Book reports

[RozDeKett]

(Some context: previously I’ve read, many times, SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS, Browne and King; and STEIN ON WRITING, Sol Stein.)

 

THE ART OF FICTION WRITING

John Gardner guides us through the universe of fiction-writing, sharing so much with such authority and clarity, that I was able to go back to my draft, to fuzzy areas, and start to bring them into focus. (I knew things were fuzzy, didn’t know what to do to fix them). Especially on top of the two books I’d read previously, the craft aspects gain critical mass, helped by his excellent examples. An important message for me is that scenes must have enough detail to come to life for the reader, and that language must be concrete. And while I’ve always (subconsciously at first, then consciously) understood art to be about truth, his statement that the novel is “an orderly universe that imposes moral responsibility” struck me as the heart of it: I keep that now as a note while I’m writing. I read this book more slowly than I usually read, want to soak up each sentence. The book gives you so much to work with, so clearly explained; it gave me confidence that I’m on the right track, and that I can keep learning and keep getting better. A deeply helpful, satisfying, and inspiring book for the fiction writer.

 

WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, Donald Maas

I’d heard of this book but was wary of it as it seemed, from the title, so focused on commercial success (as though that’s the only point of writing). But I found it to be a helpful book about how to write your best, and how to get the structure, plot, characters, and so on to work. I appreciated the “behind the scenes” explanations of the industry and how books are sold. Compared to Gardner, it’s a light read, but that in itself is helpful: digestible chunks, clearly signaled by the chapter headings. The underlying craft message on how to be a better writer is the same; you’re learning more about the framework for that. What Maas shows you is that to make it possible for your art (your voice, your style) to sing, you must learn and apply the techniques of the craft, and that if you work at it, you can. Another good and very useful book.

 

WRITE AWAY: ONE WRITER’S APPROACH TO THE NOVEL, Elizabeth George

I was disappointed by this book. I know George’s writing well; I’ve read at least a dozen of her books as I love police procedurals, so I looked forward to reading it. But I found her tone to be bordering on the lecturing, even condescending, in some places. She relies too heavily on using her own work as examples, almost to the point where you feel she’s promoting her books, and most of the examples (whether hers or others) are far too long. They support her points in the first couple of paragraphs, yet pages follow. Perhaps because this was (at least) the fifth craft book I’ve read, I didn’t find any insights, although the book does reinforce what I’ve read elsewhere. I have mixed feelings about her journal entries at the start of each chapter (helpful in that it shows even established authors struggle, or narcissistic? Seemed to be the same kind of thing every time.) However, I felt it improved when she talked about her process, from researching sites to sharing her unadorned notes on developing characters; that was more interesting and helpful. Overall, I think you could drop this book and find another that might help more (such as one of the two I mention at the beginning?)

 

THE WRITING LIFE, Annie Dillard

Oh yes. This is what it’s like to write! But aside from that, what she has to offer in terms of writing craft is the real deal: from aiming for “the chopping block” (I’ve been turning that over in my mind ever since; how do I do that with my writing; or am I already at least partly doing it?) to her anecdote about the writer asking “Do you like sentences?” Her grip on the soul of writing, why writers write despite the challenges, the way she pulls back the curtain, is fantastic. I wrestle with every sentence too, and they are definitely alligators; I laughed out loud at the anecdote about the two boys and her essay on the moth and candle flame. I love this wonderful book; I’ve never read anything by Dillard before, so I’m grateful I had to here, or I might never have done it, and everything about THE WRITING LIFE pushes me to write better.