Your Creative Writing Masterclass: Featuring Austen, Chekhov, Dickens, Hemingway, Nabokov, Vonnegut, and more than 100 contemporary and classic ... novels, screenplays and short stories

.Reviewed by C J Singh (Berkeley, California)Recently, I posted a review of the new edition of Jurgen Wolff's  Your Writing Coach . Throughout that book, Wolff sustained an encouraging and witty tone as he does in his latest book, YOUR CREATIVE WRITING MASTERCLASS.The masterclass book comprises six parts. In Part I, Finding Inspiration, Wolff briefly quotes from several master-writers including Faulkner, Marquez, and Nabokov; for example, Nabokov recommends poetry: "You have to saturate yourself with English poetry in order to compose English prose" (page 3). Wolff concludes with "From Advice to Action" -- a feature in every chapter that greatly enhances the book: use your camera to take "interesting visual images"; "jot down snatches of overheard conversation"; and fill in the gaps of your story idea by imagining your being interviewed and answering questions about "different aspects of the story."Part II, Characters Come to Life, cites brief selections from Austen, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Kundera, and Welty among others. Wolff advises: using a questionnaire, interview your character (pages 40-42); using Maslow's hierarchy of needs, identify your characters' needs and wants (page 47-48); identify your own dark side by listing what "bothers you most about other people" and use these traits to "humanize" your characters (page 55); "cultivate the art of discreet eavesdropping (page 76); and "integrate the description of the setting" with characterization (page 86).Part III, Shaping the Story, begins with an exposition of various points of view. Next, whether to plan or not to plan the story: planners cited include Edgar Allan Poe, PG Wodehouse. Wolff coins a new term "spontaneists" to describe writers who don't plan and cites Edward Albee and Stephen King among them. ("Spontaneists" sounds much better than "bottom-uppers" would have been as derived from the bottom-up/top-down typology.) Among the in-betweeners, he cites Paul Auster, Michael Chabon, and Amy Tan (pages 106-107).Part IV, Finding Your Style, begins by noting that "there are some elements on which many of the master writers agree" such as clarity, conciseness, and evocative details.Part V, The Process, cites master-writers like Mark Twain, James Thurber, and Joyce Carol Oates on their processes of writing. On dealing with dread, Alice Munro:"In writing, I've always had a lot of confidence, mixed with dread that the confidence is entirely misplaced. I think in way that my confidence came just from being dumb" (page 215). This from one of the very best contemporary short-story writers! And here's from one of the very best screenwriters, William Goldman: "I don't know how it is for others, but building up confidence is the single hardest battle I face every day of my life" (page 214).In Part VI, The Writing Life, Wolff advises establishing a writing routine, rationing time for surfing the internet, and concludes: "Ultimately, the writers who are the happiest are the ones find joy in the process of writing and don't make their happiness contingent on being published, getting rave reviews, or basking in adoration from the reading public" (page 260).This book is a masterly introduction to the creative writing craft.

This book is a great read for the aspiring writer or curious book worm. Unlike many other "how to write" books, the author is not only a successful writer himself (Wolff has written television scripts), he recounts the methods of many different writers. The book has a quality that is rare in many how to write books; while many ascribe a very specific method that may work the author of the book (oftentimes only possessing a degree in Creative Writing), Wolff gives many methods with a try-and-see what works for you tone.As a history buff, I also found the biographical sketches of the various writers in the book fun and I learned a few new facts about some of my favorite writers.If you want to learn writing from the very best in Western literature, this is a great place to start along with reading the classics.

Amazingly helpful book. Provides insights into aspects of book writing that are crucial in fleshing out a story. It really is a masterclass on creating a book with dimension. It is worth every penny and more. Jurgen Wolff really knows his stuff.

great book

This is indeed a great book with tips on how to develop story lines and write well. But it's true to its name in that reading it is taking a mini course. Here's why:1. It provides ample perspectives from a range of successful authors, both classical and contemporary. The commentaries are brief and varied and alternate with tidbits about the authors. The selection is downright fabulous. It helps you critically understand and appreciate the writing process of famous writers. It presents lots of interesting excerpts from well-known novels to elucidate different points. For those of us who like to read a lot, this will provide a nice perspective on what to look out for while reading a new book. Unlike a long grueling literature class, the coverage is within the realms of light and interesting so that you'll actually be able to retain most of the content.2. Every now and then you'll find some exercises. Some of these require you to grab a pen and paper, brainstorm, and jot ideas down. Some, on the contrary, involve everyday practices that will help improve your skills both in the short term and long term.3. The book is extremely well-formatted with very readable fonts. Yes, this matters! I have come across books on writing that resembles novels in their structure and flow. That might work for some people but not great for the average person with a flair for writing but limited time (at least not enough for a full-fledged class) seeking some guidance on the topic. A book on creative writing should be able to awaken the creative side of you, not put your too sleep!I came across this book at a local store. Unfortunately it didn't show up when I searched for books on creative writing on Amazon. Else I'd have gotten hold of this book sooner. In terms of quality, it outranks most of the Amazon bestsellers.

Although I have only read a couple of chapters of this book it makes very helpful suggestions on how to be a better writer; not just by the author but by referencing the quotes of many famous names, past and present.

This book is all you need to know when you are writing. It is perfect. I am so happy I ordered it. It covers things we discussed in the writing group and even more for less money than I paid for the group. And it is with me so I can always check something I forgot.

Very difficult to put down. In fact, I read it in one thoroughly enjoyable session. This is a rare book that anyone whose heart is in writing, especially novels, will return to, with the feeling of being close in soul to those born to write.

I'm quite satisfied - the book got to me on time and it met my expectations. I will shop with the seller again.

Lots of insight here. Well worth the money especially in the kindle version. Will have a look at his other offerings on Amazon.