Should You Read About Writing?
By Jael McHenry | April 7, 2014 |
photo by decor plans
A writer friend of mine recently moved offices, and in doing so, had to downsize his book collection. He purged several dozen books about writing. Offering them to a group of us fellow writers, he wryly noted, “Take what you want, but remember, if reading books about writing was enough to make someone a successful writer, I would have been published long ago.”
Whether or not writing can be taught at all is an ongoing debate; whether or not one can learn it from books is too. I know many writers who absolutely swear by books on the topic that they feel helped them make a major leap forward in their writing, and just as many who’ve never read a single writing book and do amazing, wonderful work.
As to whether you should read about writing… well, that’s your own choice. There are certainly writing-focused books out there with great content, and I hope people will share their favorites in the comments. But there are plenty of coal-knobs out there with the diamonds, for sure.
So when you’re looking at how-to books on the writing craft, just keep two things in mind:
Most books about writing are written to sell books about writing. One of the books I picked up in my writer-friend’s book purge absolutely insisted that editors at publishing houses no longer edit, nor do agents really have much time to do so either, and only books that are pretty much 100% ready to publish will be successfully picked up for representation and sold. This certainly isn’t my experience; I have yet to hear from a fellow novelist whose publisher, large or small, didn’t give at least some creative input to the manuscript, and I do hear plenty of stories from those whose novels underwent major rewrites after they were bought by the publisher, with positive results.
And who were the writers of this book, whose premise was that editors at publishing houses no longer edit? Why, funny you should ask. They were freelance editors who had once worked for publishing houses, but now sold their editing services and led editing workshops for aspiring writers. Hmmmm. Mighty coincidence, that.
Now of course this principle has exceptions. I highly doubt Stephen King said to himself, I really need to write a book about writing because I want to sell a million copies of something for a change. And there are plenty of great books about writing out there, as I said before. It’s just that a healthy skepticism about motives isn’t out of place.
Think inspiration, not prescription. So many of these books are about formula: if only you follow the framework, they say, you’ll have a book that’s not only universally loved by critics, but also embraced by readers everywhere. One word: HA. Frameworks are all well and good, but creative work can never be paint-by-numbers.
Should your book begin with an inciting incident? Probably. Are there terrible books that begin with inciting incidents? Absolutely. Are there great books that don’t? Ditto.
A reversal two-thirds of the way through your book will not make your book great. Character worksheets on your protagonist and antagonist will not make your book great. The template of the hero’s journey will not make your book great.
You will make your book great.
And if you want some inspiration on possible ways to reach that goal, by all means, read for that. On the internet or between the covers of a book. And synthesize what you learn. But don’t follow someone else’s formula. All that will give you is a perfect example of what one other person thinks you should write.
Q: Have you been inspired by a particular book about writing? Share it in the comments!
Jael McHenry is the debut author of The Kitchen Daughter (Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books, April 12, 2011). Her work has appeared in publications such as the North American Review, Indiana Review, and the Graduate Review at American University, where she earned her MFA in Creative Writing. You can read more about Jael and her book at jaelmchenry.com or follow her on Twitter at @jaelmchenry.
Thank you for saying what I and many others have
doubtlessly realized: We need to have a “healthy skepticism about
motives” when considering whether to purchase or read a book,
participate in a webinar, etc. about any part of being an author.
Every provider has a bias, and those who speak loudest may be those
who have the most to gain.
Formulas are only good for making meth.
But guidance? Books on writing are good for that, if you’re the do-it-yourself kind of person. Especially the ones with examples from commercially-successful novels.
A caution: the wrong book can accidentally do a lot of damage when you’re a beginner. I love Lawrence Block’s books on writing – Telling Lies for Fun and Profit is charming – but his breezy advice was absolutely the wrong thing for me to try to follow: he’s a pantser, and I’ve turned out to be an extreme plotter.
Stein – On Writing, and How to Grow a Novel – were the books I learned the most from about ‘precise piloting’ of words. And Orson Scott Card’s Characters & Viewpoints was the book that brought me point of view.
The book I still use every day? The Fire in Fiction, D. Maass, especially chapters 3 (Scenes that can’t be cut) and 8 (Tension all the time).
