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From deeply personal perspectives, two dozen established writers ponder the mystery of their art and such fundamentals as: What is a genuine writing impulse? Why does good writing work? How is writing learned? What is the role of craft and technique? Who is meant to be a writer? How is close reading related to good writing? The volume is peppered with critical perspectives and practical advice, yet its special richness and inspiration lie in the wonderment and deep love for the act of show more writing expressed by each contributor. Each essay is a joy to read, blending storytelling, literary anecdotes gathered from a lifetime of avid reading, and the kind of shoptalk exchanged between colleagues. Writers will find here camaraderie and encouragement, teachers of writing will hear practical testimony to what works, and readers will come away with a renewed awe for the spell cast by good writing.--From back cover. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
NOTE: The other two reviews that appear in this section are reviewing a DIFFERENT collection of essays called "Writers On Writing." LibraryThing has incorrectly linked this 1991 collection with the 2002 Collection from the NY Times imprint "Times Books." Please note this! (I'm trying to get LibraryThing to correct this.)
This oldish (1991) collection of essays from writers and poets is very hit-and-miss. For me, a writer less interested in poetry, I found myself getting bogged down in the poetry analysis/methodology pieces. (Though one of the essays directs specifically that writers of prose SHOULD be reading poetry for the purposes of considering word economy, and so I just might have to reconsider.) And even several of the show more prose-related essays got bogged down in literary ephemera that seemed like it had less to do with writing. But a few of the essays hit home -- especially a fun one on prolificacy, which was good for a chuckle and also made me feel like a slug for not pouring out novels at the rate of Balzac and Dickens. I would only recommend this collection to the hardest-core writer, one who has already slogged through the more common how-to books (Carol Bly, John Gardner, Janet Burroway, Anne Lamott, etc.). show less
This oldish (1991) collection of essays from writers and poets is very hit-and-miss. For me, a writer less interested in poetry, I found myself getting bogged down in the poetry analysis/methodology pieces. (Though one of the essays directs specifically that writers of prose SHOULD be reading poetry for the purposes of considering word economy, and so I just might have to reconsider.) And even several of the show more prose-related essays got bogged down in literary ephemera that seemed like it had less to do with writing. But a few of the essays hit home -- especially a fun one on prolificacy, which was good for a chuckle and also made me feel like a slug for not pouring out novels at the rate of Balzac and Dickens. I would only recommend this collection to the hardest-core writer, one who has already slogged through the more common how-to books (Carol Bly, John Gardner, Janet Burroway, Anne Lamott, etc.). show less
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Robert Pack is an Abernethy Professor of Literature and Creative Writing Emeritus at Middlebury College, where he taught for thirty-four years and also directed the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. He has taught at the Honors College of the University of Montana for the past sixteen years.
Jay Parini was born in Pittston, Pennsylvania in 1948. In 1970 he graduated from Lafayette College and he received a doctorate from the University of St. Andrews in 1975. Before becoming a professor of Engliah and Creative Writing at Vermont's Middlebury College in 1982, Parini taught at Dartmouth College. Parini writes poetry, novels, show more biographies, and criticism, and he has published numerous reviews and essays in major journals and newspapers. He co-founded the New England Review in 1976. In 1995, he was appointed literary executor for author Gore Vidal. A film version of The Last Station, his 1990 novel, was released in 2009. Parini's novel, One Matchless Time: A Life of William Faulkner, made the New York Times bestseller list in 2015. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Writers on Writing
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- 93
- Popularity
- 341,977
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.42)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
