By any real measure, Dean Koontz is one of the best, most successful writers ever. Therefore as we might expect, this book that he wrote specially for writers over 40 years ago is still highly relevant and useful today. At least it is to me.
What qualifies Koontz to give us advice? For starters, his methods are proven to work spectacularly, unlike the hackneyed advice we see in so many other books about writing. This book explains the exact mindset and hard-won techniques that Koontz was using back in 1981. By that time, he had ALREADY sold 25 million copies of his books. Since then, these methods, along with unending persistence and lots of hard work, have propelled him to his current greatness, with 105 published novels, and 450 million copies of his books sold. He has made it to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list 26 times. His books are constantly praised by critics in words such as "gripping", or "impossible to put down".
If you agree with me that good writing requires books that hold the reader's attention, Koontz is one of the all time masters at that. His characters are so likable and/or intriguing that readers find that they MUST keep reading, if only to see what happens next. His villains are often deeply twisted, but all too realistic as human beings. His plots are always suspenseful and full of surprises, but often they are pleasant ones. His stories are so innovative that they are unlike the work of any other writer I know.
Because this book was written over 40 years ago, some aspects of it are dated, as we would expect. For example, it was written before PCs became popular, so Koontz was still working at a typewriter. The book industry has changed, and Koontz has grown into an even better writer. But fortunately, he was very good even then, as his numbers show. In this book, Koontz concentrates on what it takes to rise above typical, flat fiction, or even good genre novels. He tells how it is possible to write a true mainstream, blockbuster type novel that is attractive to the widest possible audience, and irresistible to book publishers.
This is not a comprehensive textbook. It is a medium sized hardback book that originally sold for $13.95. It does not always give us as much detail as we might like, or as many examples. But it DOES give us all of the crucial basics, clearly expressed. It also gives us very useful techniques for creating titles, plots, characters, and so on.
The man is a genius, but also a consummate craftsman. While he believes that most people are not cut out to be writers, that is mainly because they simply aren't persistent enough. For those of us with at least some talent, sound work methods such as he provides, and plenty of dogged determination, true greatness is possible. He is living proof.
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Top reviews from other countries
Carlos
But Mister Koontz does give the reader and clear and concise overview of the elements that it takes to better your fiction
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2014