Process-oriented and student-centered, Where the Stories Come From: Beginning To Write Fiction is a comprehensive beginning-level fiction writing textbook.

Where the Stories Come From defines basic terms in creative writing and explains the fundamentals of character, plot, point of view, verb tense, narrative structure, setting, dialogue, subtext, and theme. Including topics such as prewriting, drafting, revising, and working with readers, the chapters can be read straight through or assigned in any order, as issues arise during the semester.