“Lucid, thoughtful . . . writers and teachers will learn much from it. . . . Belongs wherever Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style finds frequent use.”—Booklist “Writers will actually learn things here.”—Los Angeles Times “Perfect for teachers, critics and general readers.”—Library Journal"Required reading for all those who care about good fiction."--Kirkus Reviews Drawing upon twenty-eight years of experience as the CEO and editorial director of St. Martin’s Press, Thomas McCormack gives practical guidance about how to plan, write, and revise a novel. A standard reference for editors since its first publication in 1988, The Fiction Editor has also become popular with writers because McCormack’s advice is constructive at every step of the creative process. From individual word choice right up to the overarching effect of the work as a whole, he details how to structure the novel, choose the characters, drive the story, diagnose narrative ailments, and find and apply specific remedies. In this revised second edition, McCormack takes advantage of almost two decades of additional experience to clarify and expand on what he has learned.