The author outlines in detail his highly acclaimed Egri Method of Creative Writing and shows how to apply it to all fiction formats - novels, short stories, and screenplays. Grounded in Egri's assertion that every type of creative writing depends upon the credibility of a character, here is concise, clear advice on the most important element of good writing: characterization. Step by step, Egri shows writers how to probe the secrets of human motivation to create flesh-and-blood characters who create suspense and conflict, and who grow emotionally under stress and strain.