Overview

Can learning how our minds work make you a better writer? For thousands of years, writers in all media have been taught theories and rules about writing based on tradition, philosophy, esthetics, poetics, scholarship, mysticism, whim, pet peeves, and arbitrary dictates. Often they've been told how and what to write according to subjective preference rather than universal appeal, leaving them lost in a sea of conflicting advice. Meanwhile, over the past few decades, cognitive science has discovered much about how the human mind sees the world and extracts meaning from it, giving us a better understanding of the role stories and storytelling play in human survival, growth, and evolution. Yet these discoveries have often remained cloistered in the realm of science, out of sight to writers and artists. In Hurling Words into Darkness, veteran editor, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher Peter Gelfan uses these discoveries to connect previously undiscovered dots between authors' misconceptions and readers' expectations. This short but powerful book provides unique and actionable insights for all writers, whether beginners or pros, who are interested in creating a more engaging and effective reading experience. You'll learn to: Create memorable characters by treating them as real people Turn an intriguing premise into a page-turning plot Use subtext to add depth and complexity Choose the best POV and person for your story Balance dialogue and narrative effectively Discover which of your writing habits work against you And much more!

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Reviews

A wise, witty, enjoyable book, and illuminating in its references to ideas of mind in relation to writing. This work proves the point that short books require a higher caliber of thoughtfulness than long works ... the advice offered here is worth many times the cover price. A different dimension on creative writing. Devoured this book! A true delivery of fresh ways to think while writing. If writing hurls words into darkness, Gelfan's book shines light into that void by unpacking the 'why' as well as the 'how' of storytelling.

A fascinating dive into what authors should know about the brain science of how and why we read. Gelfan (Monkey Temple) connects breakthroughs in cognitive science to effective writing in this incisive guide, focusing on how the brain extracts meaning from the world-and what authors can extract from that knowledge. Noting that there's no one path to success as an author but some reliably watertight guarantors of failure, Gelfan undercuts the templates and inflexible rules of many other books about the craft of writing. For Gelfan, compelling writing is about learning how to think about what you're trying to do and then coming up with creative and effective ideas for how to do it -and knowing something about how the brain processes writing helps, too. He urges authors toward innovation, using the power of subtext, and understanding why we read and write in the first place, all while offering some concrete advice, like avoiding too much detail in prose to invite the brains of readers to fill in the missing links. - BookLife Reviews ...the author tackles the fundamentals of fiction in perhaps the most basic way anyone has dealt with them before.... In a crowded genre, this craft guide makes a lasting impression. An illuminating writing manual with an evolutionary focus. - Kirkus Reviews Reader Raves for the First Edition A wise, witty, enjoyable book, and illuminating in its references to ideas of mind in relation to writing. This work proves the point that short books require a higher caliber of thoughtfulness than long works ... the advice offered here is worth many times the cover price. A different dimension on creative writing. Devoured this book! A true delivery of fresh ways to think while writing. If writing hurls words into darkness, Gelfan's book shines light into that void by unpacking the 'why' as well as the 'how' of storytelling.

Author Information

Peter Gelfan has been a book editor for more than 25 years, editing for writers ranging from bestselling authors to first-timers. His novel Found Objects was published in 2013 and Monkey Temple in 2019. The first edition of Hurling Words into Darkness was published in 2021.He lives in New York City, where he continues to write, work as a freelance book editor, and tutor writing in a public high school as part of PEN's Writers in the Schools program.

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