How to Write a Howling Good Story by Wulf Moon | Review
Learning how to write fiction? Pick up How to Write a Howling Good Story by Wulf Moon
If you want to learn how to write fiction, you absolutely need to pick up How to Write a Howling Good Story by Wulf Moon. Whether you’re a newbie or a pro, it’s chock-full of advice you can start using today to sparkle up your prose. I’ve consumed a considerable number of books on the craft of fiction writing along the way — seriously, I’ve got stacks of ‘em — and Moon’s new book has quickly earned its place in my top five writing instructional guides. And it's not just me that thinks so highly of it. It has multiple five star reviews online and has remained on Amazon’s Top 100 Best Sellers in Fiction Writing books for the bulk of the seven months since its release.
From dialogue to denouements, it’s clear Moon knows how to write fiction that appeals to his readers. He’s penned scores of fantasy and science fiction stories in his fifty-year career and won multiple awards for them, including “Super-Duper Moon Girl and the Amazing Moon Dawdler”, a charming-but-heartbreaking story about a girl and her robot dog that won the Writers of the Future contest, the largest talent search for speculative fiction writers in the world. He’s also the founder of Super Secrets of Writing Workshop, an online program that’s nearing a million views which has helped countless writers level up their skills. With this book, Moon offers a deep cut of his workshop series. “I recognized many emerging writers needed help understanding how to write a successful story that could sell and win contests,” he told me in our interview. “With the knowledge I had gained over the years, I knew I could help them.”
How to Write a Howling Good Story is also a fun read, unlike other writing guides that can come across as “textbooky.” Not only is it packed with writing wisdom, but it’s delivered in Moon’s trademark tone which is both trustworthy and highly entertaining. Using examples ranging from talking marshmallows to Popeye the sailor, Moon draws upon his natural storytelling abilities to breathe life into the material in bite-size, user-friendly chunks. His voice in this book is comforting and encouraging, almost a character in itself.
Lots of the book revolves around the principles of story structure, which writers learning how to write fiction will find infinitely helpful. Here, Moon eschews the importance of revealing a character’s ultimate desire to the reader, a topic I knew was important but wasn’t always delivering in my stories. You can bet I do it now. He also advocates creating heroes that strongly appeal to your readers, providing a list of practical tips to help you fine tune your own protagonists. Another lesson I found valuable was the topic of tension and how to increase it in dramatic sequences, as well as the importance of crafting strong denouements that pay off a story’s underlying emotional arc. Readers will also benefit from a trove of technical advice, including tips on formatting submissions for publication. I’ve been submitting stories for years, and my face turned red when I realized my formatting was slightly off. Eek!
Moon also goes into detail on how to handle the emotions brought about by living the writing life, which has been a huge challenge on my own journey. He gives pointers on topics ranging from setting good writing habits to quieting the self-doubt that spoils creativity. He explains how to find a writing group that supports you, and how to handle criticisms and feedback as an author. Best of all, Moon shares the ultimate writing secret that makes authors successful. It’s a fascinating, mind-blowing notion that simply has to be read to be believed. And no, I won’t tell you here. Buy the dang book already!
How to Write a Howling Good Story isn’t only about learning how to write fiction — there’s much to learn about Mr. Moon himself. I was moved to learn about his personal journey from hopeful writer to master of the written word, including insights into a few very real struggles, from family concerns to health problems. Clearly, Moon was born with considerable talent — I mean, he won his first writing contest at ten years old – but we learn that nothing was ever handed to him. He’s worked his tail off for every success, and he encourages newer authors to do the same. “There are no shortcuts,” he often tells his flock in our Discord group. “You have to put in the work.”
I finished this book feeling uplifted, well-informed, and inspired to bring more stories to life. Moon’s built a solid career over the years and reading this book felt like getting secret knowledge from a real insider. If you want to learn how to write fiction that moves people, I highly recommend How to Write a Howling Good Story. Keep it on your writing desk and reference it often. It’s helped me out immensely, and I’m betting it will help you, too.
Click here to purchase the book, and here to learn more about Moon’s Super Secrets of Writing program.
Wulf Moon teaches you how to write fiction in his book How to Write a Howling Good Story
