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Liked It0 of 1 members found this review helpful “I tend to be a little bit of a skeptic when it comes to ‘How to…’ books on writing. It always seems a way for poor writers to make a bit of money because these are so much easier to sell than an average novel – good enough to find a publisher but not unique, not interesting, not the essence of...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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0 of 1 members found this review helpful
“I tend to be a little bit of a skeptic when it comes to ‘How to…’ books on writing. It always seems a way for poor writers to make a bit of money because these are so much easier to sell than an average novel – good enough to find a publisher but not unique, not interesting, not the essence of the time enough to actually touch the hearts of their readers. Its really the same with James Frey – he has written a few books, mostly crime, but he’s not an author I would have known for anything other than his ‘How to…’ book.
Laila wrote this review Saturday, May 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Man y readers and writers alike think that this phenomenon of average writers being able to write these ‘How to…’ books with relative success is, that they are able to reflect on their work, that they themselves work of a plan in their head. This is how the characters should be and an exciting plots needs these elements and the dialogs should be like this etc. With the really successful authors it seems to the case that they don’t follow a blueprint – which makes their work so good. Of course not everybody can do that and the average writers need the blueprint.
It might be true. Or maybe it is just that most of these tend to be genre writers (like crime, historical etc.) and seldom manage the step into general fiction, which tends to draw most readers.
Be that as it may – this book is actually really, really good. I wouldn’t use it as my writing bible, especially because not everything is so applicable to what I want to write but there are a lot of really, really good points in it, its fun to read and somehow it makes a lot of hunches that I’ve always had about writing fall into place. It’s really inspiring, too. You read it and instantly feel the stories tickling in your fingertips.
When it comes to ‘How to…’ books on writing, I’d definitely recommend this. Even just to flick through it, or to gather some ideas. Its also great to read when you already have a vague idea of what you want to write – it’ll tell you what you have to change about your character, your story-line and how to plan the whole thing. Its also a really easy and quick read – it’s funny, it’s interesting and its full of insightful examples. Totally helpful.
Of course, I wouldn’t follow ever little thing exactly – as with everything, you find the things that you like, that you find are true and helpful and these are the ones that you use. If James Fry had a magic formula to writing, he wouldn’t have to write the ‘How to…’ book, he’d be rolling in the dough with bestseller after bestseller.
Definitely recommendable to writers to be – but also to readers. I always think that to know something a bout the craft makes you appreciate the art of a really good novel so much more.”
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