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Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction
This all-new definitive guide to writing imaginative fiction takes a completely novel approach and fully exploits the visual nature of fantasy through original drawings, maps, renderings, and exercises to create a spectacularly beautiful and inspiring object. Employing an accessible, example-rich approach, Wonderbook energizes and motivates while also providing practical, nuts-and-bolts information needed to improve as a writer. Aimed at aspiring and intermediate-level writers, Wonderbook includes helpful sidebars and essays from some of the biggest names in fantasy today, such as George R. R. Martin, Lev Grossman, Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, Catherynne M. Valente, and Karen Joy Fowler, to name a few.
Praise for
“Jammed with storytelling wisdom.” — Fast Company ’s Co.Create blog
“This is the kind of book you leave sitting out for all to see . . . and the kind of book you will find yourself picking up again and again.” — Kirkus Reviews online
“If you’re looking for a handy guide to not just crafting imaginative fiction like sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, but to writing in general, be sure to pick up a copy of Steampunk Bible author Jeff Vandermeer’s lovingly compiled Wonderbook ." —Flavorwire
“Jeff Vandermeer and Jeremy Zerfoss have created a kaleidoscopically rich and beautiful book about fiction writing.” — Star Tribune
“Because it is so layered and filled with text, tips, and links to online extras, this book can be read again and again by both those who want to learn the craft of writing and those interested in the process of others.” — Library Journal
Praise for
“Jammed with storytelling wisdom.” — Fast Company ’s Co.Create blog
“This is the kind of book you leave sitting out for all to see . . . and the kind of book you will find yourself picking up again and again.” — Kirkus Reviews online
“If you’re looking for a handy guide to not just crafting imaginative fiction like sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, but to writing in general, be sure to pick up a copy of Steampunk Bible author Jeff Vandermeer’s lovingly compiled Wonderbook ." —Flavorwire
“Jeff Vandermeer and Jeremy Zerfoss have created a kaleidoscopically rich and beautiful book about fiction writing.” — Star Tribune
“Because it is so layered and filled with text, tips, and links to online extras, this book can be read again and again by both those who want to learn the craft of writing and those interested in the process of others.” — Library Journal
332 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2013
1,460 people are currently reading
10.1k people want to read
About the author
Jeff VanderMeer
247 books15.7k followersNYT bestselling writer Jeff VanderMeer has been called “the weird Thoreau” by the New Yorker for his engagement with ecological issues. His most recent novel, the national bestseller Borne, received wide-spread critical acclaim and his prior novels include the Southern Reach trilogy (Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance). Annihilation won the Nebula and Shirley Jackson Awards, has been translated into 35 languages, and was made into a film from Paramount Pictures directed by Alex Garland. His nonfiction has appeared in New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Atlantic, Slate, Salon, and the Washington Post. He has coedited several iconic anthologies with his wife, the Hugo Award winning editor. Other titles include Wonderbook, the world’s first fully illustrated creative writing guide. VanderMeer served as the 2016-2017 Trias Writer in Residence at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He has spoken at the Guggenheim, the Library of Congress, and the Arthur C. Clarke Center for the Human Imagination.
VanderMeer was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, but spent much of his childhood in the Fiji Islands, where his parents worked for the Peace Corps. This experience, and the resulting trip back to the United States through Asia, Africa, and Europe, deeply influenced him.
Jeff is married to Ann VanderMeer, who is currently an acquiring editor at Tor.com and has won the Hugo Award and World Fantasy Award for her editing of magazines and anthologies. They live in Tallahassee, Florida, with two cats and thousands of books.
VanderMeer was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, but spent much of his childhood in the Fiji Islands, where his parents worked for the Peace Corps. This experience, and the resulting trip back to the United States through Asia, Africa, and Europe, deeply influenced him.
Jeff is married to Ann VanderMeer, who is currently an acquiring editor at Tor.com and has won the Hugo Award and World Fantasy Award for her editing of magazines and anthologies. They live in Tallahassee, Florida, with two cats and thousands of books.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 559 reviews
April 14, 2020
Wonderbook, at first glance, looks like a nice coffee table volume about fantasy and science-fiction, heavily illustrated with weird and nightmarish pictures. It is in fact a rather thorough handbook on creative writing, essentially aimed at would-be fantasy or SF writers. Jeff VanderMeer, who is an award-winning novelist in these genres and a creative writing teacher, covers quite a few topics, such as: inspiration, descriptions, dialogues, voice, POV, plot and structure, beginnings, middles and endings, characterization, world-building, revisions, etc.
Apart from being a graphic work in nature and layout, this book also includes a lot of illustrations and diagrams. I like the pictures representing stories as diversely formed fishes or dinosaurs. An image I like in particular is the blobby “History of Science Fiction” (you can try to find you favorite books or authors on there!).
There are also quite a few essays by guest writers (some are GR authors) such as Lev Grossman, Karen Lord, David Anthony Durham, Joe Abercrombie, and, last but not least, Ursula K. Le Guin and George R.R. Martin who gives a lengthy interview on his writing process at the end of the volume.
I have been sipping the chapters of this book for a few months. In fact, it is a rather hard one to read from cover to cover in one go, not only because of the sheer volume of it, but mainly because the many illustrations, essays, workshops and exercises are very interrupt-driven (there is also a companion website). In the end, I found it to be a very entertaining book to read or flip through; not so much actionnable, though, when it comes to working on a specific writing project.
To conclude, here is a short video presentation.
Apart from being a graphic work in nature and layout, this book also includes a lot of illustrations and diagrams. I like the pictures representing stories as diversely formed fishes or dinosaurs. An image I like in particular is the blobby “History of Science Fiction” (you can try to find you favorite books or authors on there!).
There are also quite a few essays by guest writers (some are GR authors) such as Lev Grossman, Karen Lord, David Anthony Durham, Joe Abercrombie, and, last but not least, Ursula K. Le Guin and George R.R. Martin who gives a lengthy interview on his writing process at the end of the volume.
I have been sipping the chapters of this book for a few months. In fact, it is a rather hard one to read from cover to cover in one go, not only because of the sheer volume of it, but mainly because the many illustrations, essays, workshops and exercises are very interrupt-driven (there is also a companion website). In the end, I found it to be a very entertaining book to read or flip through; not so much actionnable, though, when it comes to working on a specific writing project.
To conclude, here is a short video presentation.
December 2, 2019
Really great and inspiring in a ton of different imaginative ways.
