- Paperback: 198 pages
- Publisher: Allen & Unwin (March 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1864483318
- ISBN-13: 978-1864483314
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 222 g
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Product Details |
Product Description
Product Description
Even experienced writers admit that those first blank pages are the hardest part about starting a novel. In works of popular fiction it is usual to ensure that location, characters, description, time frame, intrigue and motivation are quickly set up in chapter one. After numerous frustrated attempts too many would-be authors give up on this difficult task and disappointedly shelve their dreams of writing a novel. The purpose of this book is to help beginning writers overcome those difficulties by offering them a variety of opening chapters in which the hard work of exposition has already been done. Each chapter is closely analyzed to indicate why it works as an effective opening and, as well, suggestions are made as to how the beginning might be developed into a full-length novel. Further material is provided by the author's close examination of the beginnings of her own six novels. "Chapter One" is a guide by an experienced and successful fiction writer. In a lively and forthright style, Jennifer Bacia offers a unique means of overcoming those fears and doubts that have been the stumbling block to fulfilling many writers' dreams
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
For those who want to write bad books., July 27 1999
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Chapter One: Everything You Wanted to Know About Starting Your Novel (Paperback)
It's certainly a GOOD book to teach you how to write BAD books. The author seems to be a successful one and her books are best sellers in "popular fiction" (whatever this means. Is popular = bad + repetitive ? ). She discovered the formula and intends to share it with her readers. The stories shown lack the truth that a good writer always express even when he or she makes everything up in a story. This book can be recommended for fun, but not to be taken seriously.
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
If you want to start chapter one of a not-very- good book, April 16 2000
By saliero - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Chapter One: Everything You Wanted to Know About Starting Your Novel (Paperback)
There are writers who set out to exploit a genre, develop a formula, and are successful. One such is Janet Evanovich, whose 'Stephanie Plum' mysteries are currently riding high. Before that Ms Evanovich was a successful romance writer. Then there is Ms Bacia, who writes in the over-wrought women-finding-themselves with a background of pop-psychology-feminism genre. How successfully is a moot point. Not very elegantly or with much literary success.Her books tend to the plot development heights of First X happened, then Y, and exploits the 'now I'm going to over-describe with the use of strings of adjectives and adverbs' style of writing.
In one book by Ms Bacia the heroine attends an 8 week creative writing class and unlocks her pent-up talents (and has an affair which turns to friendship with occasional sexual contact, with the teacher and leaves her boorish husband and two children who take her for granted....you get the idea!)It appears Ms Bacia is the product of the Creative Writing School, and she has seen fit to share her wisdom with the world. I would not recommend any aspiring literary genius, or even half-way decent writer actually take the advice here to heart, but it is worth a look at (borrow it) to gets some tips on what not necessarily to do. Successful writing can't be learned from **a** book in my humble opinion! But reading lots and lots and lots of good writing might help!
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