Books on Writing that are Worthwhile
Submitted by listology47 on Thu, 12/19/2002 - 10:45
Tags:
- Jack Heffron- The Writer's Idea Book
- Anne Lamont- Bird by Bird
- Natilee Goldberg- Thunder and Lightning
- A Passion for Narrative- Jack Hodgkins
- Poem Crazy- Susan Wooldridge
- Wild Mind- Natilee Goldberg
John Gardner's The Art of Fiction was pretty good. As was Ray Bradbury's Zen and the Art of Writing
just finished brenda euland's "if you want to write" recently... and although it was written in the 1930s it was surprisingly modern and insightful.
honestly, i found myself thinking that many of julia cameron's basic ideas in "the artist's way" are euland's, reworked. but maybe that just means there's a universality about how creativity flourishes...
anywho, i recommend euland as well!
Are you familiar with Robert Heinlein's essay "The Writing of Speculative Fiction"? It includes the statement and elaboration of just five simple rules for becoming a published writer:
1. You must write.
2. You must finish what you write.
3. You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order.
4. You must put the work on the market.
5. You must keep the work on the market until it is sold.
I was not aware of this work by Robert Heilein. Thanks for the tip!