I’m culling the herd. Most of the books I’ve bought over the years, to deal with one particular aspect of craft or another, have served their purpose – I’ve internalized what I needed from them. I am grateful people who know craft put it in a form I could use as often as I needed it. I am grateful for the examples and the styles of writing I’ve been consciously exposed to. Some parts of writing CAN be learned from books on writing.
Thanks, Jael, for this post and the discussion that will flow from it. (I seem to have arrived early, but Alicia has already make excellent points about good matches in style and internalizing the lessons learned.) In my case, reading books on writing feels indulgent, like a guilty pleasure. The more I write, the less I read them. But at some moments they have been, and are, a welcome voice.
I think your point that formulas are just formulas, not miraculous solutions is a strong one. For me, the books on writing that hold greatest value are those that provide a sense of community.
I’ve found that my favorite books on writing are the ones that encourage and challenge me to stretch my comfort zone. King does that, as does Mr. Maass, Natalie Goldberg, and others. I do like books on structure, not so much to help me create a method, but to understand how a story works. James Scott Bell, KM Weiland, and Larry Brooks do an outstanding job with that. Mr. Bell’s latest, Writing Your Novel from the Middle, was outstanding. I’d love more short how-to books like that. Getting bogged down in a lengthy manual doesn’t do much to spark creativity. But I find that these books have helped me improve my writing.
Hi Jael: You make some very good points, especially ‘think inspiration, not prescription.’ The Art of Fiction by John Gardner is especially good and I try to read that once a year as a refresher. Gardner respects rules as much as he respects intuition and I like his healthy balance of it. Francine Prose’s Reading Like a Writer is superb. Her chapter “Learning from Chekhov” alone is worth the price of the book.
It certainly doesn’t hurt to read books on writing, yet still allow our own creativity to lead us onwards. However, spending oodles of time on “How To’s,” is spending oodles of time – not writing. I do agree on what Ron Estrada said about King’s book on writing; it encourages and challenges us to write out best, and a times – just write!
I think I was fortunate. Or was it that I was stubborn? I read only one book about writing in the time leading up and during the writing of my first draft. The book? The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield. It’s not a “how-to” book at all. It’s about the artist’s lifestyle, and what it takes to overcome your doubts and self-sabotage (something I greatly needed then). I honestly have doubts that I would’ve successfully fought through that first draft without it.
Once I had the first draft–for me, this massive lump of poorly formed clay–reading craft books has been instrumental in my development of the material. Among my favorites are On Writing, by Stephen King; The First Five Pages, by Noah Lukeman; and the three Don Maass books: Writing the Breakout Novel, The Fire in Fiction, and Writing 21st Century Fiction. The latter Maass book came to me at exactly the right moment in my journey, and really crystalized my ideas not only about how to continually strive to take my work to the next level, but what it takes to live the life of a writer in today’s changing marketplace.
I suppose everyone’s journey is going to be different. I’m not sure I would advise a newbie to not read anything before starting or along the way to a completed draft. Or to read only the Pressfield book. But I am sure I would tell them to just start writing. Without delay.
Oh, and I just realized I left off one of the books I found most helpful of all. Wired for Story, by Lisa Cron! This book really changed the way I see “Story” (with a capital S).
Jael, I couldn’t agree more. I read many How-To-Write books when I first began writing. The only one I found helpful was Jerry Cleaver’s IMMEDIATE FICTION. It’s still the best. I have notes from that book posted on the wall next to my computer and I refer to those notes on a regular basis! Thanks for the great post. I think I’ll go reread his book.
Generally agree that you have to find your own way, yet I have a book out about writing that’s different since it’s the story of being mentored by my friend John Grisham and brings to life a bunch of basic story principles Grisham has learned over the course of thirty years and about the same number of books. “Writing With The Master” gives a writer basic, no-brainier concepts that enable better plots and stories. The experience resulted in two of my books being published after a drought of twenty years.
As an old coach I encouraged athletes to study successful players and teams, but never read “how to” books or watch “instruction videos” as if they were some magic shortcut to being a great player. Nothing beats determining your strengths and weaknesses and nurturing your strengths and working on your weaknesses through practice, practice, practice, The same is true in my pursuit of writing. I enjoy reading and observing others discuss their habits as a writer, but to buy a book or follow a blog to replace the hard work that is needed to be the best writer I can be, I will pass. Nurture what God has endowed you with, don’t assume anyone else can do that as good as you.
