Now in Paperback  ($10.36 on Amazon)

A Book Sense 76 Pick

A selection of the Writers Digest Book Club in Hardcover

A selection of the Writers Digest Book Club in Paperback

"THE PLOT THICKENS is one of the best-ever books about the craft of writing. It is a book that can change the world of every writer who embraces Lukeman's ideas. It is a personal gift from a master agent who truly cares not only about the written word, but most of all, about the people who struggle to convey ideas upon the printed page."
—Authorlink

"Though Lukeman works with books, he wisely asserts that the observations in this volume are applicable to all types of imaginary writing, from film to poetry. Indeed, it is a worthy addition to any writer’s reference shelf."
--Publishers Weekly

"A crisply written, nicely detailed examination of the art of storytelling. Beginning writers will find plenty of practical tips and useful advice in its pages"
--Booklist

"THE PLOT THICKENS is a highly useful book that is written in an accessible style and filled with valuable examples. I recommend this for the aspiring novelist who needs a helpful guide to developing and creating vivid characters."
--The Writer

"Conflict—the most difficult concept for new writers to understand. Lukeman does a masterful job of explaining this important aspect of plot development. His personable writing style elevates THE PLOT THICKENS from a text on writing to a written version of the mentor you always wished you could have."
--The Midwest Book Review

"For those of us who have ever grappled with plot, THE PLOT THICKENS is a godsend. It is the type of book you need to purchase so it can sit on your desk, dog-eared and underlined, worn from years of overuse. For the playwright, the screenwriter, the novelist, or the short-story writer, it is more than a book on craft—it’s a tool."
--Prairieden.com

"I can think of countless novels that would have been improved by following THE PLOT THICKENS, which is full of practical common sense about how to write fiction and answers many of the difficult questions first novelists ask themselves."
--Michael Korda, Author of Queenie, The Fortune, Making the List

"In his book THE FIRST FIVE PAGES, Noah Lukeman, one of the top literary agents in New York, gave writers a great gift. Now, in THE PLOT THICKENS, he shows writers how to build stories in which the plot emerges from fresh, alive, and intense characters. Both beginners and more advanced writers will find many wonderful, thought-provoking concepts and approaches here to help them hone their craft."
--James Frey, Author of How to Write a Damn Good Novel and The Key

"Brilliant. THE PLOT THICKENS literally gears a person up to writing big-themed, deep, humorous, and varied fiction. Page for page, Lukeman thinks more than other writing teachers, not just about writing books, but about people."
--Carol Bly, author of Beyond the Writer's Workshop

"Well known literary agent Noah Lukeman's THE PLOT THICKENS is different. The book is so well written--so tight and polished--that it provides a perfect example of its own principles. Lukeman understands, in a way which only comes from extensive reading and editing, what makes for excellent, not just bestselling, fiction. Treat yourself to his superbly written reference guide."
--NetAuthor.org

St. Martins Press
(July 2002, Hardcover)  (June 2003, Trade Paperback)

Serialized in:
Writers' Digest (December, 2003)
The Writer (2002)
Authorlink (April, 2003)
WritersStore (May, 2003)

Related Article in
Poets & Writers (August, 2003)

A Featured Selection of
Publishers Weekly Daily (2003)
WriteWayPro.com

click here to visit the website for Mr. Lukeman's previous book,
THE FIRST FIVE PAGES

also published in the United Kingdom by
John Hale Publishers (hardcover)
Fall, 2002

NEW!  Visit the site for Mr. Lukeman's new e- book,
HOW TO WRITE A GREAT QUERY LETTER