I'll be coming back to this one a lot.
I'll be coming back to this one a lot.
February 19, 2019
Writing is something I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember. I’m sure every bookworm in the world has considered it at some point. I won’t dwell on why it hasn’t happened yet; there are plenty of reasons, both good and bad. What matters is that I have decided that procrastinating on such a long-held dream has gone on long enough, and that I need to give myself the tools to turn the ideas I have been accumulating for ages into the book (or books!) I always wanted them to be.
Enter Jeff VanderMeer’s “Wonderbook”. I’m not even sure where I first heard about it, but I bought It immediately. This illustrated guide to writing creative fiction called to me for many reasons, among which:
1) I love Jeff VanderMeer's work. While “Shriek” is my favorite book of his (so far!), “City of Saints and Madmen” is the sort of work that truly pushes the envelope of fiction, and a book that inspired me tremendously. When a writer that inspires you wants to share his writing tips, paying attention is the logical thing to do.
2) The book targets people who are interested in writing speculative fiction, which is what I have always been interested in writing. Sci-fi and weird fiction works are the ones that always end up exciting and inspiring me the most, because they often tackle topics and ideas I am particularly interested in, and because there are no real restrictions with those genres: they can be political, personal, serious, silly, anything they want! But there is a knack to doing that well, and my structure-loving mind wanted a good understanding of the process.
3) It's gorgeous, in a really bizarro way (though editors take note: spiral bound would have been so freaking convenient with a book like this).
VanderMeer takes the process of writing, from stimulating the imagination all the way to writing a good conclusion, by way of exploring the necessary elements of a good story, such as world-building and character development - but also revising, re-writing and many different ways to sharpen one's writing skills. This is really a nose-to-tail creative writing manual.
The artwork scattered through the book is very noteworthy: the map of the history of science fiction is such a fascinating drawing, and I could spend hours just looking at it, following the strands. But his other unique diagrams (such as the one about the life-cycle of a story) are wonderful: sure, he could have just used PowerPoint shapes and arrows, but what fun would that have been? Because the creative process should be fun, and if the book that helps you through that is boring, how does that make any sense?
Most books about writing will tell you about the importance of discipline, of making writing a habit (just like working out or meditating), and those are certainly important. But so is keeping the inspirational compost pile well fed, to write mainly to please yourself, while remembering not to do things that could annoy a reader. A lot of it seems like common sense to a voracious reader, but I can see how once one is in the process of writing, a few of these things could easily be forgotten... at the would-be writer's detriment!
A wonderful guide for anyone interested in writing! Very recommended!
Enter Jeff VanderMeer’s “Wonderbook”. I’m not even sure where I first heard about it, but I bought It immediately. This illustrated guide to writing creative fiction called to me for many reasons, among which:
1) I love Jeff VanderMeer's work. While “Shriek” is my favorite book of his (so far!), “City of Saints and Madmen” is the sort of work that truly pushes the envelope of fiction, and a book that inspired me tremendously. When a writer that inspires you wants to share his writing tips, paying attention is the logical thing to do.
2) The book targets people who are interested in writing speculative fiction, which is what I have always been interested in writing. Sci-fi and weird fiction works are the ones that always end up exciting and inspiring me the most, because they often tackle topics and ideas I am particularly interested in, and because there are no real restrictions with those genres: they can be political, personal, serious, silly, anything they want! But there is a knack to doing that well, and my structure-loving mind wanted a good understanding of the process.
3) It's gorgeous, in a really bizarro way (though editors take note: spiral bound would have been so freaking convenient with a book like this).
VanderMeer takes the process of writing, from stimulating the imagination all the way to writing a good conclusion, by way of exploring the necessary elements of a good story, such as world-building and character development - but also revising, re-writing and many different ways to sharpen one's writing skills. This is really a nose-to-tail creative writing manual.
The artwork scattered through the book is very noteworthy: the map of the history of science fiction is such a fascinating drawing, and I could spend hours just looking at it, following the strands. But his other unique diagrams (such as the one about the life-cycle of a story) are wonderful: sure, he could have just used PowerPoint shapes and arrows, but what fun would that have been? Because the creative process should be fun, and if the book that helps you through that is boring, how does that make any sense?
Most books about writing will tell you about the importance of discipline, of making writing a habit (just like working out or meditating), and those are certainly important. But so is keeping the inspirational compost pile well fed, to write mainly to please yourself, while remembering not to do things that could annoy a reader. A lot of it seems like common sense to a voracious reader, but I can see how once one is in the process of writing, a few of these things could easily be forgotten... at the would-be writer's detriment!
A wonderful guide for anyone interested in writing! Very recommended!
August 23, 2017
Comecei o Wonderbook há um tempão e, por ser uma não-ficção, resolvi ler aos poucos, em paralelo às minhas outras leituras de ficção. Descobri que não era uma boa ideia, porém: o livro tem um ritmo que é melhor aproveitado se lido em um fôlego só.
A melhor coisa sobre o Wonderbook é justamente a proposta de tratar um manuscrito como uma criatura viva, sendo o processo de criação um processo orgânico e único. Meu medo era o livro ficar muito nos conceitos abstratos, mas pra minha surpresa foi justamente o contrário. Há algumas filosofadas interessantes, mas o livro traz também muitas dicas básicas, definições e, principalmente, exemplos.
Outra coisa que amei é a existência de entrevistas e "workshops" inseridos no meio da teoria. Alguns são cases com experiências de autores (e que autores, aliás - muitos dos melhores do mercado anglófono), outros são artigos sobre um tópico específico, outros são umas viagens mais descontraídas. Tem também um monte de proposta de exercícios (inclusive com um apêndice no fim) e materiais extra disponíveis no site do Wonderbook (preciso explorar esse ainda).
Esse é aquele tipo livro pra ler e reler, porque tem muito conceito interessante que sei que vou querer aplicar quando chegar a hora.
É um livro recomendado pra todo mundo, desde quem já tá acostumado a estudar escrita até quem acha que estudar técnicas pode engessar o escritor.
A melhor coisa sobre o Wonderbook é justamente a proposta de tratar um manuscrito como uma criatura viva, sendo o processo de criação um processo orgânico e único. Meu medo era o livro ficar muito nos conceitos abstratos, mas pra minha surpresa foi justamente o contrário. Há algumas filosofadas interessantes, mas o livro traz também muitas dicas básicas, definições e, principalmente, exemplos.
