Sunday, November 02, 2003
I'm Reading...
Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain. I've always heard, you should never judge a book by its cover. I've also learned that sometimes you should never even judge a book by its title. I did both and missed reading this book when I should have read it a long time ago. Do not, I repeat, do not let the tacky $ on the cover and the seemingly money-minded title deter you from purchasing one of the greatest practical guides to writing fiction.
This book kept popping up as a must-read during the last couple of months in few writing forums I've been reading. I kept hearing positive reviews for this book from writers I respect. So I made the plunge and bought the book. After the first chapter, I knew I deprived myself from some of the best writing advice in print. In fact, I'd have to say that this is the best fiction writing advice I've read in a long time. And this book has 1965 publishing date! I've been in the dark a long time concerning this book.
The author, Dwight Swain, knows his stuff and covers plot, characters, dialogue, setting, scenes and much more. But he doesn't skim over the topics. This writer makes you think and doesn't ask you to do exercises to prove to yourself that you're a writer. After the first read through this book I simply went back to chapter one and have started a second reading.
The material is dense and deserves much re-reading.
Bottom line? Buy this one if you're a fiction writer. It's not one of those read it once and you're done with it books. Rather it's the kind of book you may find yourself reading again and again to completely grasp all the good down-to-earth writerly advice. This one belongs on every fiction writer's shelf despite the cover and the title.
Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain. I've always heard, you should never judge a book by its cover. I've also learned that sometimes you should never even judge a book by its title. I did both and missed reading this book when I should have read it a long time ago. Do not, I repeat, do not let the tacky $ on the cover and the seemingly money-minded title deter you from purchasing one of the greatest practical guides to writing fiction.
This book kept popping up as a must-read during the last couple of months in few writing forums I've been reading. I kept hearing positive reviews for this book from writers I respect. So I made the plunge and bought the book. After the first chapter, I knew I deprived myself from some of the best writing advice in print. In fact, I'd have to say that this is the best fiction writing advice I've read in a long time. And this book has 1965 publishing date! I've been in the dark a long time concerning this book.
The author, Dwight Swain, knows his stuff and covers plot, characters, dialogue, setting, scenes and much more. But he doesn't skim over the topics. This writer makes you think and doesn't ask you to do exercises to prove to yourself that you're a writer. After the first read through this book I simply went back to chapter one and have started a second reading.
The material is dense and deserves much re-reading.
Bottom line? Buy this one if you're a fiction writer. It's not one of those read it once and you're done with it books. Rather it's the kind of book you may find yourself reading again and again to completely grasp all the good down-to-earth writerly advice. This one belongs on every fiction writer's shelf despite the cover and the title.