I tend to dip into my stash of writing books when I get stuck or am not sure how to handle a particular problem. Just to find new angles to work from. Julie Checkoway’s “Creating Fiction” is a definite go-to book. I’ve read some chapters over and over – seems one has to keep re-learning certain things! I also enjoy the occasional ‘lucky dip’ into Bret Anthony Johnston’s “Naming the World’ – I’ll apply a random chapter to whatever scene or character I’m working on in order to get a fresh look.
Thanks everyone, for the suggested books – quite a few I don’t know so will now go and forage in the bookstores!
Complicated books on structure and grammar make my eyes glaze over and always make me feel like I have no write to be doing this. I anyone had a perfect formula we’d all be using it and all our books would be exactly the same.
I found great inspiration and also a few good editing tips in the 90-day novel series by Alan Watts (LA writers’ lab). He really made me feel like I could do it. And sitting alone at my keyboard most days, I need to hear that. It’s organized in very short (1-2 page) segments which is about all I can read of any book on writing at one sitting. I didn’t write my novel in 90 days, but on the days I needed inspiration to keep it moving forward it was helpful. Still haven’t finished the 90 day rewrite book, but what I have read has truly been helpful.
The only books on writing I’ve ever found truly helpful
were screenwriting guides, and that was more about format than
content, simply because screenplays have such tight parameters.
Books about writing fiction just make me second-guess myself
constantly, which is never something that leads to felicitous
prose.
I think reading about writing craft is important, but I think it’s equally important to be selective about doing so. Like you say, Jael, many are written to sell or provide writers with “sure formulas”. I look for staples, and go by recommendation from successful writers. Donald Maass is my favourite, but I’ve enjoyed Noah Lukeman and Jessica Page Morrell. (I’m presently working my way down the books listed on the left column of WU)
I think a writer should spend lots of time reading, and my approach to keep that broad is to read one third in the genre I write in, one third outside, and one third on writing craft. I heartily agree with you about reading providing inspiration, rather than being the source of creativity.
I agree that any one book on writing may not be the answer. But when you consider that many wannabe writers have never had the opportunity to take creative writing courses–or even attend a university–one book is better than no book. My recommendation for serious wannabes who don’t have formal training is to read three or four or a dozen books on writing, beginning with (a) Donald Maass, The Fire in Fiction, (b) Jessica Page Morrell, Between the Lines and Thanks, But This Isn’t for Us, and (c) Robert McKee, Story.
David is an accomplished author and writer group coordinator. His insight is always thoughtful and engrossing. He assisted many fiction writers to the point of giving them (us) the tools to become successful. Some are published, others should and will be published in the not too distant future…GO DAVID!!
Thank you for this post, Jael. I learned how to write by submitting my work to a professional editor and multi-published author who “gently” critiqued my work until I “got it”. I took a significant number of classes and read some books but almost none of it resonated with me. I felt almost “dumb” while reading and/or participating because I just didn’t “get it”. But after hiring an editor who knew what she was doing, I learned more than I ever did with all the rest.
I like reading books on writing that combine the author’s personal writing journey along with general tips. However, formulaic books are helpful when I need to know my options. As I am a pantser first and plotter second, I tend to blend a variety of writing strategies to come up with my own recipe.
While I understand what you mean about books concerning formula, I actually found Story Engineering to be one of the most valuable writing books I’ve read. I had a pretty good handle on characters, dialogue, and writing mechanics, but struggled greatly with pacing and story structure. It was very helpful to have it laid out mathematically. (The first plot point happens about 20-25% in, etc.) I took extensive notes and re-read those notes constantly throughout my process.
I also was/am a little skeptical of the promise that if you follow the formula you’ll get published, but I’m not sure I’d be where I am not without that book.
I would also recommend the 90-Day Novel. I didn’t follow it day by day, but the messages and exercises are great for getting over the fear this sometimes holds you back from writing.
And, to round out my top favorite, and oldie but a goodie: Writing Down the Bones. :)
I’m a big fan of books about writing, but I always consider the source when I’m evaluating the advice these books offer. Obviously there’s an entire industry focused on selling products to aspiring writers, but when undeniable publishing pros like Stephen King, Donald Maass, or Sol Stein talk, I listen. Similarly, I find books about specific topics where the author has a real track record to also be helpful, so I enjoy books by Hollywood script doctors, or by authors who succeeded in a particular angle of the publishing game, such as crafting loglines that sell, ebook marketing strategies, and so on. But again, you ALWAYS have to consider the source.