Outra coisa que amei é a existência de entrevistas e "workshops" inseridos no meio da teoria. Alguns são cases com experiências de autores (e que autores, aliás - muitos dos melhores do mercado anglófono), outros são artigos sobre um tópico específico, outros são umas viagens mais descontraídas. Tem também um monte de proposta de exercícios (inclusive com um apêndice no fim) e materiais extra disponíveis no site do Wonderbook (preciso explorar esse ainda).
Esse é aquele tipo livro pra ler e reler, porque tem muito conceito interessante que sei que vou querer aplicar quando chegar a hora.
É um livro recomendado pra todo mundo, desde quem já tá acostumado a estudar escrita até quem acha que estudar técnicas pode engessar o escritor.
October 17, 2013
Amazing! Yes, there are some nuts & bolts writing how-tos such as POV, sentence structure, hooks, etc. However, where this book shines is in its presentation. The artwork is simply stunning. See, it's not so much a writing reference book as it is an experience. It's goal is to not only spark the imagination, but to keep the flames smoldering and burning. The essays on creative process by the various contributors are entertaining as well as informative. I haven't checked out the companion website yet, but based on the book's content, I have high expectations.
February 17, 2014
I don't have time to gush about the incredible-ness of this book. It's a great big ode to creativity. Every creative writing instructor should put this on the syllabus.
August 22, 2018
Wonderbook má 3 typy pasáží:
1) metaforický bullshit v úvode
2) užitočné informácie, nápadité cvičenia, kreatívne inšpirácie, rozbory kníh... a iné zaujímavé veci
3) "POZNÁM MINIMÁLNE PIATICH ZLÝCH AUTOROV, KTORÝCH KNIHU PRÁVE VANDERMEER ZHRNUL"
A tých pár metaforických kravín (blá blá blá kreatívne myslenie blá blá blá plynutie času v kvapke rosy) je jediná výhrada, ktorú k tej knihe mám. Keď sa prehryziete (alebo preskočíte) cez ten metaforický úvod, čaká vás množstvo, množstvo kvalitných informácií.
Wonderbook vám najviac padne na úžitok, ak už máte niečo napísané. Vandermeer vám v každej kapitole (zamerané na úvody/závery, štruktúru, postavy, prostredie a revidovanie) nadhodí niekoľko otázok, ktoré by ste si mali na danú tému položiť, a ktoré zahrnú snáď asi všetko od "Dala by sa táto veta napísať jasnejšie?" po "Čo keby hlavný zvrat v príbehu vyzeral inak?" Osobne mi je sympatické, že sa vás autor nikdy nesnaží poúčať, ale dáva vám nápady - chce, aby ste sa nad textom zamysleli a vytrieskali z vašich nápadov čo najviac. A popri tom veľmi šikovne strieľa do čierneho pri vymedzení najväčších chýb a klišé, hneď spolu s návrhmi, ako si s nimi poradiť.
Mojim osobným favoritom sú ale cvičenia na konci knihy (a pod "koniec" myslím posledná štvrtina), ktoré na prvý pohľad vyzerali v porovnaní s takými cool vecami ako autorov rozbor úvodu do vlastnej knihy tak... nelákavo... ale nakoniec mi z nich spadla čeľusť. V iných knihách o tvorivom písaní narazíte na cvičenia typu "napíšte duchársky príbeh, raz z pohľadu jedného rozprávača, raz z pohľadu štyroch".
Cvičenie podľa Vandermeera: Tu máte krátky pokec o zaujímavom živočíšnom druhu, tu je krátky komentár od štyroch vedcov, pár slov majiteľa miestnej reštaurácie, pohľadnica a osobná spoveď človeka, ako veľmi miluje miestnu krajinu. Tu je paranormálny prvok, ktorý môžete použiť. Máte predstavu? Otvorte oči, poobzerajte sa naokolo a inšpirujte sa. A funguje to SKVELO - Vandermeer vám nechce prikazovať, čo máte robiť, ale NAKOPNÚŤ VÁM KREATÍVNE MYSLENIE.
Wonderbook je zmes fakt dobrých rád a nápadov, ako prichádzať na nápady. A to až do úrovne, že hoci mi texty iných autorov zväčša prišli také meh (ak si máte prečítať len jeden, prečítajte si vtipno-srdcervúci text o autorskom bloku od Matthewa Cheneyho!), každý jeden má nejakú pointu, ktorú chce povedať, stojí sa nad ňou zamyslieť a môže vám do písania niečo priniesť.
Toto review už presiahlo dĺžku, akú som ochotná v recenziách na GR čítať, takže to utnem a poviem, že Wonderbook je kvalitná kniha, ktorá ešte nemá na Slovensku obdoby, a ak sa pokladáte za nádejného autora, neskutočne vám rozšíri obzory.
1) metaforický bullshit v úvode
2) užitočné informácie, nápadité cvičenia, kreatívne inšpirácie, rozbory kníh... a iné zaujímavé veci
3) "POZNÁM MINIMÁLNE PIATICH ZLÝCH AUTOROV, KTORÝCH KNIHU PRÁVE VANDERMEER ZHRNUL"
A tých pár metaforických kravín (blá blá blá kreatívne myslenie blá blá blá plynutie času v kvapke rosy) je jediná výhrada, ktorú k tej knihe mám. Keď sa prehryziete (alebo preskočíte) cez ten metaforický úvod, čaká vás množstvo, množstvo kvalitných informácií.
Wonderbook vám najviac padne na úžitok, ak už máte niečo napísané. Vandermeer vám v každej kapitole (zamerané na úvody/závery, štruktúru, postavy, prostredie a revidovanie) nadhodí niekoľko otázok, ktoré by ste si mali na danú tému položiť, a ktoré zahrnú snáď asi všetko od "Dala by sa táto veta napísať jasnejšie?" po "Čo keby hlavný zvrat v príbehu vyzeral inak?" Osobne mi je sympatické, že sa vás autor nikdy nesnaží poúčať, ale dáva vám nápady - chce, aby ste sa nad textom zamysleli a vytrieskali z vašich nápadov čo najviac. A popri tom veľmi šikovne strieľa do čierneho pri vymedzení najväčších chýb a klišé, hneď spolu s návrhmi, ako si s nimi poradiť.
