Articles written by Mike Klaassen - Page 3

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About me - Mike Klaassen

Author of young-adult novels CRACKS and THE BRUTE. "My goal is to write fiction that even the most reluctant readers will enjoy." I'm currently working on two projects: a novel set during the War of 1812 and a nonfiction book about writing fiction.

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Arts & Humanities > Children's Literature Best young-adult books for boys: 1 of 1
YOUNG-ADULT FICTION: Great Novels for BoysWhat do the following novels have in common? Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J. K. Rowling Immortal:A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Novel, by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder Holes, by Louis Sachar Eragon, by Christopher PaoliniEven though th... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Fiction-writing: Methods of presenting narrative exposition: 1 of 1
Exposition is the fiction-writing mode for conveying information. The concept of exposition may appear to be simple, but as explained by Jordan E. Rosenfeld in Make a Scene, "How you reveal information is just as important as what that information is."Exposition may be delivered through:* Direct narration* Characters* Exposit... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Exposition as a fiction-writing mode: 1 of 1
Terms such as "information dump" and "expository dialogue" are reminders that exposition is the ugly duckling of fiction-writing modes. No other mode is treated with such disdain and caution.* Robert Kernen, in Building Better Plots, writes that "[Exposition] can . . . be the quickest way to kill a plot's momentum and get you... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: By Cunning and Craft, by Peter Selgin: 1 of 1
Peter Selgin's BY CUNNING & CRAFT offers plenty for those interested in understanding fiction and how it is developed. The book is a pleasure to read, and it's beautifully bound. The cover and each chapter include a black-and-white illustration reminiscent of the old fairy tales. The basis for the book (and its title) is summ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Recollection as a fiction-writing mode: 1 of 1
Recollection is the fiction-writing mode whereby a character calls something to mind. Of the various fiction-writing modes, recollection is probably the most underrated. It is also the most likely to be challenged as meriting recognition as a distinct mode.An argument may be made that recollection should be classified merely ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: Novelist's Boot Camp, by Todd A. Stone: 1 of 1
BOOK REVIEW OFNOVELIST'S BOOT CAMP:101 Ways to Take Your Book from Boring to Bestsellerby Todd A. Stone2006, Writer's Digest BooksNovelist's Boot Camp: 101 Ways to Take Your Book from Boring to Bestseller by Todd A. Stone is interesting and funny. Although portions of the book are pretty superficial and I flat out disagree wi... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book Review: Finding Your Voice: How to Put Personality in Your Writing, by Les Edgerton: 1 of 1
REVIEW OFFINDING YOUR VOICE: How to Put Personality in Your WritingBy Les EdgertonWriter's Digest Books, 2003I picked up a copy of Finding Your Voice out of curiosity. Over the years, I'd come to suspect that the term voice was being misused as a concept of understanding writing. I wondered if this book would enlighten me, or... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: Scene and Structure, by Jack M. Bickham: 1 of 1
Book Review ofScene & Structure: How to Construct Fiction with Scene-by-Scene Flow, Logic and ReadabilityBy Jack M. Bickham1993, Writer's Digest BooksOver the years I've read dozens of "how-to-write" books, and I consider Scene and Structure by Jack M. Bickham to be one of the most important. The first chapter provides an ove... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: 20 Master Plots, by Ronald B. Tobias: 1 of 1
Book Review of20 MASTER PLOTS (And How to Build Them)by Ronald B. Tobias1993, Writer's Digest BooksWORTH STUDYING20 Master Plots: (And How to Build Them), by Ronald B. Tobias, provides an interesting analysis of plot, in general, and then a chapter-by-chapter countdown of twenty specific master-plot scenarios. Whether you bel... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing Resources Book reviews: How I write - Secrets of a Bestselling Author, by Janet Evanovich: 1 of 1
A BLASTHow I Write, by Janet Evanovich (with Ina Yalof and Alex Evanovich) is a perky read filled with practical writing tips from a bestselling author. You don't have to be a dedicated Evanovich fan to enjoy this one, but her breezy style might tempt you to give the Stephanie Plum mystery series a try. As the author states u... More..