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Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques

By: James Hynes, The Great Courses
Narrated by: James Hynes
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Publisher's Summary

Whether you're huddled around the campfire, composing an email to a friend, or sitting down to write a novel, storytelling is fundamental to human nature. But as any writer can tell you, the blank page can be daunting. It's tough to know where to get started, what details to include in each scene, and how to move from the kernel of an idea to a completed manuscript.

Writing great fiction isn't a gift reserved for the talented few. There is a craft to storytelling that can be learned, and studying writing techniques can be incredibly rewarding - both personally and professionally. Even if you don’t have ambitions of penning the next Moby-Dick, you'll find value in exploring all the elements of fiction.

From evoking a scene to charting a plot to revising your drafts, Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques offers a master class in storytelling. Taught by award-winning novelist James Hynes, a former visiting professor at the famed Iowa Writers' Workshop, these 24 insightful lectures show you the ins and outs of the fiction writer's craft. Get tips for developing believable and memorable characters, explore how to craft plausible dialogue that serves the purposes of your narrative, compare the advantages of different points of view, and more. A wealth of exercises will inspire you to practice the many techniques you learn. Professor Hynes is an able guide, showing you what has worked for him and other novelists, and pointing out pitfalls to avoid. Writing Great Fiction is truly an exceptional course for anyone interested in storytelling.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2014 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2014 The Great Courses

What listeners say about Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques

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Very enjoyable lectures

The narrator is excellent, the breakdown of the lectures are well thought out and the content is interesting. at times the arguments are a bit repetitive and drag on a bit. I enjoyed these lectures.

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  • Overall
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Excellent resource for fiction writers

An excellent resource, if a little too dense at times, for any writer looking to brush up on their craft skills. A greater range of literary examples might have improved the listening and learning experience.

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3 people found this helpful

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A lecture series well worth hearing

This lecture series is a great guide for budding and moderate authors to listen to.
The chapters are well divided, the author is easy to listen to and the presentation is great.
Highly recommended.

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1 person found this helpful

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One of the best resources I’ve come across on writing

I imagine I’ll be listening to sections of this many times over. A fantastic, practical resource on how to bring your characters and novel to life. It’s long but worth it. Don’t hesitate.

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2 people found this helpful

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Flowed well, considered and easy to follow

This lecture series was logical in sequence and each one flowed naturally to the next. The lecturer demonstrated his ability in writing through his lectures which gave credibility to the content. He broke down writing fiction into manageable chunks. Analysis was well balanced with examples.

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informative and approachable

i know that sounds like a weird description but i choose it because i took in nearly everything he had to say. pleasantly suprised and would listen to it again

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interesting and worth the listen

it was easy to listen to. Gave some great examples of novels I really should add to my bucket list. Written in 2012 the last chapter could do with an update to talk further of the rise of ebooks and self publishing through mediyms like amazon

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1 person found this helpful

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Detailed and comprehensive overview

A valuable overview of the fundamental principles of writing fiction, presented in an easy to follow, engaging series of lectures.

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Excellent

Comprehensive, informative, easy to understand and with fantastic examples and excepts from a range of different writers and styles of writing.

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Comprehensive. Expert. Passionate.

Simply wonderful. Like a magic carpet ride with the perfect pilot guiding you.I learned so much, was inspired, and the course evoked a greater understanding of why I love to write, giving me the tools to enjoy it even more. Thank you.

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