99 Ways to Tell a Story : Exercises in Style
by: Matt Madden
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Product Description:
99 Ways to Tell a Story is a series of engrossing one-page comics that tell the same story ninety-nine different ways. Inspired by Raymond Queneau's 1947 Exercises in Style, a mainstay of creative writing courses, Madden's project demonstrates the expansive range of possibilities available to all storytellers. Readers are taken on an enlightening tour-sometimes amusing, always surprising -through the world of the story. Writers and artists in every media will find Madden's collection especially useful, even revelatory. Here is a chance to see the full scope of opportunities available to the storyteller, each applied to a single scenario: varying points of view, visual and verbal parodies, formal reimaginings, and radical shuffling of the basic components of the story. Madden's amazing series of approaches will inspire storytellers to think through and around obstacles that might otherwise prevent them from getting good ideas onto the page. 99 Ways to Tell a Story provides a model that will spark productive conversations among all types of creative people: novelists, screenwriters, graphic designers, and cartoonists.
99 Ways to Tell a Story is a series of engrossing one-page comics that tell the same story ninety-nine different ways. Inspired by Raymond Queneau's 1947 Exercises in Style, a mainstay of creative writing courses, Madden's project demonstrates the expansive range of possibilities available to all storytellers. Readers are taken on an enlightening tour-sometimes amusing, always surprising -through the world of the story. Writers and artists in every media will find Madden's collection especially useful, even revelatory. Here is a chance to see the full scope of opportunities available to the storyteller, each applied to a single scenario: varying points of view, visual and verbal parodies, formal reimaginings, and radical shuffling of the basic components of the story. Madden's amazing series of approaches will inspire storytellers to think through and around obstacles that might otherwise prevent them from getting good ideas onto the page. 99 Ways to Tell a Story provides a model that will spark productive conversations among all types of creative people: novelists, screenwriters, graphic designers, and cartoonists.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Boring and annoying
The same one page action, told 99 times in 99 different ways (aka an exercise in style the Queneau way).
When "99 ways..." got out, I was curious enough to buy it (and obviously read it). Also, I liked the idea at the base, and I usually love "style exercises". But. Matt Madden fails completely at this divertissement. After a few pages, the exercise becomes rhetorical, and it lacks the imagination and creativity it would need. Yes, there are many ideas, but almost all of them are carried out ... Read More
Rating: 
- You Don't Have to Love Comics
I couldn't disagree more with the reviewer who dismissed this clever, funny, and insightful work as boring and unworthy. OK, it's NOT great literature and there are certainly more scholarly books out there to read if you want to work on enhancing your creativity, but let's not be snobbish about this: the book is a fast, fun read the first time through and delivers even more rewards when you go back to it. Madden is a talented cartoonist, and his purposeful imitations of the styles of other famous cartoonists ... Read More
Rating: 
- Once again, I shake my head at an alleged "masterpiece"
The promo copy states that 99 ways to tell the same situation may seem boring but, guess what--it is. Repeatedly. The book's copy (and any discerning reader knows that a copywriter never lies to sell product) has said that this book has found a broad audience, which implies that if so many people got snookered into buying this book (many of whom were undoubtedly required as a course requirement) it must be worthy. "99 Ways" has allegedly received wide-spread praise on the Internet--well, what more needs to be ... Read More
Rating: - Great for teaching and learning about comics, and well priced
I teach comic art at the California State University, Fullerton and in workshops.Matt Madden's book is the best I have found to present complex ideas quickly about form in the language of comics."99 Ways" is a perfect tool to showcase how your visual storytelling would function if you used, say, a close-up vs. a full shot, a vertical panel vs. a horizontal one, or if you used a specific genre, such as film noir, manga, and so on.People studying comics get it right away.They appreciate the strengths and ... Read More
Rating: - Brilliant!
I need to preface my review with this: I am not usually
a comic-book-reader.It is not that I don't appreciate
the art form, I simply never really think about comics
nor do I consider graphic novels among my preferred
genre.
I picked it off the shelf without looking inside, I
thought, "Hmmm, perspective - let me check this out"
as I had just taught a writing workshop using different
perspectives and was astonished to find the insights,
awarenesses ... Read More
- Boring and annoyingThe same one page action, told 99 times in 99 different ways (aka an exercise in style the Queneau way).
When "99 ways..." got out, I was curious enough to buy it (and obviously read it). Also, I liked the idea at the base, and I usually love "style exercises". But. Matt Madden fails completely at this divertissement. After a few pages, the exercise becomes rhetorical, and it lacks the imagination and creativity it would need. Yes, there are many ideas, but almost all of them are carried out ... Read More
- You Don't Have to Love ComicsI couldn't disagree more with the reviewer who dismissed this clever, funny, and insightful work as boring and unworthy. OK, it's NOT great literature and there are certainly more scholarly books out there to read if you want to work on enhancing your creativity, but let's not be snobbish about this: the book is a fast, fun read the first time through and delivers even more rewards when you go back to it. Madden is a talented cartoonist, and his purposeful imitations of the styles of other famous cartoonists ... Read More
- Once again, I shake my head at an alleged "masterpiece"The promo copy states that 99 ways to tell the same situation may seem boring but, guess what--it is. Repeatedly. The book's copy (and any discerning reader knows that a copywriter never lies to sell product) has said that this book has found a broad audience, which implies that if so many people got snookered into buying this book (many of whom were undoubtedly required as a course requirement) it must be worthy. "99 Ways" has allegedly received wide-spread praise on the Internet--well, what more needs to be ... Read More
- Great for teaching and learning about comics, and well pricedI teach comic art at the California State University, Fullerton and in workshops.Matt Madden's book is the best I have found to present complex ideas quickly about form in the language of comics."99 Ways" is a perfect tool to showcase how your visual storytelling would function if you used, say, a close-up vs. a full shot, a vertical panel vs. a horizontal one, or if you used a specific genre, such as film noir, manga, and so on.People studying comics get it right away.They appreciate the strengths and ... Read More
- Brilliant!I need to preface my review with this: I am not usually
a comic-book-reader.It is not that I don't appreciate
the art form, I simply never really think about comics
nor do I consider graphic novels among my preferred
genre.
I picked it off the shelf without looking inside, I
thought, "Hmmm, perspective - let me check this out"
as I had just taught a writing workshop using different
perspectives and was astonished to find the insights,
awarenesses ... Read More
