Goodreads Review: ‘The Emotional Craft of Fiction’ by Donald Maass

[mount_oregano]

The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I came to writing fiction after years of just-the-facts journalism, so infusing my writing with emotion remains a challenge. That’s why I found this book helpful. In the first chapter, Donald Maass challenges writers to ask themselves: “How can I get readers to go on emotional journeys of their own?”

Perhaps because he reads a lot for his job as a literary agent, he has opinions about the direction of emotional journey, too. “The ultimate in emotional craft is nothing more than trusting your own feelings. Having faith. Confidence.” But not all feelings, he says. “You can sense when fiction is masking cynicism or anger.... Cynical writing tries too hard.”

Instead, he suggests that readers are seeking an emotional experience, and they want to come away feeling positive rather than crushed, uplifted rather than disappointed, authentic rather than desperate. “How do you get your best self on the page? Let’s look at some practical ways.”

He offers plenty of examples and questions to ask yourself about characters, scenes, themes, stakes, and plot. I learned a lot, and I recommend this book to other writers.




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