Read Mastering Suspense Structure and Plot How to Write Gripping Stories That Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats Jane K Cleland Hallie Ephron 0035313664700 Books

Product details Paperback 230 pages Publisher Writer's Digest Books (April 28, 2016) Language English ISBN-10 159963967X

Mastering Suspense Structure and Plot How to Write Gripping Stories That Keep Readers on the Edge of Their Seats Jane K Cleland Hallie Ephron 0035313664700 Books Reviews

• Every time I think of Jane Cleland’s book, “Mastering Suspense,” I envision the famous showdown between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan during Star Wars A New Hope. It’s a legendary scene of dark vs. light; student vs. teacher. Upon seeing Obi-Wan for the first time in decades, Vader says “I’ve been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again, at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master.” After reading this book, I feel a little bit like Darth Vader in that duel. Well-taught, empowered, and confident. But hopefully with a little less arrogance and a happier ending in store.
  
  I’ve had the pleasure of personally learning under Jane’s mentorship at my MFA program, an experience I esteem highly and cherish greatly. This book is a bit like that a personal mentorship. Here, Jane has divulged actionable methods for creating better works of writing. This isn’t a book just for mystery writers. She wrote with a wide audience in mind. Whether you’re a memoirist, a historian, or a novelist, you’ll see suspense in a new light. Even better, Jane has provided a masterful process by which you can incorporate suspense into your writing.
  
  My favorite sections included exercises you can employ to deepen your knowledge (of characters), expand your settings (and use them to create suspense), and explore nuances regarding betrayal and confusion.
  
  Like Alfred Hitchcock once said, surprise is cheap—anyone can do it—but suspense? Suspense is what keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
• I have read a lot of how to writing books and this one is in the top seven or eight. Well written, with the added bonus of deconstructed examples, she doesn't just tell you how to build suspense...she shows you. After reading, I applied her methods to the outline of a new novel. Not only was it easy to see where the plot might lag, it helped raise questions that needed answers. Well done.
• Outstanding. Like taking a refresher course without leaving the comfort of your home. It is like several workshops condensed into one book. I highly recommend this book for any writer from fledgling novice to seasoned professional. like a breath of fresh air, it will clear out the cobwebs.
• The writer Charles Bukowski once said words to the effect that "Nothing teaches you more than failing, and regrouping after your failures." That's definitely true, but that doesn't mean that heeding what others have learned might not save you some time on your own journey. There is some practical advice in "Mastering Suspense," some useful techniques for writing clearer and more readable prose, and also sections on how to keep multiple plot threads under control and in play in the service of a larger narrative without losing sight of either the subplots or main plots.
  
  I generally find that if I glean two or three usable bits of info from a "How-To" book, it's money well-spent. Madame Cleland's book met and exceeded my expectations in that regard. The only caveat I would add, though, is that some of the book reads more like a pep talk/motivational speech from a real estate seminar. Other parts are a bit too mercenary for my taste. "Honor your readers" or "Write for your readers, not for yourself" sounds like good advice, and may be, but if there weren't some exceptions to these rules (or writers who didn't create heedless of a lot of the principles laid out in this book) the literary canon would be a poorer place.
  
  This is a minor gripe, though, and some of the charts, exercises, and most prosaic bits of advice are worthy accessories to any writer's toolkit, whether you're just getting started or you've been in this crazy game for a long time. Recommended.
• Make your writing compelling! Excellent book, excellent information for all writers, regardless of genre or experience. Solid explanations and illustrations of what makes writing compelling--what elements capture and KEEP readers' attention, and keep them turning the pages, as well as how to structure a story that carries the reader (and multiple plot lines) from page to page. The author explains strategies and easy-to-follow methods for weaving compelling elements together, suggesting structures that make the story and plot stronger.
  Like many, I have a shelf full of writing books--most of which I thought I HAD to have, and then read only the first few pages of before skimming the rest (maybe) and setting aside. I started reading this book, stopped, got up and got a highlighter, started reading again, stopped again, went and got a pen and a notebook, and then read cover-to cover, marking and taking notes. The author explains suspense, structure, and plot--all things I thought I understood--in a way that made me see and understand them (and be able to USE them) in a new light. I'm using that new understanding to craft a stronger story.
  I highly recommend this book to all writers, and am sure I'll be referring to it again and again. (I just bought some colored flags to mark particularly important sections, so that I can find them easily, and refer to them as I go.)
  
  (ps--I did find some of the examples a little odd, and one reference early on that I couldn't make heads or tails of, but that's really a minor wobble.)
• This book is chock full of great advice on perfecting your writing. Each chapter is focused and succinct. The exercises are valuable and illustrative. I already had my novel written when I read this book. Now I have to revise it into the novel I thought I wrote, but didn't. Cleland's book will take me there.
• Jane Cleland's book uses lots of clear examples and has concrete suggestions for building a plot. While the book concentrates on plot and subplots (more on how to develop a subplot might have been good), she also offers helpful advice for revision and rewriting, especially with different points of view. Many of the excerpts she uses for illustration are quite contemporary, and they make her ideas crystal clear.