I’m an avid learner, and historically books are my first avenue when I want to learn something new. So when I decided I wanted to try writing a book, my first step was to buy some books about how to write a book. I’ve done that for every major new thing I’ve learned how to do, and so far it works for me.
The key to using books in this way is to not merely ingest the information, but to process and evaluate it, to see if it resonates. I don’t expect a book to provide me carved-in-stone facts that I should accept without questioning. I look to them to provide insights that would not otherwise have occurred to me, which I can then try on for size. Typically, I will find only a small portion of each book to be genuinely useful. But those small nuggets are usually worth the price.
GREAT post, Jael! I like to read writing books when I’m in a writer’s funk and need inspiration. In addition to Stephen King, I love Anne Lammot’s BIRD BY BIRD, Natalie Goldberg’s WRITING DOWN THE BONES, Steven Pressfield’s THE WAR OF ART & DO THE WOK. All great reads for writers. Thanks for the reminder!
My favorites have been mentioned: James Scott Bell and Donald Maas and refer back to these often. But I think the two most important things you can do for the craft is reading many genres – especially those in the genre you are writing in, and writing, writing, writing. After my first draft was completed for my debut novel A Place in His Heart, I watched Michael Hauge and Chris Vogler’s DVD of The Hero’s Two Journeys. I was excited to see that the events and scenes in my novel fell closely in line with the structure they taught. I attribute much of that to being an avid reader and having a feel for the natural flow of a story.
In order to learn how to do something seek out someone who does it. Following this rule of thumb, I’ve attended literary events, bought writing magazines, followed blogs (like this one) and read how-to write books.
But as others have pointed out, the more confidence I gain in my own abilities the less I need to read how-to books. I think you summarized this very nicely Jael, books ‘helped them make a major leap forward’.
But when I want help I don’t want to chat. So my all time favourite writing book is The Art and Craft of Storytelling by Nancy Lamb. Building story from the ground up–it’s all right there. Ms. Lamb writes in a reader-friendly manner. And I’m able to quickly flip to the section I need help with. So when I need help I pull this book off the shelf. However, when I need a kick in the pants to help get that pen moving I read a book by Steven King. It’s like drinking a energy drink–away goes the pen.
Thank you for writing this article, Jael. I’m enjoying reading everyone’s comments.
As the writer of a writing book (and a lot of other stuff), I found this post and the comment thread, well, thought-provoking.
I find it interesting that so many would suspect the motives of people writing books on craft. The idea that some writers might want to return the favor or “pay forward” lessons they once received from gifted teachers or editors or writers seems never to come up. How sad.
Or the fact that the writer in question also teaches, and has reduced to the page lessons he’s imparted to his students, seems unthinkable. It really is that simple sometimes. (Think of the excellent books written by Robert Olen Butler, Madison Smartt Bell, Elizabeth George, Jonn Gardner, Orson Scott Card, etc.) Some of the most important people in my life have been teachers, and I use that example to inspire me in my own teaching.
I wrote my own book because I’d amassed a considerable amount of material preparing lectures for a ten-week online course on character through the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. It seemed a waste to just put it aside, and my students seemed to have gained a great deal of skill in characterization from the coursework. The book seemed an easy if imperfect way to extend my classroom.
I credit much of what I know about writing to working with a couple of gifted editors, reading a few particularly good books on craft — and I agree, we each find our own that serve our specific needs — and then applying the lessons learned to both my own writing AND my reading.
I also agree that, like magpies, we take what we find valuable from each of the books we read and leave the rest. I refer to my own book as a “tool kit” and advise readers to only use what they find valuable in developing their characters.
I’ve been very heartened when, at the conclusion of a class, a student has told me that he or she learned more in our short time together than they had in many other venues. That warms my heart, because I truly do want to see my students and editing clients succeed, just as my teachers wanted me to.
And I agree a book on craft should not merely instruct but inspire. Saul Bellow called writers “readers inspired to emulation.” I think books on craft that neglect that crucial element fail in a fundamental way.
Last, it was nice to see Donald Maass and James Scott Bell mentioned so often in this thread. Their books are among those I routinely recommend to my students and clients.
So my advice on writing books is the same as it is for any book: Pick it up. Read a little. If it speaks to you, trust that. If it doesn’t. move on.
