Even in 1934, Dorothea Brande knew that most writers didn't need another book on "technique" -- and this, before so many more would be published. No, she realized, as John Gardner notes in his foreword, "the root problems of the writer are personality problems," and thus her wise book is designed to simply help you get over yourself and start writing, with techniques ranging from a simple declaration to write every day at a fixed time -- no matter what -- to exercises that come close to inventing the TM and self-actualization movements that would follow a few decades later.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
An old book with some refreshingly new ideas?:
I was intrigued to read Dorothea Brande's "Becoming A Writer" because even though I write - and write about writing - non-fiction, I find there is a lot of merit in learning about some techniques and approaches common only to fiction. That's particularly true of non-fiction books where, OK, you are reporting real life rather than making it all up yourself ... but all the same you are telling a story. The style and language of "Becoming A Writer" seems rather quaint in our present hectic, high-tech... more info
Becoming a Writer:
Although the use of language is dated, appropriate to the time it was written, the ideas are timeless. Excellent book. Obviously where Julia Cameron got much of her own inspiration. I treasure both as understanding the human condition and being able to express it in such a meaningful way. I will treasure this book, always.
still great - after all these years:
Still a great tool for writers after all these years. She writes about the psyche of the writer as opposed to the mechanics of writing. How to tackle your personal writing demons (writer's block, etc.)? It took a bit of energy to get used to her writing style; but with a little effort, the treasures are worth uncovering.
Not how to write, but how to become a writer:
I have to write quite a bit as part of my work. Every so often I encounter a brick wall and quickly come to believe that an illiterate would do a better job than I. From what I've read, virtually everyone who needs or simply wants to write has encountered this problem. So, like many others, I turn to what are essentially self-help books on writing. I came across "Becoming A Writer" in browsing Amazon, read some of the reviews, looked at the price and figured it was worth the chance. What a gem... more info
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