystery fans for decades. He's also collaborated on novels with Linda Barlow and Philip R. Craig. The fishing happy aspect of Brady Coyne's fictional life reflects Mr. Tapply's personal love for and great knowledge of fishing (and he's also written widely on the subject in non-fiction form).

When I'm reading a mystery, I often feel that something is missing. The Elements of Mystery Fiction showed me how to analyze a mystery to see what its strengths and weaknesses are. I'm sure my mystery reviews will be much better as a result.

As a non-fiction writer, I've never been able to figure out a writing ... Read More:
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