I like reading books on writing for the same reason I like to read WU posts — to brush up against people who write, to soak in their magic, to give me a direction. I mine the gems from everything I read — advice and exercises about voice from Les Edgerton (Finding Your Voice), plot and structure from James Scott Bell, creativity from Barbara DeMarco-Barrett’s (Pen on Fire), struggle and hope from Anne Lammot (Bird By Bird), and more. I see these books more as inspiration rather than a how-to. They fire me up!
Sophia Ryan / She Likes It Irish
“I find it interesting that so many would suspect the motives of people writing books on craft.”
Really? Whereas there were once a handful of such books, now the writing scene is awash in them. Can anyone doubt that the explosion in self-publishing has led to a whopping increase in how-to manuals? Often–not always–these books are turned out by writing “coaches” who are to writing what snake-oil salesmen are to medicine.
Elizabeth Benedict’s “The Joy of Writing Sex” was very useful to me. The book is very character focused. It’s primary advice is to use the viewpoint character’s background (knowledge and experience) to inform your scene descriptions.
Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing is wonderful.
I believe if you haven’t read many books on writing, you should read books on writing. No matter how brilliant a naturally gifted genius you are, there are many aspects and techniques of storytelling that you’ve probably never noticed. You can’t know if a craft book contains valuable new ideas until you’ve tried it.
Of course as you read them, just as you read anything, you have to keep thinking for yourself. Don’t just take all suggestions blindly at face value. Evaluate it. Doubt it. But be open to it, even if you don’t like it.
Maybe that freelance editor had dastardly motives, but maybe not. Maybe he saw a deterioration of services at his old house, and he really wanted to help writers take charge of their work by themselves. What harm does it do to get a manuscript into polished shape before submission?
Here are my favorite books on writing:
Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway and Elizabeth Stuckey-French. It’s a popular textbook for creative writing students, but I’ve never taken a creative writing class and found it very useful.
Conflict & Suspense by James Scott Bell. His Plot & Structure is also popular.
The McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage by Mark Lester and Larry Beason. Seriously. If you write words for a living (or strive to), you’d best understand how they work.
I never read books on writing and while I’m sure I could learn from them and there’s always room for improvement, I have a thing about getting hung up on technical stuff. I do however read blogs on writing, read a lot in general and take advice from fellow writers. And of course I practice daily. I apparently have been gifted with a knack for writing (maybe I was an English teacher in a past life haha). I do think some people would do well to study the craft though, as I have tried to read too many books where the writer didn’t even know the basics and the only thing I would tell them if asked, is to do some learnin’ and then rewrite their book.
Susan–
I have to ask you a question: how many great writers can you name who have attributed their success, at least in part, to having read how-to-write books?
Well said, sister! I’ve only been writing a few years and I read about writing less and less because, well, so much of the advice is conflicting and seems like the authors are trying to take an art and make it into a formulaic science. I agree with your statement that any creative process cannot be molded into a technical step-by-step; it will by its very nature exist in a flux of variables. I prefer to read things that are more about how other writers made time for their writing, kept their creativity going or stayed diligently committed to their writing – that’s the advice that is useful and less inclined to make my writing stale…
My two favorite books are still Stephen King’s “On Writing” and Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones.”
Jael,
Great topic for discussion. I think all of us struggle w this.
When I started writing my book I was unaware that writing could even be taught or that there were any nuances to writing a great story. I believed that either you had the ability or not. After all I have read 1,000s of fictions and millions of technical-business documents.So I wrote my first draft and finished my first edit without reading a single book on writing… and believe it or not… sent the full MS to an agent, so sure that she was going to love it. Oh well, that’s not the stupidest thing I have done in my life, though it does rank way up there.
Since then I have learnt that there are aspects of writing that can (and perhaps need to be) learnt. Most of the aspects are related to the crafts or rules of writing, eg types of narrators, POV consistency, grammar/punctuation, etc.
On the flip side, you can spend all day reading about writing and then not write.
So a healthy balance and some amount of skepticism is necessary. And I think a grounding in one’s background is also necessary. For example, a language major or journalist or most humanities major professionals would have a list that must be different from my list (which is perfectly logical for an engineer-MBA like me). In addition to re-reading fiction from my favorite authors with a special emphasis on what I like the most, I have 3 books that I use.