Mojim osobným favoritom sú ale cvičenia na konci knihy (a pod "koniec" myslím posledná štvrtina), ktoré na prvý pohľad vyzerali v porovnaní s takými cool vecami ako autorov rozbor úvodu do vlastnej knihy tak... nelákavo... ale nakoniec mi z nich spadla čeľusť. V iných knihách o tvorivom písaní narazíte na cvičenia typu "napíšte duchársky príbeh, raz z pohľadu jedného rozprávača, raz z pohľadu štyroch".
Cvičenie podľa Vandermeera: Tu máte krátky pokec o zaujímavom živočíšnom druhu, tu je krátky komentár od štyroch vedcov, pár slov majiteľa miestnej reštaurácie, pohľadnica a osobná spoveď človeka, ako veľmi miluje miestnu krajinu. Tu je paranormálny prvok, ktorý môžete použiť. Máte predstavu? Otvorte oči, poobzerajte sa naokolo a inšpirujte sa. A funguje to SKVELO - Vandermeer vám nechce prikazovať, čo máte robiť, ale NAKOPNÚŤ VÁM KREATÍVNE MYSLENIE.
Wonderbook je zmes fakt dobrých rád a nápadov, ako prichádzať na nápady. A to až do úrovne, že hoci mi texty iných autorov zväčša prišli také meh (ak si máte prečítať len jeden, prečítajte si vtipno-srdcervúci text o autorskom bloku od Matthewa Cheneyho!), každý jeden má nejakú pointu, ktorú chce povedať, stojí sa nad ňou zamyslieť a môže vám do písania niečo priniesť.
Toto review už presiahlo dĺžku, akú som ochotná v recenziách na GR čítať, takže to utnem a poviem, že Wonderbook je kvalitná kniha, ktorá ešte nemá na Slovensku obdoby, a ak sa pokladáte za nádejného autora, neskutočne vám rozšíri obzory.
February 7, 2017
A wonderful, imaginative exploration of creative writing!
After hearing many recommendations of this book, I recently caved in and treated myself (it didn't take much persuasion). The rave reviews proved to be very well deserved.
The book is loosely organised into sections, covering key aspects of creative writing, such as structure, characterisation and so forth. However, it's so much more than a 'how-to' guide; it actively seeks to fire up the imagination and force writers to question their techniques. The illustrations are a joy, and the interviews with famous authors are also highly thought-provoking.
If you're serious about writing (or even if you just love the act of writing as a hobby), this is a key book for your shelf!
After hearing many recommendations of this book, I recently caved in and treated myself (it didn't take much persuasion). The rave reviews proved to be very well deserved.
The book is loosely organised into sections, covering key aspects of creative writing, such as structure, characterisation and so forth. However, it's so much more than a 'how-to' guide; it actively seeks to fire up the imagination and force writers to question their techniques. The illustrations are a joy, and the interviews with famous authors are also highly thought-provoking.
If you're serious about writing (or even if you just love the act of writing as a hobby), this is a key book for your shelf!
January 24, 2016
Absolutely wonderful, dear Wonderbook! Every writer should own this. It's also clever in design and has some gorgeous artwork. A Keeper. Always on my writing desk. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Reread comments. I just reread this, well it took me a month of serious reading to do it. Making notes, etc.
1) Writing is so organic, think of your book as a living organism that is constantly evolving.
2) You gotta learn techniques. No way around this one. You can't master something if you don't even know what it is and how it works. Try it all.
3) Writing is really revising. REVISION is messy and eternal and will go on, even five years after your book is published! The mind never stops, really.
4) READ IT ALOUD. Lots.
5) Cut and trim all the time.
6) One day the imaginative writer must meet with the thinking writer.
7) Make lists of things to revise, you can't do it all at once.
8) Finish things. Even if they don't get published. But finish them. They might make a comeback in another book, etc.
9) Forgive yourself and work hard.
10) Develop habits. Don't wait for the muse!
LOVE THIS BOOK! Lots of wonderful stuff about writing in any genre. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, and it's funny and smart and beautiful, too.
Reread comments. I just reread this, well it took me a month of serious reading to do it. Making notes, etc.
1) Writing is so organic, think of your book as a living organism that is constantly evolving.
2) You gotta learn techniques. No way around this one. You can't master something if you don't even know what it is and how it works. Try it all.
3) Writing is really revising. REVISION is messy and eternal and will go on, even five years after your book is published! The mind never stops, really.
4) READ IT ALOUD. Lots.
5) Cut and trim all the time.
6) One day the imaginative writer must meet with the thinking writer.
7) Make lists of things to revise, you can't do it all at once.
8) Finish things. Even if they don't get published. But finish them. They might make a comeback in another book, etc.
9) Forgive yourself and work hard.
10) Develop habits. Don't wait for the muse!
LOVE THIS BOOK! Lots of wonderful stuff about writing in any genre. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, and it's funny and smart and beautiful, too.
August 5, 2016
An eclectic array of artwork to inspire creativity, unusual writing prompts, advice from myriad successful authors, and the usual info typically found in writing guides. As an added bonus, Wonderbook is an unexpected treasure trove of reading recommendations.
December 7, 2013
Wonderbook is a comprehensive examination of the writing process from inspiration to revision, written by award-winning writer, editor, and teacher Jeff Vandermeer. There are many good books on writing, but high-quality books aimed more specifically at writers of genre fiction are much rarer. Vandermeer does not suggest a single “correct” strategy or style, but describes a variety of alternatives and their advantages and pitfalls. He clearly knows his history and theory but is in no way pedantic or dogmatic. If anything, he makes a willful effort to offer ideas that run counter to advice just given, recognizing that the ultimate benefit to the writer is not to be found in following advice, but in struggling with it.
The text is jam-packed with strategies for attacking different aspects of writing. It unpacks the nuts and bolts of the process, offering a wealth of general guidance and specific techniques for creating better fiction. In addition to Vandermeer’s insightful discussion, there are frequent sidebars and essays from some of the best writers of imaginative fiction in the business. The text is rich in detail and generously enhanced with a variety of exercises and appendices. You could spend years mining the ore within and that doesn’t even touch the in-depth online content at the companion website wonderbooknow.com.
The book exudes a sense of whimsy and humor. A central thesis of the work is that although writing is hard work, it requires a core of play. Wonderbook is pervaded with a strong philosophical commitment to the unconscious as a critical aspect of creativity. Vandermeer encourages the writer to nurture that aspect of self, and to cultivate a working relationship with the powerful intuitive forces that underlie the process. The brain must be filled with interesting contents and given room to experiment with them. The finished product must ultimately be analyzed, polished, and edited, but the effective writer explores the absurd and unexpected freely.
