How do you do this WRITING THING?

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Anyone else have particular favorite writing books that you treasure of find very useful in doing this writing thing?

Not for me: I learned from reading everyone else's work while honing my own. If I was going to pick particular writers, I might go with Arthur C. Clarke and Lester Dent, who taught me two extremes of writing that I try to meet in the middle.

[VydorScope]

Another "book" along these lines : Uncle Orson's Writing Class

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Not for me: I learned from reading everyone else's work while honing my own. If I was going to pick particular writers, I might go with Arthur C. Clarke and Lester Dent, who taught me two extremes of writing that I try to meet in the middle.

That's almost exactly what Damon Knight says in his introduction. The way he and his contemporaries learned was from reading other authors and studying how they did it.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by kennyc

That's almost exactly what Damon Knight says in his introduction. The way he and his contemporaries learned was from reading other authors and studying how they did it.

Well, there you go: I'm just like Damon Knight.

I also had the advantage of growing up in one of the top counties of public school education in the U.S. at the time, Montgomery County, MD. So I had a strong writing background going in.

[SmokeAndMirrors]

I'm mostly a "self-taught" writer as well. But, at my age, the total effect of that is that I'm extremely strong in some areas and extremely weak in others. At this point in my life, I'm starting to seek outside input - mostly for the purpose of equalizing my abilities in different areas and knocking off the rest of the rough edges.

I am very effective at setting a scene, but transitions are problematic for me. Not paced right, not clear enough, etc. Anything I could look into for that?

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Would not say I "treasure" it, but Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a great resource.

Someone mentioned a book I've read!

And I did enjoy reading it quite a bit. The part about treating your muse with respect and affection always amused me, and I thought his comparison of grammar and vocabulary to a big toolbox made perfect sense. Neither needs to be perfect, however, writers do need to understand them and be able to use them, just like any other craftsman needs to be aware of and familiar with their tools.

[kennyc]

Hey I just ran across this associated with nanowrimo and perhaps of interest here as well.

Free writing ebooks from Writers Digest in various formats. All the Kindle ones appear to be free, but some of the other formats seemed to have prices, so be careful....

http://www.writersdigest.com/nanowrimo

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by SmokeAndMirrors

I am very effective at setting a scene, but transitions are problematic for me. Not paced right, not clear enough, etc. Anything I could look into for that?

I can only suggest reading other authors who have transitions down, and take note of how they do it. Like other things in writing, transitions have many facets and styles, and the style of your book will dictate which styles you'll use. Find books similar to those you write, to find appropriate transitions for your work. And check out other media, like TV and film, which may give you some new ideas for transitions.

[kennyc]

You might also look into Dwight Swain's Scene and Sequel approach to fiction writing as presented in his "Techniques of the Selling Writer." Let's see if I can find anything on line...

Here's the Google Results: http://www.google.com/search?q=dwigh...ient=firefox-a

This looks close to Swain's approach: http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/scene.php


http://jjmarsh.wordpress.com/tag/dwight-v-swain/

[frahse]

Quote:
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frahse, the topic of discussion has now moved beyond post #27.

You are now advised to stay on the current topic of discussion which involves the idea of 'perspiration,' (the work involved in writing), and one in which the members are now actively discussing with enthusiasm and interest.

No further comments on this issue are necessary.
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Unexpected, but I am already on the trail.

[SmokeAndMirrors]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

I can only suggest reading other authors who have transitions down, and take note of how they do it. Like other things in writing, transitions have many facets and styles, and the style of your book will dictate which styles you'll use. Find books similar to those you write, to find appropriate transitions for your work. And check out other media, like TV and film, which may give you some new ideas for transitions.

Originally Posted by kennyc

You might also look into Dwight Swain's Scene and Sequel approach to fiction writing as presented in his "Techniques of the Selling Writer." Let's see if I can find anything on line...

Here's the Google Results: http://www.google.com/search?q=dwigh...ient=firefox-a

This looks close to Swain's approach: http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/scene.php


http://jjmarsh.wordpress.com/tag/dwight-v-swain/

Thanks, guys! I am sort of a learn-by-doing/observing person. I've never read a book about... writing. But maybe I'll give that a shot.

[Andanzas]

Just in case any of you are interested, right now there are several ebooks about writing offered for free at several websites. Check out these threads:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=156097

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=155348

[kennyc]

Thanks Andanzas, I had posted a link just above to the Writer's Digest site, but the direct links in that thread make it easy.

[Andanzas]

Ooops, sorry. I followed the thread but missed your post somehow.

[Mayzshon]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Would not say I "treasure" it, but Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a great resource.

I love this book. Sometimes, my favorite parts of King's books are the forwards and afterwards of his books where he talks about creating the book. Basically On Writing is an entire book of this.
Say what you want about King, he clearly loves writing.


On the subject of books on writing, a writing aquaintance of mine suggested that a lot of them are written by English teachers or professors, and some of the "don'ts" they tell you about aren't so bad, it's just that after years of grading student papers with these mistakes, the witers are sick to death of these things.