A Writer's Guide to Active Setting: How to Enhance Your Fiction with More Descriptive, Dynamic Settings

Fantastic book! I wasted time reading other books looking for this information. Exactly what I needed.

I started reading it the day I got it, and after 40 years of writing, I thought I couldn't learn anything new about the fundamentals. I was wrong!Going forward, I'll be planning out settings and what they should convey as carefully as I plan the plot or characters. This a great addition to any writer's bookshelf and one of the must-read writing books out there.

I'm writing my first book and I was really struggling. I forgot that I'd ordered this book earlier this year. I just never got around to reading it with all the learning books I've been reading. So, I decided as I'm editing that I would read the book now. It became a moment of "I should have read this earlier."The author takes you through the use of setting to contribute to the narrative in ways that enhance everything. How to use it without distracting from the story but enhancing it. I'm now editing my book to pump up the volume through scenes.

This author, Mary Buckham, is an excellent teacher of the craft of writing. Her books and classes are superb; I've learned a great deal from her and will continue to purchase her writing books.

Like the quality of its content a lot. And most of the reviews have highlighted what works in this book. If there is a problem it's not what the writer has written, but what it has been written on.I have issues with the paper stock type/quality and the font size.I opened the book to find not white paper pages but rather light brown/beige/tan colored paper. This is a distraction that is exacerbated by the small size fonts. Now, not everyone has young eyes; and I personally believe that if you're putting words on print with the purpose of others reading it then it shouldn't matter if you're nine or ninety years old -- regardless, you should still be able to read the prints with clarity without any strain.Though, I do believe that if the paper used had been white the contrast with the black ink would've improved tremendously.I would recommend this book, but for now I'll knock off one star.I Have no idea if the author reads reviews, but she should consider using white paper for subsequent prints ... and larger fonts as well.

An excellent book on setting for writers! Don't miss reading this one. Mary Buckham offers up lots of examples of poor versus excellent treatments regarding how setting should be used in storytelling. There are also fun exercises at the end of each chapter for you to experiment with.

Too often, I find a book or other product to be less than the seller claimed. A Writer's Guide to Active Setting, by Mary Buckham, is all I hoped for. Sold as "used," the book is as good as new. The writing advice is clear, straightforward, and easy to grasp.I've purchased many books on the craft of writing fiction. Many were a waste of time and money. Some were good. A few are outstanding, and I read each one of those many times. This one belongs in the Outstanding category. Thank you, Mary Buckham for your crucial help and advice. There is no substitute for good writing or a story well told.Frank Allan Rogers

I don't often call a book fabulous, but this book deserves it! The author gives scores of examples - do this - not that. She teaches you how to marry settings with characterization, action, conflict, pace, tension, backstory, and emotion. You learn how to foreshadow what is happening in a scene by the opening description. I read another book on setting and it just ended up in the Goodwill pile. This is a book I will read over-and-over again. We all have weaknesses in our writing. IF, LIKE ME, SETTING IS YOUR WEAKNESS BUY THIS BOOK TODAY!

This is the SAME book as 'Writing Active Setting' by the same author. I was not amused to find this out when opening it for the first time.I did however give it 3 stars for content. Mary Buckham does get across the idea very well.So why only 3 stars:1) Change of title which is misleading to readers happy with Mary's writing series. I thought this was a new book, it isn't.2) Cheap and nasty paper, don't buy this version, the text is blurry and on much cheaper paper pulp than the other version.3) The other version comes with a chapter on hooks which this one does not.

I love reading and writing about setting, so Mary Buckham's book was both entertaining and immensely useful. The many examples helped solidify the concepts and made this a book I know I'll turn to often during my writing. It's earned its place on my keeper shelf...heck, it's earned a permanent place on the corner of my writing desk! Favorite line: "Lack of Setting is like going to a special event half dressed."

I have started working through this book and applying what I've learned to a work in progress. I shall continue to study it and it will become one of my useful references.

It is also a useful book for the more experienced writer.

very helful