There’s a new volume to add to the first shelf of books on the craft of writing. Benjamin Percy’s ‘Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction’ is worthy to stand alongside such classics as Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ and Ursula K. LeGuinn’s ‘Steering the Craft’; books that not only offer invaluable advice, but ultimately expand the mind, inspiring us to question our most deeply-entrenched assumptions about literature—what it is, what it isn’t, what’s good, what’s bad—our prejudices about process—what works, w...

I noticed a curious thing, I have been reading a lot of books on how to write fiction. I have no intention of ever writing a novel, a more honest assessment I think I lack the ability and the discipline to actually write a novel. No book should lie to you that writing a novel is easy....I really enjoyed these essays mostly because I could see the writer Benjamin Percy in them and he looked like a fun person. There was some good writing advice, priceless really but the former reason accounts for

This is the best book on the craft of fiction that I've read. I think that's because Benjamin Percy focuses entirely on what works for readers. He's an unusual guy in the world of literary fiction, coming to it reluctantly from adventurous genre stories, television, and movies. Nevertheless, Percy is well-versed in literature, and I added no fewer than half a dozen books to my Goodreads to-read shelf while I was working my way through Thrill Me. It's apparent what Percy likes is what works. For

I have not read a writing book in a long, long time. I recently felt like I needed a shot in the arm. I picked this up at a local bookstore. It was the best thing I could have done. From the moment he began discussing merging the best of literary and genre, I felt like Percy helped me let go of inhibitions. He pulls from all example of storytelling and allows us a glimpse into his own writing journey with its ups and downs. I just needed this at this time, a kind of rooting for the underdog, no

If I get at least one major thing from a writing book, then I think it's a great writing book. I got more than one thing from this one.

Benjamin Percy has written the most concise, clear and useful book on the writing craft that I have ever read.

I’ve loved Benjamin Percy’s essays in Poets & Writers magazine, where he evoked the power of thrills and chills, horror and terror to inspire even the most literary of writers. Now he’s gathered more than a dozen of his essays on writing into Thrill Me, a volume dedicated to putting the power of genre writing into literary fiction. Or, if you please, showing genre writers how to hone their most cherished tools without descending into clichés.“When people ask if I grew up a reader, I say yes, but...

Novelist and comics writer Benjamin Percy imparts his literary wisdom in Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction, most of which make a lot of sense and contain useful advice and tips if you’re looking to develop seriously as a writer. I’m with Percy in being a strong believer in story over artiness (though that needn’t exclude art, just that entertainment should be the primary focus with novels). If you’re someone who wants to write books where it takes 80 pages to describe a sunset or whatever, Thrill Me

Pretty weird, in my opinion! It reminded me of A Million Little Pieces in that it said much more to me about the author than it did about its theme. Here is a guy who frequently disparages literary fiction but uses it exclusively when citing examples of good writing. A guy who reveres genre fiction but rarely even mentions it, specifically. A guy who mainly uses his thoughts about movies to make his points about good storytelling, never names the screenwriters, and sometimes seems not to realize...

Like many readers I enjoy books about the writing craft, even though I'm not a fiction writer myself. I have not (yet) read Benjamin Percy's fiction, (I follow him on Twitter?) but I gave the first essay a chance last night and found his writing voice fresh and compelling. ..... Upon finishing: I liked this book a lot. I felt as if Percy had taught me the secret handshake and let me in the door of the fiction writers' clubhouse so I could eavesdrop. He'd make a great writing teacher to study wit...

The best book on writing fiction that I've read in a very long time. No matter what genre you write, but especially if you write at the intersection of literary and genre, between realism and the supernatural—this book is for you. Fantastic. I nodded my head the whole time, not just in agreement on the content, the lessons, the methods—but the examples, as well. Everyone from Stephen King to Joyce Carol Oates, Cormac McCarthy to Alice Munro, Ray Bradbury to Flannery O'Connor. Ben is one of the f...

Not your usual nuts-and-bolts "gets from point A to point B" book about writing.This is more of a "make the road from point A to point B" as interesting as possible kind of book. It reminded me of Donald Maass' The Fire in Fiction, in that regard. Sometimes, its fragmented nature made it difficult to care about certain of the more "basic" essays like "enjoy revision" but otherwise Benjamin Percy's (who I have never read) original and contextual outlook on literature was worth more than the askin...

I'm searching out collections of smart craft essays like this these days.It's hard to find something quite as good as this, that combines great writing advice while being delightful to read.

A most worthy craft book, entertainingly written and filled with excellent and useful insights—though in my view it does have a few weaknesses. Like other craft-book writers with a background in film, Percy seems to operate from the assumption that as related forms of narrative art, movies and novels are interchangeable. In truth the reader’s and the viewer’s experience of the two genres are qualitatively different, which is why I’m suspicious of craft books that are ostensibly focused on fictio...

It is hard to describe how much I enjoyed this book on how to write fiction. I loved how the Percy made his points by using relatively new books and authors, many of which I've read. I loved how he used movies and personal experience to make his points. This book contains 15 essays that address important points about writing, and reading, fiction. I won't touch on all of them but just on a few of the points that made it hard for me to put this book down. The first essay - Thrill Me - tells Percy...

Well written, full of a good ideas and advice, I really wish I liked it. It all goes down to the authoritarian voice he used for some of his pronouncements, "Don't use backstory" "Plot out everything" and so on. Not bad ideas but it shouldn't be everyone and then he listed the great writers who broke his rules and he forgave them because they are great writers and they can get away with such transgressions because they are great writers and we mortals with keyboards should not attempt to do such...

A collection of work by Percy is fabulous, but it’s extra-exciting when it’s published by the amazing Graywolf Press, purveyors of fantastic non-fiction. This is a wonderful collection, surrounding things to do with fiction. The title essay is a challenge to the notion that literary and genre fiction are somehow mutually exclusive, and the whole books is full of Percy’s advice, wit, and wisdom on the craft of writing. GOOD STUFF.Backlist bump: Refresh, Refresh: Stories by Benjamin PercyTune in t...

This is the best book on writing that I have read since Stephen King's On Writing.I thought it was going to be a book about reading fiction, which is more up my alley since I don't write fiction at all (or nonfiction really, other than book "reviews"), but it turned out to be a collection of essays apparently adapted from Percy's college classes on writing.To be honest, I wasn't aware of Percy at all, and had to look up his books to find out what sort of books he writes (horror, thriller, litera...

This book is billed as "an urgent and entertaining book on craft." It's not billed as a how-to book, nor is there a reason given for its existence. Those who want to know what a genre writer thinks of plot, character development, setting, and so, and who share Percy's belief that those are essential features of a particular type of "thrill me" short story or novel--not anyone who thinks ideas or style are thrilling in and of themselves--may find this book useful.Why 2 stars? Because it does what...

One of the most helpful books on craft I've read. Percy cites so many examples to demonstrate various applications of the lessons - from poetry, novels, screenplays, and short stories. He also chooses some great real life stories to build up to concepts, which make the essays really engaging and give them a logical flow. I appreciate how Percy has clearly learned from both literary and genre fiction, and pulls the best from either side of the spectrum. Many craft books feel repetitive, but this