Oakley Hall
ISBN 1-884910-02-5
Cincinnati, OH: Story Press, 1994.
Once upon a time I fantasized about writing fiction. I used to have a shelf full of books with titles similar to this one. Over time, I realized I was not going to grow up to be Margaret Atwood (or even Barbara Cartland). My wordsmithing talents fell in another area, that of not-so-creative nonfiction (i.e., translating scientific jargon into language 7th graders can understand), and I gradually jettisoned the various "how to" manuals dealing with fiction that I had acquired. This is the last one.
The Art and Craft of Novel Writing was first published in 1989. This copy is the trade paperback edition from 1994. I've hung on to it because it's good, lots of useful advice on plotting, dialog, and the various other components of a readable novel illustrated with snippets from works by authors in a variety of genres and time periods. If you're still cherishing the fantasy of being next year's Stephanie Meyers, this book can be yours for $4 plus shipping ($3 for media mail, $6 for priority, $12 for international).
