One Woman's Writing Retreat: Book Review, Lyon

A Writer's Guide to Fiction
(2nd book in the Writer's Compass Series)
by Elizabeth Lyon

Reading Elizabeth Lyon's, A Writer's Guide to Fiction, is like taking a college course on writing. I can't recommend it highly enough for those who write any form of fiction whether it be short stories or novels. Her experience as a writing teacher and independent book editor shows in her thoroughness, conciseness, thoughtfulness and clarity. She packs a lot of information and inspiration between the pages. Recently I've been weeding out my resource library. This book is going front and center on the shelf as a standard reference.

Many of us have heard of The Hero's Journey introduced by Joseph Campbell and continued by Christopher Vogler in The Writer's Journey, but how many of us are familiar with Maureen Murdock's work done on The Heroine's Journey? Isn't it good to know there's another roadmap for those of us who write women's mainstream or literary fiction? Not only does Lyon outline both "maps" that are based on universal themes in mythology, she explains and compares them so you can decide which method might best represent your kind of storytelling.

A Writer's Guide to Fiction discusses genre fiction, mainstream and literary fiction, and introduces the many structures that occur within fiction, such as the Vignette, Picaresque, and Epistolary. She suggests titles of books written using these styles if you choose to further your education. The quotations Lyon uses throughout the book to demonstrate many of her points are taken from a wide range of successful fiction.

Lyon's book is comprehensive and practical, infused with insightfulness and encouragement. The author takes the basics including characterization, outlines, plots, transitions, setting, scene and sequel, pace, beginnings and endings, narration, dialogue, suspense, and conflict way beyond the scope of most how-to books for writers. To add to this, there is much more information such as where to find inspiration, self-editing, and developing work habits. Throughout the text, her guidance is precise, her tone encouraging. Lyon also offers recommended reading on many of the topics she addresses. In the chapter, "Learning to Market", Lyon discusses the various choices available to writers who are ready to publish their work, how to submit and ways to build publishing credits.

If you are serious about publication, or simply want to improve your craft--no matter your level of accomplishment, or what stage your work is in (rough draft, self-editing, or ready for submission)--I'd suggest reading both of her books: A Writer's Guide to Fiction and The Sell Your Novel Tool Kit: Everything You Need to Know About Queries, Synopses, Marketing & Breaking In. The only thing missing from this author's body of work is the applause one usually hears at the end of a class--given to a talented instructor by appreciative students.

Catherine Tudor founded One Woman's Writing Retreat in 1996 in order to create a network for writers at all stages in their careers. She is the managing editor and webmaster of One Woman's Writing Retreat. Read more about her here.