How to Draw a Novel

In this finely wrought collection of essays, Martín Solares examines the novel in all its forms, exploring the conventions of structure, the novel as a house that one must build brick by brick, & the objects & characters that build out the world of the novel in unique & complex ways. 

With poetic, graceful prose, that reflects the power of fascination with literary fiction, Solares uses line drawings to realize the ebb and flow of the novel, with Moby Dick spiraling across the page while Dracula takes the form of an erratic heartbeat. A novelist, occasional scholar, & former acquiring editor in Mexican publishing, Solares breaks out of the Anglo-American-dominated canon of many craft books, ranging across Latin & South America as well. 

He considers how writers invent (or discover) their characters, the importance of place (or not) in the novel, & the myriad of forms the novel may take. Solares' passion for the form is obvious, & his insights into the construction of the novel are as profound as they are accessible. This is a writer's book, & an important contribution to the study of craft & fiction.