I'm an editing book junkie, and this is hands down the best one I've ever read. It gives specifics on trouble spots and what to look for, and actually tells you how to fix them. So many books I've read just advise of what to do, but never show you how. I read through the pages thinking, "I do that. Yikes, I do that too." My work has improved trememdously since I read this book. I think every writer who wants to polish his work or give it a final once over before submission should read it.

Weak plots. Writer's block. Lack of suspense. Unrealistic characters.

These are just a few of the many ailments that can infect your fiction. "Fiction First Aid" offers "instant remedies" for novels, short stories and scripts.

You don't have to know exactly what's causing the problem in your project. The layout of this guide helps you diagnose your "sick" manuscript and provides a prescription to get your work back on track.

Chapters are categorized for easy reference. Plot, characterization, setting, style and theme are all covered in great detail.

The very last section deals with the common questions writers of all experience levels face. How can I find more time to write? How can I tell if what I'm writing is good? What is the best way to revise my manuscript?

Each chapter contains hints and tips on making your work stronger. And when you're ready to examine your own work, check out the symptoms, ailment, diagnosis and treatment you can use for your manuscript.

The doctor is in. Author Raymond Obstfeld uses examples from popular novels, films and short stories to illustrate his point. Even if your writing isn't in Emergency Room status, a little check-up won't hurt. It's easy to learn how to take your fiction to the next level no matter what your writing background.

[Thanks to] Mr Obstfeld for publishing this book. This book is gave me sooooo much useful advice that I think I will spend a day outlining it. This has to be one of the most practical writing books I have read.

Obviously highly recommended.

This was a distinctly original, fast-reading story which will had a little of everything. The humor was the force that drives the tale, whether it is hilarious, ironic, or darkly comic/tragic. It is also sexy and hip, and the characters very flawed and real.

This intriging look into the human nature was both moving and motivating. The characters are both realistic and beleivable. I read it in five hours! Please write a sequel!!!!!!!!

Masked Dog kept me racing to finish then disapointed to end. Sex, violence, suspense. What more do you need?

It is difficult to imagine a more helpful and concise book for writers than Obstfeld's "The Novelist's Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes". As part of a series from Writers's Digest, this book covers the critical component of any novel: writing encounters, chapters, and scenes that have the ability to grip the reader and keep them turning pages.

Though the book is trade paper sized and only 211 pages, it is simply jammed with helpful ideas. Each chapter covers an essential aspect of writing scenes expertly. There is information on:

* Beginning a Scene
* Length
* Point of View
* Setting
* Ending a Scene
* Character, Plot, & Theme Development
* Writing the Payoff
* Character Meetings
* Finales
* Structure
* Revising

Plus there are chapters that discuss how to write genre-specific scenes (sci-fi, romance, etc.) that are also compelling.

A typical chapter within the book starts with quotes from others on the art of writing. Obstfeld then lays out general concepts and cites examples from novels and movies that support his chapter topic. Excerpts from several award-winning novels raises the quality of the book as it lets beginning writers see how the "pros" do it. Some chapters include workbook-like assignments to help readers flesh out their scenes.

While all the chapters are developed well, the one covering character, plot, and theme development is particularly enlightening. The author elects to write an encounter scene with an emphasis on each aspect. It is amazing to see how a scene can change as it is written to the characters rather than plot and vice versa.

Obstfeld has taught writing professionally in addition to having published more than two dozen novels and it shows in his style. He can quickly and directly address a topic and elucidate it easily. As a result, writers of all varieties and levels of talent can benefit from "Crafting Scenes".

Highly recommended to all writers and truly worthy of a five star rating.

After struggling with my own writing endeavours for two years now, I've found a refreshing guide to the world of fiction. The sections in the book are clearly listed, which enables me to find examples quickly for the problems that I'm experiencing in the moment. The examples are clearly articlulated and address almost all of my writing porblems and short-comings (and I hear there are a lot!) This book's largest contribution to my writing is it's motivational quality. Along with all of the examples and introductions to new techniques, I've found the student references a source for insparation, and in a world where insparation doesn't fall through the ceiling, I'll take it where ever I can get it. And for me, these pages are plentiful. This is a soid buy, the kind that will keep you up late scratching yourself in front of a blank screen until it's fills.

In lucid, easy-reading language, Obstfeld tells you everything you ever needed to know about writing scenes but couldn't find anywhere else. Just his chapter on openings alone, is well worth the price of the book. But there's so much more. His explanations of promise and pay-off are more instructive than anything else I've read, and Obstfeld has better guidelines for writing action/suspense scenes than other books I've read devoted to the genre. Obstfeld writes both genre and literary fiction, and is patronizing about neither one. The examples he uses are outstanding. I can't imagine anyone reading this book and not emerging a better writer because of it. It's that good.

Admittedly, when I first obtained a copy of Jabberrock I wasn't too sure what to expect. A book being hailed as "the ultimate book of rock'n'roll quotations" didn't sound like the makings of great reading yet I soon found myself pleasantly suprised. It is basically a collection of quotes ranging from Elvis Presley to Marlilyn Manson, all categorised and listed in chapters ranging from "sex, love and marriage" and "rebels, politics, and punk" through to "the meaning of life" and "troubled genius". It is genuinely interesting to hear what many of these well known musical icons have to say on topics and subjects that affect them and for a non-fiction book with no story or plot, it certainly introduces us to an assortment of intriguing and strange characters. In all, I found the quotes to be quite interesting, many of them offering insight into the world of musical stardom. Obstfield and Fitzgerald are to be commended on the way that they have categorised the quotes, making for easy reading and a smooth transition through chapters. Whether you have an avid or passing interest in the music industry, this book makes for great reading and is interesting, amusing and suprisingly insightful. I highly recommend it.

This book has positives and negatives. I would not advise using it in lieu of talking to multiple real people in the profession you are casting your characters. Having worked in a couple of the profiled professions, this book gave an outsider's viewpoint with some of the info downright wrong and some skewed. The occupation buzzwords given are strange: not the most common words and a weird assortment.
Positives: The chapter end references are useful. I liked the listing of fiction and nonfiction books using given occupations. The information given could be a starting point, but I would check everything with real people in the profession.