The book also stands out because of its unique design, which features gorgeous illustrations by Jeremy Zerfross. The art is sumptuous, idiosyncratic, and beautifully intertwined with the text across the span of the volume. The illustrations serve to illuminate and expand upon the ideas in fascinating and effective ways. Writers spend a tremendous amount of time with the written word, and the most common advice offered to aspiring writers is to write and read. This makes good sense; you don’t learn the craft without hands-on practice. But most guides to writing are written in plain text, and no matter how good they are, they necessarily engage the lexical brain. Thus, our efforts to change our approach are filtered through the very process that we want to change. Wonderbook stands this model on its ear.
People often suggest editing in a different format than the one you write in as a way of breaking frame: editing on hard-copy if you use computer, changing fonts, even doing the editing in a different location. Anything to break set and allow you to see the work differently than you did when creating it initially. It is impossible to approach the content of Wonderbook in the same way one might simply read another book on writing. By engaging the brain in a more holistic fashion, and relating the linguistic to the visual, it creates a richer experience that should allow writers make new discoveries and see their work in a new light. Wonderbook is the only book on writing I am aware of that employs this technique to break set when thinking about the writing process itself. The luxurious and absurd imagery forces you to process the ideas in different ways than a more conventional presentation ever could. It is a brilliant and effective strategy.
Taken as a whole, Wonderbook leaves all others far behind in both its scope and in its commitment to a unique philosophy of pedagogy. This is a book that a writer will want to spend a long time with, rereading, tagging, and playing. There should be a copy in every middle and high school library, and it should be considered for college writing courses. Is it possible that part of my reaction is because this is the right book at the right time for me, personally? I suppose, but I doubt it. Although aimed at beginning and intermediate writers, even seasoned professionals who have enjoyed success will find something of value within.
(Review originally published on Hellnotes.com.)
The text is jam-packed with strategies for attacking different aspects of writing. It unpacks the nuts and bolts of the process, offering a wealth of general guidance and specific techniques for creating better fiction. In addition to Vandermeer’s insightful discussion, there are frequent sidebars and essays from some of the best writers of imaginative fiction in the business. The text is rich in detail and generously enhanced with a variety of exercises and appendices. You could spend years mining the ore within and that doesn’t even touch the in-depth online content at the companion website wonderbooknow.com.
The book exudes a sense of whimsy and humor. A central thesis of the work is that although writing is hard work, it requires a core of play. Wonderbook is pervaded with a strong philosophical commitment to the unconscious as a critical aspect of creativity. Vandermeer encourages the writer to nurture that aspect of self, and to cultivate a working relationship with the powerful intuitive forces that underlie the process. The brain must be filled with interesting contents and given room to experiment with them. The finished product must ultimately be analyzed, polished, and edited, but the effective writer explores the absurd and unexpected freely.
The book also stands out because of its unique design, which features gorgeous illustrations by Jeremy Zerfross. The art is sumptuous, idiosyncratic, and beautifully intertwined with the text across the span of the volume. The illustrations serve to illuminate and expand upon the ideas in fascinating and effective ways. Writers spend a tremendous amount of time with the written word, and the most common advice offered to aspiring writers is to write and read. This makes good sense; you don’t learn the craft without hands-on practice. But most guides to writing are written in plain text, and no matter how good they are, they necessarily engage the lexical brain. Thus, our efforts to change our approach are filtered through the very process that we want to change. Wonderbook stands this model on its ear.
People often suggest editing in a different format than the one you write in as a way of breaking frame: editing on hard-copy if you use computer, changing fonts, even doing the editing in a different location. Anything to break set and allow you to see the work differently than you did when creating it initially. It is impossible to approach the content of Wonderbook in the same way one might simply read another book on writing. By engaging the brain in a more holistic fashion, and relating the linguistic to the visual, it creates a richer experience that should allow writers make new discoveries and see their work in a new light. Wonderbook is the only book on writing I am aware of that employs this technique to break set when thinking about the writing process itself. The luxurious and absurd imagery forces you to process the ideas in different ways than a more conventional presentation ever could. It is a brilliant and effective strategy.
Taken as a whole, Wonderbook leaves all others far behind in both its scope and in its commitment to a unique philosophy of pedagogy. This is a book that a writer will want to spend a long time with, rereading, tagging, and playing. There should be a copy in every middle and high school library, and it should be considered for college writing courses. Is it possible that part of my reaction is because this is the right book at the right time for me, personally? I suppose, but I doubt it. Although aimed at beginning and intermediate writers, even seasoned professionals who have enjoyed success will find something of value within.
(Review originally published on Hellnotes.com.)
August 26, 2014
One of the prettiest books I've ever seen. Couldn't resist.
Addendum: Couldn't get into the writing. Still very pretty. Grade: 2.5 stars for prettiness.
Addendum: Couldn't get into the writing. Still very pretty. Grade: 2.5 stars for prettiness.
February 12, 2021
Iva, jeseň sa blíži!
January 8, 2016
The title says it so I don’t have to: Wonderbook is about how to write fiction – specifically aimed at writers of ‘imaginative’ fiction, e.g. fantasy, science fiction, new weird, surreal, horror… ‘genre’ fiction. VanderMeer gives you chapters on the basics: beginnings, endings, plot, structure, narrative design, characterization, worldbuilding, etc.
VanderMeer’s chapters read more like essays or discussions on these parts and how they fit together, or points to think about, rather than a step-by-step ‘how to’ guide. He brings in other writers to contribute essays, inserts ‘spotlights’ on certain works or authors or ideas. It’s heavily, heavily illustrated with original art by Jeremy Zerfoss and reproductions of other artwork. And there are writing prompts – most of which are at the very end in a ‘writer’s workshop’ or referenced on the companion website (which I haven’t seen and isn’t part of this review).
Cool Things
I love that VanderMeer chooses to dissect the writing process of one of his own novels, Finch. This features heavily in one chapter. Overall, I think the real-world examples – like other authors discussing their work, or analyzing a famous short story, or diagraming the structure of a sci fi novel (Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks!) – were what I appreciated the most. Lev Grossman’s essay on revisions and drafts (and crappy first drafts) was one of my favorites; I’ve read The Magicians so hearing him reference it was great and made the discussion ‘stick’.
