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by Robert Turner (Author), David Franklin Sparks (Introduction by)
A legendary guide to commercial fiction writing, finally restored for a new generation of storytellers.
In 1948, Robert Turner-a prolific writer who sold over 500 stories and penned nearly 50 million words across detective magazines, westerns, romance, and TV scripts-published this practical manual that became the stuff of legend. For decades, this 70-page booklet existed only in scattered, deteriorating copies until book scout John Crow discovered it in a dusty used bookstore in the late 1950s.
Turner's refreshingly direct approach strips away academic pretension to focus on the fundamental truth of storytelling: the power to entertain through emotional engagement. Writing from the trenches of pulp magazines like Manhunt, Dime Detective, and Thrilling Detective, Turner shares hard-won insights about creating "real people" rather than stock characters, the business of writing, and the courage to tell stories fearlessly rather than formulaically.
This isn't a textbook filled with rigid rules-it's a candid conversation with a working professional who understood that technique without entertainment is merely an academic exercise. Turner emphasizes plotting through character emotion, creating believable dialogue, building vivid backgrounds, and the professional secrets of "underplaying" and "indirection" that separate amateur work from stories that sell.
Though grounded in the specific demands of 1940s magazine publishing, Turner's insights into character development, plotting, and the business of writing remain startlingly relevant. His emphasis on emotional truth, compelling characters, and entertaining storytelling offers timeless guidance for writers in any era.
Complete with David Franklin Sparks's insightful publisher's note placing Turner's work in historical context, this restored edition preserves the original text in its entirety-a practical guide that continues to serve writers nearly eight decades after its first appearance.
