Table of Contents

1. Getting started; 2. Memory and imagination; 3. Character; 4. Plot and structure I; 5. Plot and structure II; 6. Form and length; 7. Dialogue; 8. Narrative viewpoint and narrative voice; 9. Beginnings and endings; tension and pace; 10. Description; 11. Research; 12. Drawing it all together; 13. Publication and the writing life.

Promotional Information

An indispensable, jargon-free handbook for any author who wants to fulfil their potential in writing a novel or short story.

About the Author

Sarah Burton's publications include two biographies, Impostors: Six Kinds of Liar (Penguin, 2000) and A Double Life: a Biography of Charles and Mary Lamb (Penguin, 2003, shortlisted for the Mind Book of the Year award); a children's book, The Miracle in Bethlehem: A Storyteller's Tale (2008); and a page-to-stage guide, How to Put on a Community Play (2011). Her novel, The Strange Adventures of H (Legend Press, 2020) was shortlisted for the 2021 Historical Fiction Writers' debut fiction award. With Jem Poster, she co-founded Cambridge University's master's programme in creative writing and is co-author of The Book You Need to Read to Write the Book You Want to Write (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Together, Sarah and Jem run a mentoring service for writers, Between the Lines. Jem Poster is the author of two novels, Courting Shadows (Sceptre, 2002) and Rifling Paradise (Sceptre, 2006), as well as a collection of poetry, Brought to Light (Bloodaxe, 2001). He edited volume III of the six-volume Oxford University Press Edward Thomas: Prose Writings (2018). With Sarah Burton, he co-founded Cambridge University's master's programme in creative writing and is co-author of The Book You Need to Read to Write the Book You Want to Write (Cambridge University Press, 2022). Together, Jem and Sarah run a mentoring service for writers, Between the Lines.

Reviews

'I can't imagine there are any better books on the subject than this one.' Louis de Bernières

'Reading The Book You Need… is like getting useful advice from your own personal mentor, one who is wise, experienced, encouraging, and delighted to share their encyclopedic knowledge of literary craft. For anyone who wants to be a better writer - listen carefully. The authors know what they're talking about.' Tara Ison, novelist; Professor of Fiction, Arizona State University

'Whether you are a beginner or an advanced fiction writer, this book is an essential companion. From getting started to navigating the publishing industry and all that falls between, The Book You Need… examines the key concepts necessary to write your own novel with practical, insightful and expert advice.' Tiffany Atkinson, poet; Professor of Poetry, University of East Anglia

'Years of teaching expertise condensed into one of the most comprehensive journeys through the craft that I've seen. This book teaches in the most natural way, guiding you under the surface of a wide range of good writing, deep into the practical processes that bring it to life.' Philip Gross, poet, winner of the T. S. Eliot Prize; Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing, University of South Wales

'A terrific guide to becoming a better writer and embarking upon a publishing career. Burton and Poster have created a masterclass in print - comprehensive, authentic, clear, and insightful. A pleasure to read and to learn from, this handbook is a must-have for anyone who loves and practices the writing craft.' Jewell Parker Rhodes, New York Times bestselling author, Founding Artistic Director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, Arizona State University

'This is a fresh, insightful, engaging and enjoyable guide to writing creative prose. If you want to become a novelist or short story writer, reading this book is a great first step.' Francesca Rhydderch, novelist; Associate Professor in Creative Writing, Swansea University

'For any novelist, published or aspiring, this smart and concise book will become a true and trusted mentor and friend.' A. J. West

'The best art of fiction book I've read in a long time, structured around close readings of novel extracts and offering lots of very wise, sound advice. Highly readable and never prescriptive, it's a book to be enjoyed and savoured. I love the chapter on beginnings and endings and the extremely useful one on research. This IS the book you need to become a better writer.' Priscilla Morris, author of Black Butterflies

'Really excellent, full of the kind of insight that's missing from the majority of how-to-write books.' Joanne Burn, author of The Hemlock Cure and The Bone Hunters

In a world crowded with books on writing fiction, Burton and Poster, both published writers and writing instructors, have produced a book that stands out. … Recommended.' P. J. Kurtz, Choice

'For its comprehensive content, [this] is a deceptively quick and accessible read. Each chapter is broken down into short sections; some are just a page or two, but all offer valuable lessons that can be applied straight away. This makes it easy to dip into and return to …' Alice Horne, Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading