slipsstream's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
Made me feel like l could write
storytold's review
4.0
My writing's been undergoing some upheaval and this was a lovely little find just to get my morale up. Some essays offer craft advice, others are pep talks, others help writers position themselves in the market and the world. Not everything was for me; Anders' voice is distinct and won't reach everyone, but this is certainly a book only she could write, and by her own criteria that makes it a success. Personally I had a great time and looked forward to picking this up on my walks and while doing chores. Anders offers a kind, friendly voice for writers figuring themselves out.
erinwrites's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
5.0
My brain was in the wrong place when I opened this book. I expected (based entirely on vibes and the work I'm doing in therapy, I guess?) for this to be about using writing as a trauma response with specific, detailed, dark advice relating to horrible experiences. It's not that, thank everything.
Instead Anders has created a book that is part motivational speech and part good, consistently useful thoughts on the nuts and bolts of writing. Her advice isn't meant to be universal; all of her wisdom can be tailored to fit each writer who reads this book.
Oh, and did I mention the writing prompts? Anders includes some solid prompts that encourage us to pay attention to the structure and the intentional choices we make while writing.
I'll be using this book a bunch, without question. Glad I bought it.
Instead Anders has created a book that is part motivational speech and part good, consistently useful thoughts on the nuts and bolts of writing. Her advice isn't meant to be universal; all of her wisdom can be tailored to fit each writer who reads this book.
Oh, and did I mention the writing prompts? Anders includes some solid prompts that encourage us to pay attention to the structure and the intentional choices we make while writing.
I'll be using this book a bunch, without question. Glad I bought it.
jakinabook's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.5
quailtea's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
i love charlie jane and this book is a treasure. i'm so grateful she shared her thoughtful, playful, heartfelt approach to parenting in this- would want to own this to annotate it but read this as an audiobook. would love to revisit!
kateraed's review against another edition
3.0
I thought I was picking up a book on the usefulness of escapism, but instead it was a book on fiction writing. As that, it's a fine introductory course, but is not what the subtitle led me to think I was picking up. For how to get through hard times by making up stories, I'd suggest Judy reading the introduction and chapter 18.
Throughout, Anders felt 2 sentences away from drawing out life lessons (or self development or "how to be in the world") through the formational practice and metaphor of story...but then stays in the technical realm of writing. Perhaps a book that one of her readers will write.
Throughout, Anders felt 2 sentences away from drawing out life lessons (or self development or "how to be in the world") through the formational practice and metaphor of story...but then stays in the technical realm of writing. Perhaps a book that one of her readers will write.
andib's review against another edition
5.0
I've read a lot of books on writing...a lot...and this is definitely one of my favorites. This one doesn't give you a huge heavy "start to finish" process on novel-writing, nor tell you that the Thing To Do Is Write Every Day Preferably At the Same Time and in the Same Location (which sounds helpful, but doesn't work for lots of people, including me). This book isn't your run-of-the-mill writing advice book, and its unique perspective (and when is Anders' perspective not unique?) makes it a must-read for all writers, "aspiring" or perspiring or however you may be.
First, as the title implies, the purpose of the guidance here is not to help you produce the Great Novel or Get Published, but to help us feel that writing is our refuge, our comfort, our stalwart friend and protector against the dark forces currently filling the world. Coming at writing from that perspective relieves a lot of the pressure to perform great work and gives us permission to simply write because we love it. That may mean the act of writing itself, or it may mean the creation of worlds (definitely my preference), and as Anders points out, world-creation isn't the purview only of SF and fantasy writers, but of all writers. She encourages us to own our worlds, love them, revel in them, rather than constantly analyze them and fear the result. This was amazingly freeing for an overly-thinky and self-critical writer like myself.
