Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Emma French Connolly on August 13, 2010 at 4:44pm

question for everyone: just wondering what the best "self-help" writing books have been for you in your writing. Richard Bausch wrote this article (see attached), which downs most books on the writing craft. If you're like me, you have a shelf full of books on writing - everything from Natalie Goldberg to Stephen King and beyond. Right now I'm reading Witnessing by Ellen Douglas, a series of her essays on writing. What do you all think? What resource has helped you the most?

Attachments:

• How to Write in 700 Easy Lessons.pdf, 180 KB

Permalink Reply by Roschelle Nelson on August 13, 2010 at 5:03pm

@ Emma,
in all honesty, i've never really "studied" the art of writing. i'm an avid reader - fiction mostly. my writing has improved over time by just reading the way other blog author's, columnist, and freelance writers express their ideas.

i'm light years away from most of what i've read. so, i just keep putting pen to paper or finger tips to the keyboard and see what happens.

thanks for the attachment!

Permalink Reply by Emma French Connolly on August 13, 2010 at 5:23pm

as you will see in the attachment, you are doing exactly what Bausch emphasizes - to be a writer, one must read!

Permalink Reply by Anjuelle Floyd on August 13, 2010 at 5:39pm

Emma:

I've downloaded the attachment which tells a lot about how I feel towards books on writing.
Thanks so much for sharing. I will be pouring through it this weekend.

But in all honesty I must admit that what really helped me as a writer was studying under my mentor, Clive Matson. I did this for 3 years meeting each week with the various participants in the groups he facilitated. For the majority of those 36 months I was involved in 3 of his groups concurrently.
Essentially had to have 20-30 pages ready to read aloud as other participants listened and read along.
The powerful thing about the way Clive facilitates his groups is that he does not ask you to send your work around to other group members for them to read it before the meeting.
Rather you read it.
This helps the writer achieve two things:
1) develop voice
and
2) hone your skills at editing and revising.

I read and heard so many accomplished authors say that at some point along the way in writing a book they read that entire work aloud.

Hearing your words strengthens your conviction in what you are saying or attempting to convey.

On the other hand it points out your mistakes, both in typos and syntax.
Reading the words you have typed that are full of mistakes (and in front of people) teaches you the first lesson of engagement, that no reader wants or will continue reading awkwardly phrased sentences or ones with typos.

I cannot say enough about my work with Clive.
I was a newcomer to writing. And he a poet and a short story writer, really taught me the basics about getting the words down and then feeling them as a I read them.

I credit his classes with making it possible for me to gain entrance into my MFA program.
The work I did with him allowed me to take criticism and to develop a way to continue learning and to improve my writing long past working with him and then earning my MFA.

This is a long-winded answer, your question Emma made me go back and think about this matter very carefully.

without my work with Clive and the participants in his writing groups I do not think I would be able to really make sense and good use of the all the writing books I own. And I have many.

When read essays on writing, suggestions or techniques, I am able to imbibe, digest and understand them and grasp what the author is getting at based largely on what I observed, heard and ingested during my participation in Clive's 3-hour classes.
And remember, I was in 3 at one time. Two were novel classes that met bi-weekly, and the 3rd, a multi-genre class with poets, essayists, short story and novel writers met every week.
I invite you to check out his book, Let the Crazy Child Write.
And read more about Clive.
A couple of years ago The Express Paper voted Clive the SF Bay Area's best writing teacher.
I'm sure you'll love his book.

Permalink Reply by Emma French Connolly on October 11, 2010 at 11:18am

Hello Anjuelle - I am just now ordering Clive's book (life has been too busy) and I look forward to reading it. I wish we had such classes here - I am involved in an on-going critique class, much like you mention above, where the writer reads his/her own work aloud. Amazing how our brain tends to automatically insert words when reading aloud. Makes for a good editing process. Thank you! And I will get around to editing that essay on writing from dreams soon, I promise!

Permalink Reply by Anjuelle Floyd on August 13, 2010 at 5:16pm

Kim:

You're quite welcome.
And I must say I formed this group on a lark.
The question, "Why Do You Write and What Is Your Process?" is so simple, yet answering it yields so much for the writer and those who read and listen to the author's words.

Thanks again.

anjuelle
Imagination is the key to freedom.
The author's job is to cultivate and nurture her or his imagination and that of others.

Permalink Reply by Kimeko Farrar on October 11, 2010 at 10:49am

You're added to my blogroll!

Chick Under Construction
http://chickunderconstruction.wordpress.com

Permalink Reply by Mahogany SilverRain on August 17, 2010 at 10:34am

My website: http://www.mahoganysilverrain.com

My Blog: http://themahoganysilverraintales.blogspot.com
I'm still getting used to the idea of blogging, so I don't post a lot. :)

Blessed Be,

Mahogany

Permalink Reply by Kimeko Farrar on October 11, 2010 at 10:51am

I read the first chapter of Passion's Pride: Leonessa. I was intrigued by the lions as characters! I've added your blog to my blogroll. Happy blogging!

Kimeko

Chick Under Construction
http://chickunderconstruction.wordpress.com

Permalink Reply by Anjuelle Floyd on September 30, 2010 at 11:04am

I'm originally from North Carolina, down east near Fayetteville and Goldsboro.
My husband is from Gastonia near Charlotte.

We must definitely speak.

I have added your blog to the list of favorites show on my blog.

Thanks so much for joining "Why Do I Write & What Is My Process?"

anjuelle
www.anjuellefloyd.com Imagination is the key to freedom.
The author's job is to cultivate and nurture her or his imagination and that of others.
www.anjuellefloyd.com/books/keeper-of-secrets/
www.anjuellefloyd.com/books/the-house/

Permalink Reply by Lauren Michelle on September 23, 2010 at 6:49am

Hi! Just joined the group. :)

My blog is --> Her Silent Musings

Permalink Reply by Kimberly Golden Malmgren on September 23, 2010 at 1:15pm

My blog is on wordpress, here's the link.

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