Storyville!

April 13, 2020
Novelist Dufresne (I Don’t Like Where This Is Going) dispenses advice on writing fiction with assurance and humor in this entertaining and informative manual. He suggests readers should not to write fiction “if you don’t know the basics of grammar and usage,” “if you haven’t read a novel in the last month,” or “if you think ideas are more important than people.” Having winnowed the field, he offers his 10 commandments of writing fiction, which include “sit your ass in the chair,” “thou shalt show and not tell,” and “thou shalt not bore the reader.” Dufresne launches into the finer details, from how to begin—in his mind, the whole story should be implicit in a good first line—to choosing the right point of view and various ways to construct a plot. Dufresne peppers his own instructions with quotations from other authors, such as John Fowles: “follow the accident, fear the fixed plan.” He also includes writing prompts at the end of each section, with space provided for responding on the page. Dufresne’s close attention to myriad details of fiction writing makes this a strong choice for anyone who thinks they have a novel or short stories in them, but don’t know how to begin.

April 15, 2020
There's so much that goes into writing a novel that it can be hard for a novice to know where to start. This book, with its appealing, whimsical cover, promises to guide that novice through all the twists and turns in the journey to becoming a writer. Dufresne, an accomplished novelist (I Don't Like Where This Is Going, 2016) and professor in the MFA program at Florida International University, has the expertise to do so. He covers the ground from the characteristics of a successful writer to the essential elements of a compelling story, then dives deep into the logistics of plotting and revision. Using examples from a sample story, the reader is invited to deconstruct a successful novel while completing free writing exercises along the way. Workbook space in the text is provided, although it may be best to make copies of the pages for ease of repeating the exercises. Evan Wondolowski's illustrations bring in context and highlight important takeaways throughout. An excellent addition for most library collections, laying out the basics for newbies and providing inspiration for seasoned writers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)