Jeff Vandermeer's Wonderbook sets its bar high,
professing itself to be “the definitive road map to writing imaginative fiction
of all kinds” and “unlike any other writing manual you’ve ever seen” due to its
“uniquely visual approach” comprising of more than 200 images and pictorial exercises
designed to stimulate the writer’s imagination.
As such, it is a pleasure to read and make use of. The illustrations run continuously from front
to back cover, varying in style and content – clearly considered with care. Take, for example, the deliberate symmetry of
the black and white cartoon style simplicity adorning the inside of the front
and back pages as only one demonstration of this.
Wonderbook’s
innovative journey through the wonderful word world of fiction writing aims to
guide the novice or intermediate writer from beginning to end in terms of
process, starting with a chapter on “inspiration and the creative life”, before
turning to more structural considerations with “the ecosystem of the story”
(for example, point of view and dialogue), “beginnings and endings” and
“characterisation” and “worldbuilding”.
Whilst Vandermeer is clear on the fact that Wonderbook’s “default setting” is speculative fiction/fantasy,
there is a great deal to be taken from the text by those who deal in realistic
fiction, given all begin in the realm of the writer’s imagination and the
practical nature of the information dealing with topics such as plotting and
exposition. There are also a number of
contributor interviews from the likes of George R. R. Martin,
Neil Gaiman, Joe Abercrombie and Peter Straub scattered throughout the book, which make for interesting reading,
irrespective of one’s genre preferences.
Interactive nature of the text aside, Wonderbook’s other strength is that it is supported by a “Workshop
Appendix” including a number of writing exercises (in addition to the prompts
throughout the main body of the text, of which there are a number) and a
website with additional materials. Some
of these – not all – are specifically flagged in Wonderbook’s text itself.
This provides the writer with more than anticipated on venturing between
the covers of the book and the opportunity for further exploration of the
worlds of the fantastic in fiction. All
this considered, there is much to discover amongst Wonderbook’s self-professed “cabinet
of curiosities” for those interested in the creative process. For me, I consider it money well worth spent.
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