What If?: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers

Every chapter had objectives for learning, practice exercises and examples. It has ideas for when you are stuck in a story. It gives suggestions to get out of writer's block. I would recommend to anyone who wants to become a more prolific writer.

That's my experience! I read the beginning, before the exercises started, and, thought of a fresh take on an old story. Read the first exercise, thought of how I would like to shift the view, so to speak. Read the second exercise, at least part way through, and, then spent the morning penning and typing away. I haven't actually doing any of the exercises yet. I was just looking the book over first. I love the way they talk about different writers as examples and as persons to read the works of, show examples from students, the flow of their "conversation". So happy I made this purchase!

Last year I had the priviledge of having a non-fiction book published and I continue to work as a journalist. Obviously, these skills haven't prepared me for writing my first novel. But not to worry. At my side (actually on my writing desk) is a copy of What if? and it has taught, inspired and encouraged me in my quest for the great American novel. Not only that, its just plain fun to read and work the exercises. The chapters on characterization, point of view, dialogue and plot are excellent. I recommend this to any writer that needs to hone his fiction writing skills or learn them for the first time. Hats off to the authors -- Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter.

I teach creative writing in the UCLA Writer's Program (online) and always recommend this book to my students as one of the two best books (along with Janet Burroway's "Writing Fiction") on the craft of writing ever penned. I have used the information in this book time and again in writing my own novels and stories ("The Death of Tarpons" (novel), "Monday's Meal" (story collection), "Over Easy" (thriller forthcoming from Random House, 1999). A more intelligent book than this has yet to be written. If you aspire to create memorable, quality prose, you must buy this book! It will aid you throughout your writing career in thousands of ways. Five stars is not enough to award this book, which I'm sure is destined to become a classic if it is not already considered so.