With a nod to John Gardner's efforts to explain the craft of writing, but without pedantry, McNally has created a book which is very accessible and readable. Written in an up-close-and-personal style, McNally's tone is friendly. His target audience ranges from the beginner to the graduate student. Rich in anecdotes, the information he presents slips easily and painlessly into the little gray cells, further supported with exercises at the end of each chapter. He addresses the concerns of every writer: where to write, when to write, and what to write. In an encouraging and entertaining manner he guides the writer around the minefield of deadly plots, explains the implied contract between writer and reader, the likeability/unlikeability of the narrator, the search for the ideal reader, twenty things that kill focus for the reader, and how to balance setting, character, and action. He ends with a chapter on humility with exercises, of course. There is a list of further reading at the end. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)