Gloria Kempton’s Dialogues (excellent stuff on weaving dialog, action and narrative, PoV consistency, word-contractions, last minute checklist, etc.);
The Elements of Style by Strunk (I have it on my phone and iPad so I open random pages and read them while waiting in a line, etc);
Fire in Fiction by Maass (for just inspiration on days when I feel all is lost and need direction).
And that’s good enough. For the rest there is the internet and the author friends from WU and critique groups.
Yet I won’t deny that every time I get an offer for a book sale on writing books, I am tempted. But then I remind myself, that, I may wish that it were different, but I can’t change the fact, that a day has only 24 hrs. And I alone am responsible for making the best of all the 24 of them.
Great post!
I am a sponge. I learn every day. And even when I think I’ve learned “it”, I find a way to think of “it” differently, or apply “it” in a new way. There is no such thing as knowing too much.
Now, how you apply what you learn is personal. But, oh, how do you apply something you’ve never considered?
Read lots. Read wide. Be a sponge. :)
Denise Willson
Author of A Keeper’s Truth, and (coming soon) GOT
When I started taking my writing seriously (which happened around the same time I moved from my native country The Netherlands to Spain – I don’t think this is a coincidence, but that’s another story), I read a couple of books about writing. At the time, they helped me get started, like a kind of shortcut.
I remember James Scott Bell’s book Plot & Structure helping me a lot to get some basic insight in, surprise!, plot and structure, and Jordan Rosenfeld taught me about writing in scenes in Make A Scene. I also participated in a workshop of which she was the instructor, which was my first experience of getting professional feedback.
Word Painting by Rebecca McClanahan helped me use description creatively, and again I did an online workshop that used this book. I also read Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass, which, after working my way through about half a dozen books about writing, was the only one that told me something new and had a different perspective. I then decided that it as time to move on, and I started working individually with a writing instructor. It was great working with him, because he’s a published author as well as a professor in literature, and he understood what I wanted with my novel, while at the same time pointing out what I could improve. (He was always right) I learned loads more than I had from books about writing.
I think the trick with books about writing is to learn as much from them as you can, and then make your own decisions. At this stage in my learning process, I’m just writing and reading fiction, mostly literary, classics, poetry, and fantasy. I read a bit about literary theory, but it soon bored me. I’m not a critic, I’m a writer.
Recently, I read Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing, which was o.k., but I realized that although I love Ray Bradbury’s writing and would love to have his talent for description, his writing process doesn’t work for me. Actually, the way I wrote my first novel is not the way my second novel is written, or the third. Or even the sequel to the first one.
Sorry for this long post, but it’s an interesting topic ;-) I firmly believe writing can be learned and taught, but at some point the artist has to go her own way to avoid formulaic, soulless writing.
I have found the prescriptive books very helpful for self-study, but my favorites are some inspirational books … reading them is like sitting down with a good writing buddy. Here are a couple that haven’t been mentioned in the comments:
The Right to Write by Julia Cameron
Word Work by Bruce Holland Rogers
I read craft books sparingly due to time constraint. I’ll pick a novel over a craft book, but sometimes it has to be research over both of those.
The top two writing craft books that have impacted my writing are Donald Maass’ The Fire in Fiction and Lisa Cron’s Wired For Story (which was given to me by my editor/publishing team).
I’ve got James Bell’s newest on my Kindle for PC. That’ll be the next one I read.
One rejection note recently came with this –
Please read
—Self-editing for fiction writers
—Elements of Style.
Twice is recommended.
Harj
reminds me of some of what Chuck Wendig said on his blog, basically about rules and advice re: writing – I think we all have to experiment, reach, educate ourselves, and try different things until we find what’s right for us.
Chuck’s article: https://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/03/26/stupid-answers-to-common-writing-questions/
I love craft books. I realize that some craft books can harm the writing process, however, so I like to sort different types of craft books into different sections of the writing process so I have something like this:
Before you write: Writing the Breakout Novel.
As you write: You’ve Got a Book in You, The Novelist’s Boot Camp. All encouragement, really.
After you write: Self-editing for Fiction Writers and the like.
…I believe my organizational system singles me out as a craft book junkie. Whoops. But the good thing about books on writing is that they fuel you as you write–provided you read the right ones at the right time.
We all have our own way of learning. We all have our own unique gift.
It is the same for those who write books on writing. Why would it not be? They, too, have their own way of learning, therefore, their own way of teaching. That’s why some books resonate with us and some don’t.
