Review of Creating Literary Stories: A Fiction Writer's Guide

Janet Kimetto · Post by **Janet Kimetto** » 08 May 2022, 16:05

[Following is a volunteer review of "Creating Literary Stories: A Fiction Writer's Guide" by William H. Coles.]

4 out of 4 stars

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The book Creating Literary Stories: A Fiction Writer's Guide is exactly what the title says. First, we're given the definition of a literary fictional story. What makes a literary story? How does it differ from other story genres? These and more questions get answered throughout the book.

This book is divided into two parts. In the first part, William H. Coles takes us through characterization, narration, dialogue, conflict in literary fiction, in-scene writing versus descriptive writing, points of view, et cetera. The author clearly explains everything using clear examples. The second part covers the broader aspects of creating a literary story. Topics like "Fundamentals of Telling a Literary Story," "Essentials of Literary Story Writing," and "Providing For The Reader" are covered.

I loved everything about this book. The author didn't waste any words. The book is relatively short yet packed with so much information. The examples used throughout the book made everything easy to understand. How much a person can learn through illustrations! I didn't even know there were so many ways to tell one story, but the author rewrote the old story "Little Red Riding Hood" three times.

The parts about voices and points of view were enlightening, though I'd say that about the whole book. The author uses the case of an oral storytelling tradition to show the distinction between author, narrator, and character(s). The person telling a story is usually not the person who created the story, nor are they the character(s). The author creates, the narrator tells, and the character(s) acts. They each have their own advantages and limitations. All of this might already be obvious, but I loved the bit about the author's voice. We see how it can make an appearance in one's writing and why it should stay out of the fictional world because it doesn't belong there.

There was absolutely nothing that I didn't like about this book. I only noticed a few minor errors; hence, it is well edited. I gladly give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend Creating Literary Stories: A Fiction Writer's Guide to all fiction writers. There's always something new to learn, and this book covers every aspect of writing. I found it very informative and will be referring to it in the future. Fiction readers will also benefit from reading it. I particularly appreciated the examples showing the difference between "telling" and "showing." I cannot recommend this book enough.

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Creating Literary Stories: A Fiction Writer's Guide
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Ellylion · Post by **Ellylion** » 11 May 2022, 09:10

I put my eye on this book quite a time ago

I would love to read it. William H. Coles is an exceptional author and his recommendations would be really valuable. Thanks so much for this insightful review!

Janet Kimetto · Post by **Janet Kimetto** » 13 May 2022, 08:31

Ellylion wrote: ↑11 May 2022, 09:10 I put my eye on this book quite a time ago I would love to read it. William H. Coles is an exceptional author and his recommendations would be really valuable. Thanks so much for this insightful review!

I can promise that you will not regret choosing to read it, if you decide to. I'd had it on my list for quite a while; didn't forget the review that made me want to read it. Thank you so much for stopping by!