Writing Fiction - a user-friendly guide

'Writing Fiction is a little pot of gold… "Screenplay" by Syd Field for film, "Writing Fiction" by James Essinger for fiction. It’s that simple.’

William Osborne, novelist and screenwriter


'Writing Fiction – a user-friendly guide' is a must-read if you want to write stories to a professional standard. 


It draws on the author’s more than thirty years of experience as a professional writer, and on the work and ideas of writers including:

• Anthony Burgess

• Joseph Conrad

• George Eliot

• Ken Follett

• Frederick Forsyth

• Dan Harmon

• Ernest Hemingway

• David Lodge

• Norman Mailer

• John Milton

• Ben Parker

• J.K. Rowling

• William Shakespeare

• Martin Cruz Smith

• J.R.R. Tolkien


The twenty-four chapters cover every important matter you need to know about, including: devising a compelling story, creating and developing characters, plotting, ‘plants’, backstory, suspense, dialogue, ‘show’ and ‘tell’, and how to make your novel more real than reality.

Also featuring special guest advice from legendary screenwriter Bob Gale, who wrote the three immortal 'Back to the Future' movies (1985, 1989 and 1990), and novelist and screenwriter William Osborne, whose many screen credits include the co-writing of the blockbuster 'Twins' (1988), this highly entertaining book gives you all the advice and practical guidance you need to make your dream of becoming a published fiction writer come true.