Not everyone is an English major. Not everyone even went to college. I think the main driving force that leads us to read books, many varied books, on writing is passion.
Passion drives us to charge into the fray and grab hold of whatever makes us stronger, better, more knowledgeable.
When I began writing I went on the internet and found lists such as “The Top 10 Books on Writing.” I began there. I was extremely blessed in that the first workshop I ever attended was by Donald Maas. At that time I didn’t even know who he was! He changed the way I write completely.
If you are truly one of the lucky few who has an innate knowledge of story that rivals other great authors, I applaud you! And yes, I am jealous. As for me, my passion has seen me through the learning stages as I develop my writing skills. Yes, practice, practice, practice is the best learning experience of all. But don’t forget that the best books on writing are by people who want to share with you their own “aha” moments and save you years of learning the hard way. We may not be building bridges, but there will always need to be a framework somewhere holding everything up.
I’ve had to take writing books with a grain of salt. I’m a pantser, or intuitive plotter (I don’t — and can’t outline). I’ve found that most how-to books assume you’re an outliner and the techniques approach it from that perspective. Worse, it’s not obvious. I ended up tossing out commonly recommended things like action and reaction, three act structure, and beats because it was wrecking my writing.
Most helpful book: How to Write a Cozy Mystery by Nancy Cohen. I don’t like doing research (it ranks barely above proofreading), and all the checklists seem to come from writers who would happily spend all their time in research. But this book has a nice list that I was able to use to get the lowdown on the setting without feeling like I was being pummeled by research.
Years ago, I bought two how-to books on writing. One was written by a writer who wrote genre bestsellers, and still does. The other became best known for his how-to book, not his fiction. In both instances, heavy emphasis was given to Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Recently, I read two in the latest crop of how-to books. The new ones were much more prescriptive and dogmatic, making heavy use of catch phrases and acronyms, along with far more illustrations taken from TV shows and movies than from books. That is, except for A Christmas Carol, which was again resorted to over and over again in both books.
I conclude nothing much has changed: how-to books are written to sell themselves, offering something like a paint-by-numbers approach to writing novels. Is this bad or good? It depends. If writers gain something useful from them, or gain hope for their own work, fine. But I am sure a great many people get neither. In the end, all that can be said is “caveat emptor.”
I think books that help a beginning writer learn the craft are very helpful, but no book can create a storyteller. You either are one or not, and may just need help with constructing that story to make it the best it can be. Then there are books that are helpful for inspiration. I particularly like Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird. While it does offer help with craft issues, it is also a good one to read when I need a bit of a boost.
Thanks for the reminder, Jael. We can read so many darn writing books that we forget to write! ;)
I finally got around to reading Stephen King’s Book on Writing, and one word: A-maz-ing. Just downloaded Mr. Bell’s latest, Writing Your Novel from the Middle, on my Kindle. Haven’t made it through yet, but it looks intriguing.
So far, the one book that has helped me the most, perfectionist that I am, is “Tell, Don’t Show” by James Lofquist. This little book gave me the permission I needed to just write, and work out the details later. What a breakthrough for my hesitant writing!
‘Formula’ books pn plot don’t work for me. My brain reads, “Blah, blah, blah, blah….” with one exception – Save the Cat, by the late Blake Snyder.
Love inspirational books – Bird By Bird by Anne Lamont is wonderful.
Then there’s the ‘tweeners’ – where I strike gold. Those with a bit of both. King, On Writing, and anything by Don Maass.
My personal opinion is that craft books are both incredibly dangerous to a beginning writer, and incredibly powerful tools to writers of all levels, from beginners to the most experienced.
They’re dangerous for beginners primarily when ONE craft book is read. Because all too often, whatever is in that book is taken as absolute gospel, even if it doesn’t suit the new writer’s style, purpose, voice, and all that other arty stuff. So when I’ve been asked what books a new writer should read, I generally say that reading great novels is the way to go, but if you must read a craft book, start with Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ or Pressfied’s ‘The War of Art’, or something else that’s not too proscriptive.
On the other hand, when LOTS of craft books are read, it’s an invaluable tool. Because that’s when you learn that there is no “one right way”, that every best-selling author, freelance editor, and industry insider has a different way of approaching this wonderful thing we call “writing a novel”. And when you realise that the experts all disagree on the Magic Formula, you can more easily pick and choose the components that work for you, and then design your OWN Novel Writing Magic Formula of Wonder.
