Book About Writing
I'm like 100% positive that this has been tackeled in the Writer's Workshop Forums. But I thought it would be a cool thread for here too.
I'm looking for books about writing. Books that taught you something. Books that inspired you. Books that were very well laid out to make the process less foreign.
I know sometimes it seems like I'm hiking without a compass. Am I doing it the way everybody else is? Does that even matter? Should I outline? Just write?
So - yeah - I'm looking for books about writing. What's everybody's favorite? This can be a mixture of inspirational, technique, or whatever.
Some of mine:
- Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
- Writing Down The Bones by Natalie Goldberg
- On Writing by Stephen King
- The Art of Fiction by John Gardner
- Gotham Writer's Workshop
What do you guys like?
How not to write a novel is pretty funny. I'm sure you won't do most of the things in it, but it has some great examples. Plus I like the 3am epiphany as Atmos suggested.
"What cha readin' fer??"
Could someone with the 3am book give an example of one of the exercises?
off the top of my head, i remember one that was limiting the use of personal pronouns (ie i, me, my) to no more than three or five, in something to the tune of 2000 words. it had an example from the author of one he had done, and a little bit explaining the importance of the skill(s) used to get that done.
if you want something more direct from the book, i will furnish that, but probably not til later.
www.triplebeard.com
http://darkroomreview.blogspot.com
“...There are so many ways of being despicable it quite makes one's head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people's pain. You ought to have some apprehension that the man you see before you was once even younger than you are now and arrived at his present wretchedness by imperceptible degrees.”
-James Baldwin
No, that's good. i just wanted a rough idea. Thanks very much.
I don't see how King's On Writing is good if you are simply looking for a book on writing. Althoughthere are some good tips like adverb one
I like hamburgers
Well the book is called "On Writing" for one. He has a lot of suggestions. It talks about what he goes through. Some of his rituals, research, techniques. I just found it inspiring. And it fits the category nicely. I mean book stores think so too since you find the book in the writing section of the book.
And those are my choices that I've come across so far. You don't have to understand them.
Would you care to share one of yours?
pat walsh brought one out a few years ago with a rather audacious title:
78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might
http://www.amazon.com/Reasons-Your-Never-Published-Might/dp/0143035657/r...
it'll definitely expand your thinking. he is baer and clevenger's editor, after all-
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play hard, like it's work to be done.
78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published and 14 Reasons Why It Just Might
http://www.amazon.com/Reasons-Your-Never-Published-Might/dp/0143035657/r...
it'll definitely expand your thinking. he is baer and clevenger's editor, after all-
Yes, this. It's not only really funny, but really, really helpful.
I haven't read many books on writing. I've read King's, and Pat's. But I think that's about it. Of course THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE, and EATS, SHOOTS & LEAVES. But those aren't really on about fiction, like you're looking for.
A book I'm currently reading in between fiction that I think is really good:
Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time by Jordan E. Rosenfeld
It's pretty thorough with tons of examples. It really does a good job of breaking a scene down and dissecting everything.
the 3am epiphany.
all of the writing exercises i tried in there were challenging, and they explained what they were for, why you would want to know how to do it, as a writer, that kind of thing. there also isnt any of that 'describe a color to a blind man' bullshit. ive suggested this book to teachers, and if i ever teach a writing course, i would use it
www.triplebeard.com
http://darkroomreview.blogspot.com
“...There are so many ways of being despicable it quite makes one's head spin. But the way to be really despicable is to be contemptuous of other people's pain. You ought to have some apprehension that the man you see before you was once even younger than you are now and arrived at his present wretchedness by imperceptible degrees.”
-James Baldwin