Originally published in 1993 and revised and updated this year, 'Everything I Know About Writing' is based on a course Marsden conducts. That's why his chapters are structured as a series of lessons. But, if you re like me, you ll find his light, conversational style keeps you turning the pages like any good book should. The thing to remember about this how-to book is that many of the principles are common sense, but sadly they re not always commonly practiced by other writers. Sometimes the perfect ending writes itself in an easy and natural way, but this doesn't always happen.
Most people have to work for their endings.
And that work is important. It's a cruel thing to have a reader be drawn in further and further, only to be dumped at the critical moment. On the other hand, stage entertainers singers and comedians, for example know you should always leave an audience wanting more. So it is with writing. Oh, I wish it had gone on forever', than have them counting the number of pages left, wondering if it will ever finish.