How to Write a Damn Good Novel : A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling

Media:	Hardcover
Author:	James N. Frey
Publisher:	St. Martin's Press
Release date:	15 December, 1987
List price:	~~$19.95~~
Our price:	$13.57 that is 32% off!

How to Write a Damn Good Novel : A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling

Average rating: Stars

On my 3rd Reading of this Book

How To Write a Damn Good Novel is a "how to write" book that I continue to re-read year after year. I have many books on writing in my collection, but few match the practical and helpful advice that James Frey lays out.

How To Write a Damn Good Novel is laid out is nine chapters, 4 of which I've exampled below:

1) What it's all about is "who"

...In this Chapter Frey walks us through the creation of compelling, non-stereotypical character that we will enjoy writing about

2) The Three Greatest Rules of Dramatic Writing: Conflict! Conflict! Conflict!

...In this chapter the reader is introduced to ideas such as the "crucible", inner conflict, and how to bring a character to life

3) The Tyranny of the Premise, or, Writing a Story without a Premise is like Rowing a Boat without Oars

...Frey explains what a premise is, how to find your story's premise, and what premises don't work

4) The ABC's of Storytelling

...Covers aspects such as where to begin your story, and what a story is

All and all this is a must have. While no book could ever completely cover the topic of writing from every viewpoint, How to Write a Damn Good Novel is a great reference tool that you won't regret purchasing.

How to Write a Damn Good Novel : A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling - James N. Frey

Damn Good Read

Harking back to my long-lost youth, in my senior year in college this brainstorm hit me: an idea for the Great American Novel. I wrote furiously for months at the school library, filling up several legal pads. My story concerned a heavyweight prize fighter who had defied the criminal Syndicate's order to "throw" a fight, then fled to a small rural town to take refuge in fear for his life. One morning I awoke, blinked twice, and it hit me: With impressions pulled from my subconsious I was merely, inadvertently, re-writing Hemingway's The Killers. I had ruptured Commandment III of The Plot Development Ten Commandments: Thou Shalt Not Plaigiarize. Consequence? All legal pads into the fireplace, used for fuel, and resolve to start all over again, ALWAYS in a devout quest for clearly-established ORIGINALITY. ##### A long non-fiction writing career ensued--55 business books, over 7,000,000 words in print--topped off by my first novel, just released late last year. (This time I think I got the handle: TOTAL originality.) ##### While this aspect of Damn Good Novel is not partiacularly emphasized, Frey rings the bell with just about everything else. The Pitfalls: nothing could be of greater importance than to know these well. Structure: a good novel must be founded, pursued, and executed along the lines of a resoundingly purposeful sturcture. Thrust: single premise. Check out the greatest novels of the past. They all propounded one basic theme, advocated a single message. Characters: "If you can't create characters that are vivid in the reader's imagination, you can't write a damn good novel," says Frey. Amen. ##### In essence, simply, Frey's Damn Good Novel is a Damn Good read.

James N. Frey - How to Write a Damn Good Novel : A Step-by-Step No Nonsense Guide to Dramatic Storytelling

A good resource for beginners

For would-be writers who don't have much experience or knowledge of what makes good narrative fiction, this book covers the basics very well -- the importance of well-drawn characters, conflict, consistent point of view, and a unified premise -- as well as some of the necessary work habits for a novelist.

What Frey doesn't give is much real craft advice: how to build character through dialogue and description, how to use language powerfully and originally, how to use metaphor and figurative language, how to show not tell, etc. Maybe this stuff is covered in the follow up book...?

The book was also very male-oriented; all of the hypothetical protagonists Frey uses to illustrate techniques are male, and all of the books he cites as examples of "Damn good novels" are by male authors. Not a serious flaw, but a little off-putting for a female writer.

This book definitely seems more geared toward people interested in mainstream and mystery fiction. For people who are interested in doing more literary writing -- along the lines of the damn good novels he cites as examples -- I'd recommend John Gardner's The Art of Fiction and On Becoming a Novelist instead.

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