An indispensable source of advice and inspiration for aspiring writers, this anthology features observations on the craft of creating fiction, by classic and contemporary authors. A literary feast of artistic practices and philosophies, its absorbing essays offer a vast array of personal reflections, suggestions, and critiques.

Featured writers include Edgar Allan Poe, Henry James, Joseph Conrad, Kate Chopin, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Jack London presents "Advice for Aspiring Writers," Sinclair Lewis recounts "How I Wrote a Novel on the Train and Beside the Kitchen Sink," and Kurt Vonnegut offers tips on "How to Write with Style." Mark Twain provides a guided tour of "My Literary Shipyard," Eudora Welty discusses the shaping of "Words into Fiction," and John Irving addresses the difficulties of "Getting Started." Other contributors include Willa Cather, Raymond Chandler, Wallace Stegner, Raymond Carver, Joyce Carol Oates, and Margaret Atwood.