Moves students from learning craft — to creating art. Michael Kardos gets writers started with a focused approach to beginning, ending, and revising a story. Highly-praised chapters on how to write compelling scenes and stories move students through technique — and toward artistry.
A "boot camp" of the basics. A favorite among reviewers, a "boot camp" chapter on mechanics helps writers avoid common errors and refine their work.
Just enough stories. Plenty of practice. A brief anthology of 15 stories (in the second half of the book), offers models that Kardos draws on in his instruction — including Tobias Wolff, George Saunders, Jhumpa Lahiri, and other masters of the short story form. Lively assignments and student examples help writers build on what they learn.
Friendly, concise, and speaks to students as fellow writers. Kardos gives students just the right amount of guidance — in a conversational tone that reviewers describe as "pitch perfect."
A sweet price, with digital options. Because it’s briefer than most fiction craft books, this book is also less expensive. For more savings, try our e-book options. Either way, visit our free and open book companion site for additional exercises and stories, author interviews, and a tutorial on the publishing process. For instructors, Kardos offers ongoing assignment ideas for teaching fiction writing at the Bedford/St. Martin’s blog LitBits.