Books on Writing
Squee. My books are starting to arrive in the mail. I'm just waiting on one more.
So, sitting on my desk I have Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway. I'm happy to have this book, because it has a very technical approach to writing. It's actually a text book, and I got it for a steal because it's an old edition. I'm glad there's no penciling or anything in it. It's not perfect, but it's good enough for me. I actually found a receipt in it. Apparently, someone bought it for $68 at the UCSF bookstore. Damn, I'm sorry! I remember what it was like shelling out so much money for books that you can only sell back for a few dollars x.x; It's not right. I got this book for $14. *does victory dance.* This is why I like gently worn books.
I also have Stein on Writing by Sol Stein. Looking through the table of contents, it looks like it's geared towards the novice writer, but because it was only $3 and it came with good reviews, I bought it. I'm not sure how much it'll help me, but I have it on hand.
I'm waiting on how to write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey. I have a feeling it'll be a lot like Stein's book, but what could it hurt?
I also put Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain on my wishlist. Its too expensive. Supposedly this was oringally published several decades ago, but it is widely regarded as a good book for writers to have. I'm on the fence about it. Besides, I don't want to be one of those authors that keeps pooping books that go out of print after one run. I want to be the sort of writer that people end up reading 30 years after I'm dead, and they still find it significant. So, I don't really see it being -too- valuable to try to write with an intent to sell.
The best advice I've taken to heart is, just write what you love. All the best books are by authors who had an idea of their own and ran with it. I don't need to be squashed under a big foot. Hopefully my work will speak for itself, and that's what will keep it selling.
In other news, I want to buy noise canceling headphones. It's impossible to study here.
And I think I'll buy a few cookbooks.
So, sitting on my desk I have Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway. I'm happy to have this book, because it has a very technical approach to writing. It's actually a text book, and I got it for a steal because it's an old edition. I'm glad there's no penciling or anything in it. It's not perfect, but it's good enough for me. I actually found a receipt in it. Apparently, someone bought it for $68 at the UCSF bookstore. Damn, I'm sorry! I remember what it was like shelling out so much money for books that you can only sell back for a few dollars x.x; It's not right. I got this book for $14. *does victory dance.* This is why I like gently worn books.
I also have Stein on Writing by Sol Stein. Looking through the table of contents, it looks like it's geared towards the novice writer, but because it was only $3 and it came with good reviews, I bought it. I'm not sure how much it'll help me, but I have it on hand.
I'm waiting on how to write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey. I have a feeling it'll be a lot like Stein's book, but what could it hurt?
I also put Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain on my wishlist. Its too expensive. Supposedly this was oringally published several decades ago, but it is widely regarded as a good book for writers to have. I'm on the fence about it. Besides, I don't want to be one of those authors that keeps pooping books that go out of print after one run. I want to be the sort of writer that people end up reading 30 years after I'm dead, and they still find it significant. So, I don't really see it being -too- valuable to try to write with an intent to sell.
The best advice I've taken to heart is, just write what you love. All the best books are by authors who had an idea of their own and ran with it. I don't need to be squashed under a big foot. Hopefully my work will speak for itself, and that's what will keep it selling.
In other news, I want to buy noise canceling headphones. It's impossible to study here.
And I think I'll buy a few cookbooks.