And the illustrations: the artwork is meant to be ‘visual stimuli’, and it works! This whole book is chock full of crazy, weird, beautiful images, that illustrate points, or are writing prompts. I wouldn’t mind framing some of them and hanging them in my living room!
Things That Didn't Click So Much (with Me)
VanderMeer comes from a more outlandishly fantastical, surreal, or ‘new weird’ genre. Even though I’ve read and loved his Southern Reach trilogy, I have no desire to pick up Finch right now. I’m not a true fan of the surreal, disturbing, or weird. And many of VanderMeer’s examples, made up on the fly, made me scratch my head and go ‘huh? That’s not really interesting to me’. E.g., the whole ongoing example of the woman and the penguin and the gun and hiding behind the potted plant (or whatever it was). Um. I preferred the real examples a lot more, especially of the stories that were more my thing, like Kim Stanley Robinson’s 2312. This is just a personal preference, but if you’re not on board with the surreal, Wonderbook might fall flat. On the other hand, if you love the most fantastical of genres and that’s what you want to write, this is the book for you and you will fly through those writing prompts!
My next gripe is just a pet peeve because I’m a nitpicky person, but because of the surreal tone and some of the crazier graphic design, many of the ‘instructional art’ pieces by Zerfoss confused me so much! There are many lushly designed charts, diagrams, and flowcharts demonstrating processes, life cycles, and parts of the whole. But they contain a lot of moving parts, a lot of illustrations and characters, and I sometimes could not figure out where the start was. The flip side: You can spend a lot of time comfortably ensconced on a couch tracing your way through the beautiful graphics. Contemplate them more than I did and it might make sense. I come from a background and training that strives for simple, coherent, and concise illustrations, especially in charts and diagrams. And that is not the point of this book at all.
Back to the Good Stuff
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and the illustrations made it unique. My approach to this book is simply that I enjoy reading the occasional book about writing. I’m not a fiction writer and don’t have any plans to be any time soon (of course I thought about trying again while reading this though!). I find that knowing how a story is put together and understanding the work that goes into crafting it can help me later in analyzing and reviewing books. And as a fan of SFF, it was great to see tidbits in this book where authors I love illuminate their process or decisions. Artists talking about their work is fascinating!
January 17, 2025
Very much loved this, even if it took me about 3.5 years to finish it - I have plenty of notes made from it and it was nice to use it at times to get my creative juices flowing. It's lovely that it has so many weird / bizzarre eerie, fun pictures, very useful for my ADHD brain who usually can't read writing 'manuals' because there is so much text. And here, there was always something pretty to look at whenever my brain needed it.
I will have to refer to it over and over in the future, as I still try to write and write. I didn't do the exercises at the end because I didn't have mental space for them, but they'll be great when I'm ready. I will also have to go through it again to make a list of all the super interesting speculative (but not only) fiction mentioned here, as I've only added some of them. But yeah, basically loved it. It has some great essays, from famous writers like Ursula K. LeGuin, to others whom I've never heard of, which is great.
There's also a fun bit in the appendix when JVdM talks about adapting novels and uses the adaptation of Annihilation as an example, and it's written in a very neutral way. Since that's considered a controversial adaptation, y'know?
Some things have aged poorly, like George R.R. Martin claiming to have almost resolved his writerly block in general... And this was just before it got really bad for him, hah.
CW: An essay by Neil Gaiman (skippable), Junot Diaz (also skippable).
17/31 reads in 31 days in January. (but a bit of a cheat, since I only read like a third of it this month :P)
I will have to refer to it over and over in the future, as I still try to write and write. I didn't do the exercises at the end because I didn't have mental space for them, but they'll be great when I'm ready. I will also have to go through it again to make a list of all the super interesting speculative (but not only) fiction mentioned here, as I've only added some of them. But yeah, basically loved it. It has some great essays, from famous writers like Ursula K. LeGuin, to others whom I've never heard of, which is great.
There's also a fun bit in the appendix when JVdM talks about adapting novels and uses the adaptation of Annihilation as an example, and it's written in a very neutral way. Since that's considered a controversial adaptation, y'know?
Some things have aged poorly, like George R.R. Martin claiming to have almost resolved his writerly block in general... And this was just before it got really bad for him, hah.
CW: An essay by Neil Gaiman (skippable), Junot Diaz (also skippable).
17/31 reads in 31 days in January. (but a bit of a cheat, since I only read like a third of it this month :P)
December 2, 2013
I must admit I bought the book because of the pictures.
Of course I had read several books by the author and was excited to read any advice he’d have on writing and he delivered. I have the feeling this book will be with me for a long time. I’ll be reading it again and again, highlighting, scribbling and taking notes. It’s a great book with sound advices.
What stole my heart however was the artwork. The artwork and outlay of the book is outstanding. My almost four year old likes to sit down with it to make up stories about the artwork in it… and I can’t imagine there being a better use for this book!
This isn’t just a useful book for any writer (fantasy or weird or whatever genre you might be hiding behind) but it’s a beautiful book no matter who you are!
Of course I had read several books by the author and was excited to read any advice he’d have on writing and he delivered. I have the feeling this book will be with me for a long time. I’ll be reading it again and again, highlighting, scribbling and taking notes. It’s a great book with sound advices.
What stole my heart however was the artwork. The artwork and outlay of the book is outstanding. My almost four year old likes to sit down with it to make up stories about the artwork in it… and I can’t imagine there being a better use for this book!
This isn’t just a useful book for any writer (fantasy or weird or whatever genre you might be hiding behind) but it’s a beautiful book no matter who you are!
August 26, 2016
This is a beautiful book. I was very excited when I found it, and upon first flipping through it, I though it was just the book on writing I have always been looking for. Now that I have finished it, I have to say that while it is well done, it also doesn't contain a lot of meat. I see some reviewers really liked the sidebar articles by various writers, for the most part I found them superfluous, not really adding to the overall structure of the book, and more like glossed up articles for Writers' Digest. At times the examples were far too surreal for me to have any connection to. Perhaps the most interesting section to me was toward the end, dealing with revision. If you have never read any books on writing before, and you have a special interest in the fantastic, than this would be a good book to start with, but if you are looking for something more in depth, this is probably not the book you want. I wasn't looking for writing prompts and exercises, I was more interested in the physical process, which has been glossed over here, with too little focus on the day and day out requirements of being a writer.
