The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life

In this book, Lukeman's main premise is that writers whose plots are too thin (or non-existent) will find a solution in deeper characterization and, so, this book is mostly about characterization. Unlike "A Dash of style" and "The First Five Pages", "The Plot Thickens" feels very much like a book aimed at beginners - perhaps because very little of it will be new to anyone who has read other books on story craft but also because of its tone (which is subjective, I know). Nevertheless, anyone who struggles to create plot from initial ideas, or struggles to find ideas at all, will find it a wealth of inspiration. I'd also recommend this book to those scribes who believe that literary-means-not-having-to-plot, though I fear they would need show more to be strapped down and forced to read it (less so, though, than "The First Five Pages: A Writers' Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile" the very title of which, unfortunately, is likely to make those who need it most run in the opposite direction.)

Note that the first 80 pages are devoted to characterization exercises. show less

Solid writing book. Might be more useful as reference than a straight read through.

This book is amazing. This is an absolutely essential nuts-and-bolts kind of book about writing fiction. When I start seriously working on my next thing, I'm going to be making use of it. I read it with a highlighter almost constantly in hand.

Not your typical writing instruction book, The Plot Thickens helps writers to really think in-depth about their characters. It's full of exercises and questions that would be extremely helpful in the writing process.

Excellent resource for fiction writers. Writing prompts, character development thoughts, etc. Well worth having a paper copy on your bookshelf to help you prep or to unstick you.

I borrwed my copy from the library but will be buying a physical copy for my bookshelf soon.

Lots of useful gems and thought exercises in here.

What ages would I recommend it too? Twelve and up.

Length? A couple of days.

Characters? No.

Setting? Writing world.

Written approximately? 2003.

Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? Clarity.

Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes.

Short storyline: Covers plot points.

Notes for the reader: Multitudes of questions to help build characters to improve plot
lines.