A Twist of Things to Come

I'm looking for a book about fiction writing. Yeah, there are bazillions of them, I know. The problem is not finding one, but finding the one I need. Most are all about the basics. I've read plenty, and they have become redundant. Passive voice, blah, blah, blah.

They're all a bit... same-y. I need one that deals with certain specific issues of fiction/novel writing, that don't seem to be high on the list of priorities for the how-to books. Here are some the things I need to learn about:

The nuts and bolts of narrative structure

Information control/ narrative tension

Tools for organizing ideas (outlines, cause and effect)

Other intermediate crap I don't know about yet

I found a Writer's Digest some time back, with an article about "Building a Novel." I thought it might have some insight into narrative structure, but it was actually a frigging useless extended metaphor. (A novel is like a house. The plot is like the frame, etc. I wanted to hunt down the author and beat him.)

I think what I really need is to be in a writing group with people who are much better than I am. Which, DUH. I just can't figure out how to get there, or what possible value-add I would bring to the table to make them want me.

*thinks*

I bake. Do you know anybody who would teach me to write for a steady supply of cookies?

*headdesk*

F@!*ing Hell.

***

But, seriously, I would settle some book recs. Surely there must be some path to continued improvement that doesn't involve me reinventing the wheel. People HAVE to have figured these details out before. I want to know what they know -- at least the portion of it that I don't already know.

Any suggestions?

I worked about three hours overtime, which, added to the other few I worked earlier in the week, means I only have to work 7.5 tomorrow and 5.5 hours on Saturday (those are regularly scheduled hours) to have my 46 hour work week in.

AND I wrote my 1000 ^$#@!! words.

AND!!! I did it all after having my eyes dilated. That's right! I saw my eye doctor for the first time in over two years. He didn't even bother trying to update my prescription because, as I suspected, my left lens implant has grown a rather healthy coating of goo. Here is an explanation of the procedure I need. I will be going in for it in November. The right eye was done about three years ago, so after this, that will be it.

It's been tough, because my left eye is my dominant eye, so the clouded capsule has made it much harder to see than when my right one clouded over. Well, it'll be done soon. The last surgery cost me $500.00 after insurance, but they let you pay it off on installments, so that shouldn't put too big a dent in the budget.

Three weeks after that, they will do the follow up exam and glasses exam at the same time.

***

Oh, and if any of you are in the Atlanta area on teh 29th, there is going to be a crazy fun party here. With costumes and such. Fun, fun.