Monkeys with Typewriters: How to Write Fiction and Unlock the Secret Power of Stories

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The Ethical Butcher

Overall, I would absolutely recommend! Also, sorry for the un-italicized book and movie titles. Usually I'm better about that type of thing but I can't figure out the formatting on here Dec 15, Ben Thurley rated it liked it. This is an engaging and thoughtful work on writing fiction, majoring particularly on analysis of plot and some of the nuts and bolts practicalities of how to write fiction, particularly a novel. All of which seems fair enough, and she offers enthusiastic readings of some great novels along the way.

I found the discussion on writing a good sentence too reductive, though, because of her obvious preference for fairly plain, minimalist prose. Over all, though, a useful read for aspiring writers trying to think more carefully about their craft. Even having just finished this book I can tell it's going to be something I read over and over and over This is a great building block for those learning to write, which I need to put onto a list of great building blocks to recommend to people.

Thomas not only explores various aspects of creating and building a novel or, more generally, fiction but how to reach the point of creating and how we can witness it in fiction we already love. She helps us to see where to start building characte Even having just finished this book I can tell it's going to be something I read over and over and over She helps us to see where to start building character, how to further it, and how it's used in works like Anna Karenina or Great Expectations.

Throughout the book there are interactive exercises for the potential writer to create ideas or engage with what good and bad writing is to them. There were a few points where I started to worry that the lessons would become "this is how you must write fiction" but she always manages to stop and remind us of our creative liberties and nearly endless possibilities. I'm in a writing workshop right now which she actually warns against in the last pages for reasons I entirely understand and I wish I could shove this book into the hands of my classmates.

It's not that I don't want to do the work of helping them figure out what they're doing- it's that Scarlett Thomas has found ways to express many of the things I already want to tell them. Feb 17, Miriam Joy rated it really liked it Shelves: The greatest thing about it, I think, was that until the very end, she didn't tell you what to do.

It was literally the embodiment of 'show don't tell' -- instead of saying, "Okay, so your book works like this? Then do this," she would talk about a type of plot through examples, by analysing another book or film, so that the plot wasn't abstract but was very concrete. At times it's also downright funny, but it also raised a lot of questions. I was feeling great about my writing p This was amazing. I was feeling great about my writing process until the last chapter, when I was suddenly overwhelmed by how much preparation she puts into writing novels before she starts ; I realise my technique is somewhat unconventional, however.

Maybe I'll try this way next. My copy was borrowed, but I'm going to have to get a copy for myself so that I can scribble all over it, highlight it, cover it in post-it notes I'll definitely be revisiting sections of it whenever I'm stuck. Mar 02, Liz Fenwick rated it it was amazing. I firmly believe that certain writing craft books are needed at certain times in your career.

Thanks to Cally Taylor's recommendation I fell upon this book at the right time for me.

It works it's way through literary criticism, plot, characterisation, sentence structure and beginning a novel. At each section she gives concrete examples on why things work. It wouldn't be a book I would recommend to a real beginner but it i I firmly believe that certain writing craft books are needed at certain times in your career. It wouldn't be a book I would recommend to a real beginner but it is ideal once you have a novel or two under your belt. May 28, Robert Day rated it it was amazing Shelves: I dare not review this book.

Monkeys with Typewriters: How to Write Fiction and Unlock the Secret Power of Stories

But I like it. There is expressed experience. There's a fear that if say anything more, it will come back to haunt me.. Please don't hurt me!!! Jun 30, Alys The Book Wyrm rated it it was amazing. As a student studying the course that Scarlett Thomas teaches, but at a different university this was very helpful to gain another perspective and teaching style- to be clear, I like my tutors, it was just another perspective. Scarlett Thomas also introduced me to some new writing exercises that I've found very intriguing and useful, and I'm looking forward to having this in my library for many years to come.