It seems clear to me that writing cannot be taught and that it can only be improved or developed to the extent one is already equipped with the talent to pull that part of it off. Writing groups have taught me that, and it seems that in every writing group there are lots of “how-to” books being waved around as the answers to your writing deficiencies, most often by those members who see themselves as erstwhile critics and luminaries. Most of those are the crankiest and least talented in the room. Those who can write do. Those who can’t–well, they give damned poor advice, so I’m picky about who I read on the subject, and stick with the most accomplished, reading even those with a wary eye.
Of those books I’ve read (more than a few) on the topic, the most useful have been John Gardner’s work and an obscure little book from Foster, The Basic Formulas of Fiction, I think it was. David Corbett’s work is invaluable, but for reasons that have more to do with the dreamy morality inherent in a character’s existence and the extent to which it becomes interdependent with not only other characters, but in some rather subtle and surprising ways with its creator: you stand as God before your little chattering men and women, but if you are not a humble deity, they’re prone to become iconoclasts and apostates who will soon overthrow your garden. David’s work is, as I say, more one of tone and approach than of hard how to. You read it and take it in to your improvement, much as you go lay down in the sun to warm yourself and get some color.
On the whole, the irony in how-to-write books is this: they tend to make a better reader and a better critic more than they make a better writer. The first, as writers, we want around, the second only the occasionally masochistic soul could love. Treat books on writing as a loaded gun. Don’t point it at anything you don’t mean to shoot.
William Faulkner said “writing a novel is like a one-armed man trying to nail together a chicken coop in a hurricane.” It is a difficult craft. Would you build a house without carpentry training? Could you cook a French dinner without chef training? Could you write a computer program to manage Obamacare? Of course not. If anybody thinks they can write a novel without having the necessary skills, well, good luck with that.
I vote for Donald Maas, Lisa Cron, and James Scott Bell. I’ve learned from all three. But to be honest, I only read snippets at a time. I’d rather be writing!
Thank you for this post and I love everybody’s comments and books they add to the list.
I’m always reading a book on craft – I try to read about 2-3 pages a day, to keep lessons and ideas fresh in my mind.
When reading, I also write down great sentences, which I go back to for inspiration when I write.
Most of the books I’ve read have already been mentioned. I’m currently reading Writing Fiction by the Gotham Writers’ Workshop and that has helped me think about theme. The book has many writing prompts and great tips about the different aspects of writing.
Once again thank you for this great post and for inspiring great comments.
As a screenplay writer and author of 8 books I’ve read several books on the art of writing. I took classes and learned improv’ to hone my craft. Writing is a craft that can be learned through reading good books, studying, writing, writing, and writing some more.
The two books that influenced me most and provided a sense of form and structure were: Syd Field’s “Screenplay” (bless his soul) and Egri’s book on playwriting.
Performing comedy improv’ was my linchpin. On stage doing a sketch I mumbled, “OMG there is no script… I am a writer. And so be it!
Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” was very helpful for my writing journey. More of a self-help book than a writing guide, it contains lots of practical exercises to tap into your inner well of experience, passion, fear and belief. i took a couple of months off to focus on the book and the growth was noticeable in my confidence, style and subject matter.
Agreed that most writing books are written for the author to make money! I’m glad I figured that out early and haven’t blown a lot of money over the years. Stephen King has long been my favorite for it’s good, practical advice. I’m a novelist, not a poet, but Mary Oliver’s “A Poetry Handbook” taught me rhythm, tone, and that each word counts. From May Sarton’s memoirs and journals I appreciated long before I picked up a pen that writing would be hard, lonely, and often frustrating work. She taught me patience. Lately, I have hit a dry spell and have been greatly reassured by Brenda Ueland, that “the imagination needs moodling – long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering.” She reassures “at such times you are being slowly filled and re-charged with warm imagination, with wonderful, living thoughts.” That’s advice I can live with!
There’s a book called “How not to write a Novel” by Howard Mittlemark and Sandra Newman
It disguises advice on how to write a publishable novel, by pretending to tell you what mistakes you have to make to ensure that no publisher will touch it.
It is merciless in its criticism of common mistakes.
It is also laugh-out-loud funny, and the jokes come with absolutely no warning. Do no read it while drinking anything hot – or even anything cold.
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