3.5 stars. I read most of this book in the fall of ‘21, but just finished the final chapter on revision and the lengthy Appendix. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed what at first seemed like a gimmicky book. There’s a lot going on in it, which sometimes distracts from the core text of each chapter. It has a lot of the same writing advice you’d find anywhere, but it presents more immersive examples of said advice. I liked Vandermeer’s bullet/numbered lists that he uses regularly for all topics — actionable questions/tips/ideas to apply to one’s own writing. I liked the many short essays by established writers on their process, for the same reason I like to read the Paris Review. A lot of the visual material is used as potential generative exercises, which I might return to. There are a lot of prompts and exercises hidden throughout that make it worthwhile to keep on the shelf for inspiration. It definitely makes the creative struggle feel more fun. It’s a great resource to find new “weird lit” or speculative fiction to read. Nearly every page is bursting with references to stories, authors, novels I’d never heard of. ( )

3.5 stars. I read most of this book in the fall of ‘21, but just finished the final chapter on revision and the lengthy Appendix. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed what at first seemed like a gimmicky book. There’s a lot going on in it, which sometimes distracts from the core text of each chapter. It has a lot of the same writing advice you’d find anywhere, but it presents more immersive examples of said advice. I liked Vandermeer’s bullet/numbered lists that he uses regularly for all topics — actionable questions/tips/ideas to apply to one’s own writing. I liked the many short essays by established writers on their process, for the same reason I like to read the Paris Review. A lot of the visual material is used as potential generative exercises, which I might return to. There are a lot of prompts and exercises hidden throughout that make it worthwhile to keep on the shelf for inspiration. It definitely makes the creative struggle feel more fun. It’s a great resource to find new “weird lit” or speculative fiction to read. Nearly every page is bursting with references to stories, authors, novels I’d never heard of. ( )

One of the few books I'll read twice. And an affordable price. Could have charged a lot more, but the price makes it accessible. ( )

Easily the most imaginative writing book I've read in the past few months, and definitely the prettiest. ( )

Whether your story i set in a fantastical land, a faraway future, or a distant galaxy - or even somewhere a lot closer to home - this innovative and irresistible guide is designes for writes like you. Created by award-winning author Jeff VanderMeer, Wonderbook is de definitive road map to writing imaginative fiction of all kinds. Its example rich approach energizes and motivates, while providing the practical information you need to improve your skills - including instruction on plotting, structure, charactrization, dialogue, exposition, worldbuilding, and point of view.