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Great tips for budding, advanced and just crazy writers I studied this book from an academic perspective and it really made me think more clearly about my writing. The approaches and techniques that Scarlett Thomas shares are fantastic and have really helped me develop my writing preparation. Sep 24, Sophie rated it really liked it Shelves: Exercises are particularly useful.

Nov 11, Jim rated it really liked it. Just what the world of writers needs, eh? Another book telling us how it should be done.

Where this book differs from others is she tells us what's worked for her and why it's worked but she tries very hard not to lay down rules or guidelines or whatever you want to call them without acknowledging that others have achieved the same ends by very different means with one, to my mind, important exception which I tend to agree with: If you're not willing to climb to the top of a moun Just what the world of writers needs, eh? If you're not willing to climb to the top of a mountain to rescue the only copy of your manuscript then what are you doing thinking you're a writer?

But why in a market already clogged with similar books did she feel the need to write another? There were plenty of books out there, though. Some suggested automatic writing. Some had exercises in perspective and general technique. Some of them were very good.

Monkeys with Typewriters

But there was no single book I could give my students to read that covered everything I thought they should know. That doesn't mean her book is not a worthy addition to those other three required texts she mentioned above. It takes a novice this is really not a book for a seasoned writer although I did pick up a few things from it from desire, through the planning stage and even pantsers have to do some planning and leaves them equipped to begin work.

She doesn't try to write the book for you but she makes sure you've considered everything even if you feel the need to reject her suggestions and find your own way. Read my full review on my blog here. Feb 16, Rob rated it it was ok. I could not stand this. Inconcise as a writer's guide, but most annoyingly was the over use of paraphrasing from other authors and sources. It felt like Scarlett has a really well honed voice herself, but felt insecure about properly embracing it. Nov 13, Italo Perazzoli rated it it was amazing.

Can Creative Writing Be Taught? In my opinion it cannot be taught for one simple reason none except myself can know the existence or not of my internal voice. Monkeys With Typewriters written by Scarlett Thomas, is a useful book for readers and writers. This book is divided into two parts; Theory and Practice with examples ranging from the classics, like "Poetics written by Aristotle to Great Expectations - by Charles Dickens" to modern fictions.

In order to answer to the first question I can say that this book will help you to find your voice and then translate it into words. The most important clues are: She also recommends to take into consideration the matrixes no matrices for planning of the plot, and also what kind of "voice" a character should have, because it is simple to write a novel, but it is difficult to write it with its skills, and these skills comes from practice and thank to a analytical reading. This book is also useful to readers after having read carefully "What's Drama - Aristotle" for understand the narrative, the tragedy and Pathos.

Jun 20, Mark Flanagan rated it really liked it Shelves: Writing is something I do and have done daily for as long as I can remember. It is something I can't imagine not doing. Writing fiction is another animal entirely and, despite having tried and failed in repeated attempts at sustained fiction writing, I continue returning to it like a lamb leading itself to slaughter.

It's because I enjoy reading fiction so much that I believe that I should be able to write it, but whether that's the case or not, I repeatedly come back to hurling myself at the tas Writing is something I do and have done daily for as long as I can remember. It's because I enjoy reading fiction so much that I believe that I should be able to write it, but whether that's the case or not, I repeatedly come back to hurling myself at the task, usually after reading something by some author purporting to show me the way in.

I've read a few of these books, but this one by Scarlett Thomas is undoubtedly the most straightforward nuts-and-bolts guide that I've come across, arising as it does largely from her lectures as a creative writing professor at the University of Kent. I'm not saying that this book will get your novel or mine off the ground, but it's a good place to start. Sep 25, Laura rated it really liked it Shelves: I thought it was very helpful and well-organized.

The tone was mostly conversational which I found nice. I actually did one of the exercises, which ended up being kind of illuminating. There was quite a lot of repetition throughout the book, but I found that helpful in a hammer-it-home kind of way. I like that she used films to illustrate some of her points particularly Adaptation because I find movie details easier to remember than details from novels. I feel like this would be a good book to revisit after getting enough distance from writing something to see if there are parts that can be tightened and sharpened in various ways.

