Like many writers, I’ve collected dozens of useful books and just too many other books! Among these are two battered copies I keep re-reading, periodically, to remind me why I write and when I should: Becoming A Writer by Dorothea Brande and On Writing by Stephen King.
These are not how-to books but are common sense approaches to the craft. Brande’s book, though originally published in 1934, looks at the difficulties of writing and what writers are like. She covers reading as a writer rather than simple reading – even if the book doesn’t really appeal. This book contains a wealth of great advice and comment. Among this are two approaches which I find invaluable.
The first is taking yourself off at a chosen time – not necessarily the same time or place every day – and writing for 15 minutes. What about, when and where? That’s up to you. The second is what I call My Morning Pages. The technique here is to write before doing anything else as soon as you can lever yourself out of bed. Don’t think, don’t plan, just write whatever comes into your head. One caveat: Put it aside along with all the other Morning Pages, DON’T read it and leave it for at least 6 months before looking at it. You will be surprised at what you’ve written. Of course it may well be garbage, but there’s often some gold in the rubbish bin!
Stephen King’s On Writing, first published in 2000, is more a biography and goes from his childhood through to June 1999 when he was hit by van while walking on a country road in Maine, USA. King, of course, needs no introduction. This book is as a result of that accident. He had been writing for years, but this was his way of fighting back from devastating life-threatening injuries.
His book contains a very useful toolkit and, as you might expect, he’s very down to earth with his advice. There isn’t enough space here to highlight all the key points he makes, but it’s a great read – just in case you get the impression that it’s easy for people like him – it ain’t. He ends with these words: ‘Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid or making friends. It’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work’.
My copy contains an extensive booklist – no doubt updated – that, he says, are the ones that worked for him and based on his maxim ‘Write a lot and read a lot.’ Both books now go back in my bookcase, even more battered, and will certainly be re-read. They’re available through your local independent bookseller – try them.
deilibri 