Sunday, November 28, 2010

Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson

Today I finished reading Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy.

I have been following Ingermanson's blog, AdvancedFictionWriting.com , for months.  An offer came from his publisher to receive a Kindle version of Writing Fiction for Dummies for free while I was in the middle of writng for NaNoWriMo.  I was having some questions about scene structure. So, I signed up, downloaded the book and read about scene structure.  I learned a three things.  1. I'm not crazy about using Kindle for a reference book because it's more difficult than simply turning pages to find something you want to look at again.  2. His book is as good as his blog, which I heartily recommend, and I needed this book for future reference on paper.  3. Don't turn your nose up just because the book is for Dummies. 

Now I admit there is some snob in me.  And, I would be a little bit embarassed if someone looking at my reference bookshelf commented on my for Dummies book.  What with me being a serious author and all.  The book deserves to be on my bookself.  In fact, it deserves to be open at my side as I write.  It has a lot of stuff that I need to know.

One of the first things that attracted me to Ingermanson was the concept of MRUs, motivation - reaction units.  He describes MRUs in depth in both his blog and in this book.  It's a concept he gives Dwight Swain credit for.  In Writing Fiction for Dummies he names MRUs - Private clips and Public clips.  It is a facinating way of describing the way things occur and a powerful writing tool.

I really liked this book.  I give it three stars.  Check his blog out.  It's great too.

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