May 27, 2016
By far the most imaginative and entertaining book on the craft of writing that I've ever read. I agree with other reviewers that much of the advice in Wonderbook isn't new. (Once you've read a lot of advice on characterization, plot and structure, etc., it starts to sound the same.) But the presentation of that information is what makes Wonderbook a true delight. The graphics, charts, and illustrations are vibrant, thought-provoking, and (in many cases) hilarious. Seriously. I lost track of the times Wonderbook made me laugh, and that's not a bad thing. That sense of humor, along with the intelligence and sheer creativity of its delivery, is what makes this a must-have for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative genres.
July 28, 2014
This is like a writers' workshop in a book, and much of the allure is the visual elements — this is one of those books that just wouldn't work as an ebook, you need the physical copy. (For such a heavy book on high quality paper, printed in full color, I was rather surprised at the relatively low price.)
It's hard the summarize the contents without referring to the visuals. Vandermeer and his contributors (who include a veritable Who's Who of modern SF and fantasy authors - Catherynne Valente, George R.R. Martin, Ursula Le Guin, Kim Stanley Robinson, Lev Grossman, etc., in interviews and excerpts and little mini-chapters) don't entirely omit the 101-level advice, but they don't belabor it much, and when they do talk about having your character wake up from a dream or headhopping, they talk about why it's bad.
There was not a lot of actual information about writing I gleaned from this book that I hadn't heard before, but it did prompt a lot of thinking and a fair amount of inspiration. Every chapter has writing exercises, from the brief single-paragraph type of exercise to some quite in-depth ones that, if you did them all, would have you just about writing and rewriting an entire novel by the time you're done.
Aimed explicitly at speculative fiction writers, it's nice to see a book that delves deeply into the mechanics of text and narrative, POV and setting, pacing, prologues, conclusions, metaphor, and all that, but takes it for granted that your novel might have talking penguins, occur in another dimension, be non-linear and involve unusual prose and unconventional storytelling, and treats these things as elements to be handled with as much seriousness as anything else.
So there is some familiar material about the parts of a story, narrative design, beginnings and endings, the revision process, and so on, but it's all wedged into a brilliant kaleidoscopic visual package with glimpses at how professional authors handle these things. Colorful, chaotic, sometimes overwhelming, this book a piece of art in its own right and should be acquired by any genre writer, and will probably be of interest even to non-writing genre fans.
It's hard the summarize the contents without referring to the visuals. Vandermeer and his contributors (who include a veritable Who's Who of modern SF and fantasy authors - Catherynne Valente, George R.R. Martin, Ursula Le Guin, Kim Stanley Robinson, Lev Grossman, etc., in interviews and excerpts and little mini-chapters) don't entirely omit the 101-level advice, but they don't belabor it much, and when they do talk about having your character wake up from a dream or headhopping, they talk about why it's bad.
There was not a lot of actual information about writing I gleaned from this book that I hadn't heard before, but it did prompt a lot of thinking and a fair amount of inspiration. Every chapter has writing exercises, from the brief single-paragraph type of exercise to some quite in-depth ones that, if you did them all, would have you just about writing and rewriting an entire novel by the time you're done.
Aimed explicitly at speculative fiction writers, it's nice to see a book that delves deeply into the mechanics of text and narrative, POV and setting, pacing, prologues, conclusions, metaphor, and all that, but takes it for granted that your novel might have talking penguins, occur in another dimension, be non-linear and involve unusual prose and unconventional storytelling, and treats these things as elements to be handled with as much seriousness as anything else.
So there is some familiar material about the parts of a story, narrative design, beginnings and endings, the revision process, and so on, but it's all wedged into a brilliant kaleidoscopic visual package with glimpses at how professional authors handle these things. Colorful, chaotic, sometimes overwhelming, this book a piece of art in its own right and should be acquired by any genre writer, and will probably be of interest even to non-writing genre fans.
April 26, 2022
I am not sure anymore why I got this book, but I suspect that I saw some of the illustrations somewhere and liked them. I do not plan to write imaginative fiction any time soon. But this has the potential to improve understanding for what I read and it would probably be a great resource for those who do want to improve their writing.
“This all-new definitive guide to writing imaginative fiction takes a completely novel approach and fully exploits the visual nature of fantasy through original drawings, maps, renderings, and exercises to create a spectacularly beautiful and inspiring object.“
March 2, 2016
A difficult book to rate. Parts were great. Parts were average. Parts were confusing. The art was kooky - some people love it so obviously the cliched phrase "art is in the eye of the beholder" still holds true.
What I liked and thought was valuable was the insight from the other authors. Great stuff there.
What I liked and thought was valuable was the insight from the other authors. Great stuff there.
April 11, 2017
Generally, I am not a fan of non-fiction, but I read this for the Reddit r/fantasy 2017 Bingo and I wasn't disappointed. I assumed I would struggle getting through this book, as I usually do with non-fiction, but I actually found this interesting and fun to read at times. I'll admit, the lovely ilustrations helped a lot. So did all the in-between essays and interviews of authors we all know and love such as George RR Martin, Ursula K Le Guin and Neil Gaiman.
Read
January 17, 2024Extremely informative and useful. For those looking for a craft book with great examples, inspiring essays and thoughts from established writers, and practice exercises.
May 7, 2014
I've only read one other book on writing besides this one, which was one I liked called On Writing by Stephen King. This book was very different from it in both style and emphasis, with the Wonderbook being an illustrated guide to writing.
Since many creative people are visual learners, this beautiful book with its impressive artwork may help aspiring writers better retain some of the guidelines that the author presented. Personally, I liked the illustrations, but sometimes, I found them to be either distracting when it came to a lesson or merely entertaining, instead of being helpful in driving home the writing suggestions concerning things such as characterization, narrative style, and world building, to name just a few points of interest. I actually wished that there had been more text with more examples given in the fantasy genre for me to explore further on my own so I could learn by example. But that's my own style of learning and may not reflect what works best for someone else.
What I liked most about this book were the interviews with notable fantasy authors who shared some of their suggestions or generously offered their encouragement. While this book concentrates mostly on the principles of fantasy writing, it can be used by writers in any genre. It is linked to a website of the same name which offers further information and writing exercises besides those provided in the book. But like any guidebook on writing, it is only a tool that can't really teach someone how to write. What it can do is help steer a beginning writer in a direction to where he won't get lost when struggling to complete his novel.
