Katherine Anne Porter called courage "the first essential" for a writer. "I have to talk myself into bravery with every sentence," agreed Cynthia Ozick, "sometimes every syllable." E. B. White said he admired anyone who "has the guts to write anything at all."An author who has taught writing for more than thirty years, Ralph Keyes assures readers that anxiety is felt by writers at every level and can be harnessed to produce honest and disciplined work., Keyes offers specifics on how to make the best use of writers' workshops and conferences and how to handle criticism of works in progress; he also exposes the most common "false fear busters" (needing new equipment, a better setting, a new agent). Throughout, he includes the comments of many accomplished writers--Pat Conroy, Amy Tan, Rita Dove, Isabel Allende, and others--on how they transcended their own anxieties to produce great works.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
misleading and off topic:
This book is well written, if a little wordy and repetitive, but completely off topic. If you want to learn about the fear faced by writers then this is the book for you. If you want to learn how to gain courage to deal with it, page 192 has some obvious suggestions (join a writer's group, take a course, write etc) but you really will need to look elsewhere for real help. Even the contents of each chapter don't correspond to the chapter titles. Overall it just highlights the depressing reality of writing... more info
Probably the most important book for a new writer...:
Who doesn't want to be a writer? Your Aunt Sally has always said she wants to write her memoir. Your brother Joe, a hedge fund manager, says he wants to write a thriller. The truth is that it is damn scary to write anything that you hope to sell. Imposter's syndrome sets in almost immediately. There are many books out there on writer's block, but I think this is the best. If you are really serious about spending a year or two of your time truly putting your [...] in your chair to try to write a saleable... more info
A Must for the Aspiring Writer:
I first discovered Keyes work in a writers magazine, and fell in love with his message. Just being let in on the "big secret" that all writers are fearful, has helped me continue on the writing path.
In Chap. One, "Writing as an Act of Courage" Keyes notes that E.B. White
was a great procrastinator. He often wrote long letters and puttered around his farm to avoid the trauma of writing altogether. White once told his friend James Thurber, that he considered himself "the second most inactive... more info
Keyes Helps Writers Feel Less Alone With Their Concerns:
This book is useful for writers at all levels. It would be a nice primer for those who hope to write as a career or for hobby. Author Ralph Keyes talks about the roles of fear and courage in the writing process. "The most understandable trap is to wait for fear to subside before starting one's journey," he says. "It doesn't, won't, and shouldn't. Too much good writing comes from writers on the edge." (Page 191) The main strength of the book is that Keyes obviously empathizes with the reader who writes.... more info
Privacy policy: we don't collect information
about visitors except for the standard technical server logs. We don't send unsolicited emails. We don't
sell the information that we don't collect about you to anyone. When you follow
links to other sites, their privacy policies apply. Thanks for visiting!