Jul 16, Matt Corton rated it it was amazing. As my dates and times state above, I first started this in , but re-read and completed in about 2 weeks prior to today. I can't believe I didn't pursue this and complete it before. I've never read a more helpful book about writing - written clearly and with an energy and life that most 'textbooks' don't have. I absolutely loved this and, more to the point, learned so much that is going to help me with my next novel.

I'd already made the leap from writing for myself to writing things people m As my dates and times state above, I first started this in , but re-read and completed in about 2 weeks prior to today. I'd already made the leap from writing for myself to writing things people might want to read, but had no idea how to do that - I do now. Thank you Scarlett for having the courage and spending the time to do this.

It was also very interesting to read this alongside a re-read of Our Tragic Universe, which I think really helped - as that deals, in fiction, with a lot of the same themes and subject matter being shown here. May 26, Danielle rated it really liked it Shelves: What a thoroughly useful book! It is quite thick, but doesn't cover all aspects of writing. It is extensive and detailed on the aspects it does cover, which includes a deep look at the history of plot as the first half, with the second half consisting of a lot of useful advice and activities for developing one's fiction writing.

When the switch from plot discussion to writing practice came it seemed a little jarring, however by the end of this book I was scrambling to write and put t What a thoroughly useful book! When the switch from plot discussion to writing practice came it seemed a little jarring, however by the end of this book I was scrambling to write and put the advice and strategies Thomas shares into practice. This book has come about from years of Thomas developing and refining her teaching methods, eliminating strategies that didn't work and honing those that helped her students shine.

I'd recommend it to any fiction writer, particularly to beginners who are stuck. Feb 01, Nick rated it really liked it. Monkeys With Typewriters by Scarlett Thomas came out in October , making this less untimely than most of my book reviews, and features the popular novelist and creative writing lecturer setting down, in a mere pages plus footnotes and appendices , her secrets to good writing. There are, you may have noticed, a lot of books on writing out there.

So, as someone who has already done a whole Masters on the subject, did I get anything extra out of Thomas's contribution to the genre? Well, yes Monkeys With Typewriters by Scarlett Thomas came out in October , making this less untimely than most of my book reviews, and features the popular novelist and creative writing lecturer setting down, in a mere pages plus footnotes and appendices , her secrets to good writing. Well, yes and no. Read more on my blog. Sep 20, Steven Pilling rated it liked it. This is an interesting book. Not sure it would make you want to write a novel but if you are writing one i am sure it will help.

The latest episode of the architectural masterclass followed all the hallmarks of a classic three act arc. In act one, the potential housebuilders outlined their vision and explained how they'd have to overcome opposition from the neighbours. In act two, crucial equipment never arrived, the weather caused havoc and the home makers faced financial ruin.

In the third and final act the builders completed the project, the clients avoid bankruptcy and the neighbours shared a glass of vino in the shiny new modernist cube. Just how Aristotle told 'em. Narrative arc is just one of many aspects of literary theory covered in the opening half of Monkeys with Typewriters with more practical advice for budding novelists following in part two. Thomas is a successful novelist and a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Kent making her an ideal guide to both. The theory elements are clearly explained, jargon free and backed up with plenty of relevant examples ranging from Plato's Cave and Tolstoy's Anna Karenina right through to modern works from George Saunders and Ali Smith as well as films such as Toy Story.

Whether it's differentiating between comedy or tragedy, or identifying the eight basic plots, Thomas is a fine guide. Part one delivers the 'unlock the secret power of stories' part of the subtitle but what about the 'how to write fiction' bit? The second half offers much useful advice on generating ideas, styles of narration first person? A word bank will aid writers looking to tighten up their prose and eliminate unnecessary adverbs and the dreaded cliche and a number of matrices will help anyone struggling to overcome the fear of the empty page.

Can a novel be written using such a matrix? Can a good novel be written using a matrix?

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