A few weeks ago, I treated myself to some books on the art and craft of writing. Among them was Stein on Writing by Sol Stein.
Sol Stein wrote thirteen books, and was publisher and editor-in-chief of Stein and Day publishers for twenty seven years.
The book is not what you’d call an easy read. Treating it as such would be doing it--and yourself--a disservice.
Sol Stein says, and I agree, that fiction and non-fiction writers have a lot to learn from each other. The book is divided into sections for fiction, non fiction, and a few bits that apply to both.
However, every writer can benefit from every single chapter in this little gold mine.
He divides the different aspects of writing into manageable chunks and almost every chapter contains exercises to help you grasp on the subject, as well as practical examples from published and unpublished works.
While I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the examples Stein uses, the stuff he’s trying to tell us makes a lot of sense.
While it’s all theoretical, it makes you think. Most times, I found myself sitting there and nodding along, thinking, “Yes! Gods yes. I so agree with that.”
All I needed to do was realise it.
I immediately put his lessons to work and began to apply them to the pieces I’m working on.
If the amount of books you can buy is limited, due to stupid and unfair things such as budget or bookcase space, this is one that absolutely deserves a spot in your house or your e-reader.
I know I’ll be returning to it again and again, to brush up on a certain section, to look for a specific exercise, or to refres my memory on Stein’s manuscript triage checklist.
If you happen to read it as well, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Hugs
Jasmine
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://www.jasminearch.com/index.php/2018/09/16/book-review-stein-on-writing-by-sol-stein/
As a writer, finding the right community–the right tribe–makes all the difference.
For me, that’s the INKubator. I’m one of the admins there, and I have to say I’ve never been more proud of something I helped build, than I am of the INKubator.
We help each other improve, lovingly drown each other’s drafts in red ink, and help each other brainstorm.
But we’re more than a writing club. We’re a family. We root for each other as we submit pieces for various publication venues.
We cheer and join in victory dances when a piece is accepted.
We support each other through the disappointment of the inevitable rejections.
We hang out, playing as hard as we work, and from the madness of our conversations, more stories are born.
As a community, we span the globe, with members from Asia, Australia, Europe and the US, so chances are there will be someone there if you should decide to drop in.
If we’re quiet, that’s because we’re writing.
If you love writing, we’d love to meet you! Click on the banner below to pay us a visit.
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