Since many creative people are visual learners, this beautiful book with its impressive artwork may help aspiring writers better retain some of the guidelines that the author presented. Personally, I liked the illustrations, but sometimes, I found them to be either distracting when it came to a lesson or merely entertaining, instead of being helpful in driving home the writing suggestions concerning things such as characterization, narrative style, and world building, to name just a few points of interest. I actually wished that there had been more text with more examples given in the fantasy genre for me to explore further on my own so I could learn by example. But that's my own style of learning and may not reflect what works best for someone else.
What I liked most about this book were the interviews with notable fantasy authors who shared some of their suggestions or generously offered their encouragement. While this book concentrates mostly on the principles of fantasy writing, it can be used by writers in any genre. It is linked to a website of the same name which offers further information and writing exercises besides those provided in the book. But like any guidebook on writing, it is only a tool that can't really teach someone how to write. What it can do is help steer a beginning writer in a direction to where he won't get lost when struggling to complete his novel.
March 9, 2014
Many writers I know praised this book greatly when it came out last fall. I asked for it as a Christmas gift.
It's a beautifully designed book, though very heavy and unwieldy; I wish it had been bound in spiral to make it easier to hold and to withstand its own weight. The back pages are already feeling weak like they could come loose. The content is well-organized and very friendly. This would be an ideal textbook for a creative writing class--it's certainly a hundred times better than the dull book I had at college ages ago. The illustrations are lush and often strange. The full thing is in color and uses odd graphics to depict various stages of the writing process.
Overall, though, it didn't do anything for me. I like it. I can see why so many others raved about it. It simply didn't resonate for me personally. I do think I'll pass it along to my teenage niece, who is an aspiring writer and an artist. I think she'd enjoy it for the visual angle alone.
It's a beautifully designed book, though very heavy and unwieldy; I wish it had been bound in spiral to make it easier to hold and to withstand its own weight. The back pages are already feeling weak like they could come loose. The content is well-organized and very friendly. This would be an ideal textbook for a creative writing class--it's certainly a hundred times better than the dull book I had at college ages ago. The illustrations are lush and often strange. The full thing is in color and uses odd graphics to depict various stages of the writing process.
Overall, though, it didn't do anything for me. I like it. I can see why so many others raved about it. It simply didn't resonate for me personally. I do think I'll pass it along to my teenage niece, who is an aspiring writer and an artist. I think she'd enjoy it for the visual angle alone.
October 13, 2013
Hands down the best, most genuine and helpful book on the creative writing process I've ever read. Inspiration on every other page. Not so much a writing "guide" (can there ever really be such a thing?) as an all-out attack on the creative side of your brain, forcing you to look at the whole creative process in a seemingly endless array of incredible ways. I'd recommend this to ANYONE who has even the faintest interest in making the ideas in their head become something on a scrap of paper somewhere. Mind blowing.
July 27, 2015
Although I loved the illustrations, I had a really hard time getting into this book. Ultimately I got about halfway through, then just said forget it, this is taking too long, I'm gonna spend the time working on my novel instead.
May 19, 2014
Fully gorgeous illustrated book. Must buy in print to fully appreciate. A 4 dimensional creative experience. Buy for your inner child
April 7, 2020
I had this book gathering dust on my TBR-pile for four or five years now. I bought it after reading several raving reviews and leafing through it in the shop seeing lots of beautiful illustrations. And then I let it rest, because I thought reading a book about writing would be a waste of time (lots of writing advice is stiffling in the way it prescribes very rigid 'rules' like show, don't tell, or don't use adjectives). But lately I found myself needing a bit more background in writing, I felt I needed some more challenge, some next level to reach, as I thought my current work had reached a kind of plateau (I know I can write actionscenes well and construct a plot, but now that I can do that, what's there for me to do now?). So when a fellow author mentioned the book I thought to blow of the dust and finally read it. And I should have known that I was in safe hands with an accomplished guide as Jeff Vandermeer. He is not prescriptive, doesn't lay out his roads in brick, and does not delve into minutiae (like the adjectives-rule for example). Instead this is a book that does not try to pour ones writing in a very uniform mold, but adds fertilizer to ones imagination. It even starts with a chapter about nurturing ones imagination and trusting in the process. I found it very inspiring. With the essays by authors providing their viewpoints, and remarks in the margins sometimes giving opposite viewpoints, this is not so much a road, but a map, leading you to choose your own path. Pitfalls are marked and some easy ways are shown, but it's all offered as fuel for the authors mind. I found myself inspired. Add to that the great art, both to illustratie the points (be it sometimes in an obstruse manner) or to inspire the author and I had a blast going through this book. It really did fire up my imagination, and I think I will keep this book at hand to leaf through and read again (some parts or the whole). It's a treasure trove for the author of speculative fiction and I have not yet encountered or internalized all the riches it has to offer. Recommended!
October 24, 2014
This is a brilliant book - I will not deny it, ok its bright its gaudy and at times a little too "busy" for its own good - there is just so much going on in its pages i can see myself having to go back and read it again as key images and comments finally fall in to place.
The book really is what it says it is - a guide to creative imaginative fiction. At first glance it can appear rather basic and even patronising in its approach with cartoon style characters being used to emphases certain key comments - a bit like the dummies guides but with nightmare inducing characters who in many cases appear to have had a run with a childs paint box.
But when you start to dig a little deeper you start to see that this is actually all part of the plan. You see if there something of importance what better way than to link it to some visual image, a pictorial stimuli which makes its message not only easier to understand (well for me at least) but also to remember and most importantly - refer back to later.
So to me at least this is a clever and entertaining tool to help nurture and kick start that reading urge. My only criticism is that it really is too interesting to read and I struggled to put it down and get on with the whole - being creative process.
The book really is what it says it is - a guide to creative imaginative fiction. At first glance it can appear rather basic and even patronising in its approach with cartoon style characters being used to emphases certain key comments - a bit like the dummies guides but with nightmare inducing characters who in many cases appear to have had a run with a childs paint box.
But when you start to dig a little deeper you start to see that this is actually all part of the plan. You see if there something of importance what better way than to link it to some visual image, a pictorial stimuli which makes its message not only easier to understand (well for me at least) but also to remember and most importantly - refer back to later.
So to me at least this is a clever and entertaining tool to help nurture and kick start that reading urge. My only criticism is that it really is too interesting to read and I struggled to put it down and get on with the whole - being creative process.
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