Aug 03 2008
Writing, Books, and Writing Books
There's been some discussion in the LJ community recently on the value of writing books, crit circles, and other aspects of writing that are not writing. The good, the bad, the fugly.
As a historian in training, I've always benefited from reading about the art of history from great practitioners. DC Watt's What About the People?, John Lewis Gaddis' The Landscape of History, and Sir Martin Gilbert's In Search of Churchill have all provided valuable grist for the mill about historical approaches, analysis, and writing. Since I could not take classes with any of them, they were a wonderful compliment to the instruction I received during my Ph.D. work. I don't think reading such books is cheating.
I've already sounded the trumpet on the value of fiction writers helping each other improve their work. This tradition of crits includes Hemingway, the Inklings, and Bradbury, as well as in professional programmes like Odyssey (my alma mater).
http://www.irosf.com/q/zine/article/10383
I find writing books to be more of a mixed bag. They can be a procrastination device to some, and a tool kit for others. Depending on the quality and intent of the author, I've found many to be useful, even if I have to steal the bits I like and dump the rest in the ashtray. But the key is application and thought. I don't just read the books and think I'll get better. I apply what they've shown me. I consider their value.
For what it's worth, here are examples of my approach to some differing writing books and their use
Carol Bly: The Passionate and Accurate Story. I hated 90% of this book, which seemed to require me sharing Bly's world view on politics, morality, and genre issues if I was to use the tools she provided. Still, there were many great exercises involved that helped me focus on subject matter of interest to me. So, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater . . . even if the bathwater is a deluge.
David Morrell, Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing. Enjoyed reading this partial memoir and writing guide, but its greatest gift was Morrell's narrative approach to outlining/plot generation. He uses a form of self-dialog instead of point form notes as a means to generate story ideas, hash out plots, and develop characters. I'm sure Morrell wasn't the first to use it, but at the time it was a revelation. Plot is still a big challenge for me, and this method has proven so useful it is now part of my regular approach to writing.
Nancy Kress, Beginnings, Middles and Ends. A short, clear, and demonstrative work on plot that I've found to be a regular helpful read each year. Kress's dissection of literary short stories (those that don't seem to have a traditional plot) was also terrific. Generally, if Kress' name is attached to a writing book, it is worth your time to read it.
There are also less instructive and more conceptual writing books that I find myself re-reading because they help me think in story terms or about the writing life (Lawrence Block's Spider Spin Me a Web, Steve Tem's "One View: Creating Character in Fantasy and Horror"; Bruce Holland Rogers Word Work, John Gardner The Art of Fiction).
The key is to let their lessons into your work as you experiment and write and improve. There is no substitute for writing. You must always read a lot and write a lot if you are to get better at this craft. But your rate of improvement can be accelerated greatly by getting input and reading about the craft from those with more experience than you.
Just don't use them as a crutch.
JSR
As a historian in training, I've always benefited from reading about the art of history from great practitioners. DC Watt's What About the People?, John Lewis Gaddis' The Landscape of History, and Sir Martin Gilbert's In Search of Churchill have all provided valuable grist for the mill about historical approaches, analysis, and writing. Since I could not take classes with any of them, they were a wonderful compliment to the instruction I received during my Ph.D. work. I don't think reading such books is cheating.
I've already sounded the trumpet on the value of fiction writers helping each other improve their work. This tradition of crits includes Hemingway, the Inklings, and Bradbury, as well as in professional programmes like Odyssey (my alma mater).
http://www.irosf.com/q/zine/article/10383
I find writing books to be more of a mixed bag. They can be a procrastination device to some, and a tool kit for others. Depending on the quality and intent of the author, I've found many to be useful, even if I have to steal the bits I like and dump the rest in the ashtray. But the key is application and thought. I don't just read the books and think I'll get better. I apply what they've shown me. I consider their value.
For what it's worth, here are examples of my approach to some differing writing books and their use
Carol Bly: The Passionate and Accurate Story. I hated 90% of this book, which seemed to require me sharing Bly's world view on politics, morality, and genre issues if I was to use the tools she provided. Still, there were many great exercises involved that helped me focus on subject matter of interest to me. So, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater . . . even if the bathwater is a deluge.
David Morrell, Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing. Enjoyed reading this partial memoir and writing guide, but its greatest gift was Morrell's narrative approach to outlining/plot generation. He uses a form of self-dialog instead of point form notes as a means to generate story ideas, hash out plots, and develop characters. I'm sure Morrell wasn't the first to use it, but at the time it was a revelation. Plot is still a big challenge for me, and this method has proven so useful it is now part of my regular approach to writing.
Nancy Kress, Beginnings, Middles and Ends. A short, clear, and demonstrative work on plot that I've found to be a regular helpful read each year. Kress's dissection of literary short stories (those that don't seem to have a traditional plot) was also terrific. Generally, if Kress' name is attached to a writing book, it is worth your time to read it.
There are also less instructive and more conceptual writing books that I find myself re-reading because they help me think in story terms or about the writing life (Lawrence Block's Spider Spin Me a Web, Steve Tem's "One View: Creating Character in Fantasy and Horror"; Bruce Holland Rogers Word Work, John Gardner The Art of Fiction).
The key is to let their lessons into your work as you experiment and write and improve. There is no substitute for writing. You must always read a lot and write a lot if you are to get better at this craft. But your rate of improvement can be accelerated greatly by getting input and reading about the craft from those with more experience than you.
Just don't use them as a crutch.
JSR
One response so far
Hi Jay,
I have a whole bookshelf of books on writing. I don’t really learn a lot from them anymore (there’s only so much you can get from a book on writing), but they can be great inspiration. Sometimes when I’m not feeling inspired I’ll pull one down, browse over it, and then the muse hits me over the head, and I can go back to work. I have all three of Nancy Kress’s books on writing, and they are among the best and most pulled down.
-Larry Hodges