But it isn't all freeform "write for joy alone" sort of advice--it's also guidance in building your skills and discovering your own way into your best story creation. That's the best quality of this book, I think: The author doesn't prescribe a method or pile chapter upon chapter of The Best Way upon us, but constantly helps us figure out ways to figure out our own ways of doing things. It's a refreshing take that I think writers have needed for decades--not only permission but hearty cheering and bolstering support to find our path into the written word.
Each chapter is a quick nugget bursting with passionate enthusiasm, encouragement, examples, and more--even some writing exercises here and there if you're so inclined--making the book a super-quick read. But I read it over a period of months, one chapter here, and other there, so that I could really absorb and savor each lesson. It turns out that I didn't need "advice" so much as encouragement and the excitement of a fellow writer cheering me on. I'll return to this book again and again in the future.
First, as the title implies, the purpose of the guidance here is not to help you produce the Great Novel or Get Published, but to help us feel that writing is our refuge, our comfort, our stalwart friend and protector against the dark forces currently filling the world. Coming at writing from that perspective relieves a lot of the pressure to perform great work and gives us permission to simply write because we love it. That may mean the act of writing itself, or it may mean the creation of worlds (definitely my preference), and as Anders points out, world-creation isn't the purview only of SF and fantasy writers, but of all writers. She encourages us to own our worlds, love them, revel in them, rather than constantly analyze them and fear the result. This was amazingly freeing for an overly-thinky and self-critical writer like myself.
But it isn't all freeform "write for joy alone" sort of advice--it's also guidance in building your skills and discovering your own way into your best story creation. That's the best quality of this book, I think: The author doesn't prescribe a method or pile chapter upon chapter of The Best Way upon us, but constantly helps us figure out ways to figure out our own ways of doing things. It's a refreshing take that I think writers have needed for decades--not only permission but hearty cheering and bolstering support to find our path into the written word.
Each chapter is a quick nugget bursting with passionate enthusiasm, encouragement, examples, and more--even some writing exercises here and there if you're so inclined--making the book a super-quick read. But I read it over a period of months, one chapter here, and other there, so that I could really absorb and savor each lesson. It turns out that I didn't need "advice" so much as encouragement and the excitement of a fellow writer cheering me on. I'll return to this book again and again in the future.
aeeklund's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I've seen a lot of reviews saying that while it didn't necessarily provide anything new for certain readers, it was encouraging/welcome/inspiring/comforting/etc., and I very much agree with this. This makes it a wonderful resource for new writers, young writers, starting-out writers, you-get-the-idea. This also makes it a wonderful resource for burnt out writers. Like me.
I benefitted from reading this collection, largely because it did exactly what it said on the tin: it held my hand during a rough time (described in this book in such hilariously perfect ways as "trash-fondue" and "landfill hurricane") and told me that not only could I still create during a time of exhaustion and rage, but I could also channel those very elements into my creation. That I knew how, but maybe I was too tired to remember, so here were some short, gentle chapters collecting thoughts, tips, tricks, ideas, and some humorous examples that had a greater likelihood of staying with me. That there were authors who had done these very things, and done them well (and here were examples to go look at if I needed to hold them physically in my hands). That, above all, there was still a point to trying.
Thank you, Charlie Jane Anders, for these reminders, and for collecting them into this book, despite of (and because of) your own exhaustion and rage.
I benefitted from reading this collection, largely because it did exactly what it said on the tin: it held my hand during a rough time (described in this book in such hilariously perfect ways as "trash-fondue" and "landfill hurricane") and told me that not only could I still create during a time of exhaustion and rage, but I could also channel those very elements into my creation. That I knew how, but maybe I was too tired to remember, so here were some short, gentle chapters collecting thoughts, tips, tricks, ideas, and some humorous examples that had a greater likelihood of staying with me. That there were authors who had done these very things, and done them well (and here were examples to go look at if I needed to hold them physically in my hands). That, above all, there was still a point to trying.
Thank you, Charlie Jane Anders, for these reminders, and for collecting them into this book, despite of (and because of) your own exhaustion and rage.