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44 reviews for:
The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience
Chuck Wendig
4.02 AVERAGE
44 reviews for:
The Kick-Ass Writer: 1001 Ways to Write Great Fiction, Get Published, and Earn Your Audience
Chuck Wendig
4.02 AVERAGE
Chuck Wendig dispenses 1001 tips on how to write stuff and not be a dick online. I've not read any of his other work, not even been intrigued by it but he's one of these new, interesting authors (self described as a hybrid) who function in multiple mediums and aren't afraid to self-publish, give stuff away for free or interact with the world as somebody who loves to put words on the page and as such he seemed like somebody whose pennyworth was worth a few hours of my time. AND THEY WERE! If only all authors were this interesting and obviously decent as a human being. His enthusiasm for his craft shines through and his willingness to pass on the hard learned facts of life as an author in the modern world to all of us wannabe wordsmiths should be lauded. Yes, I feel encouraged to write, enthused by my ongoing attempts to avoid procrastination and had my life choices affirmed by somebody who has made similar choices work for them. Who wouldn't be impressed by such a work? But also I was quite entertained by his particular brand of explanation, the many references to donkey sperm and geriatric sex dungeons. So, educational and entertaining combine to form one of the more interesting books for struggling writers as far as I'm concerned and if he gets a bit repetitive, what do you expect from 1001 tips anyway and if you know it all already, then surely you should feel ready to get out there and offer your creative concoction to the world in one of the many ways discussed within. WIN!
I don't remember when I read this, but apparently I never rated it on goodreads!
I'm done with books on writing craft, but I'll read anything Chuck Wendig has to say. This collection of foul-mouthed yet soul-nourishing essays may or may not improve your writing style, but they'll constantly serve to remind you that you want to write, goddamn it, so here's how you fucking get to get at it.
If you're reading Chuck's blogs at Terrible Minds, then you're already familiar with his essays.
If you're reading Chuck's blogs at Terrible Minds, then you're already familiar with his essays.
"Outside the air we breathe and the blood in our bodies, the one thing that connects us modern humans today with the shamans and emperors and serfs of our pasts is a heritage--a lineage--of stories."
This book was really a roller coaster--profound one moment, utterly flippant but still useful the next. I've never read a single one of Wendig's books before, but I think I'm going to have to now just to see if he can take his own advice.
The only bad thing I have to say is that the advice tended to get repetitive. Which makes sense when you're writing a list-article type thing like this book, but it got irritating at times.
This book was really a roller coaster--profound one moment, utterly flippant but still useful the next. I've never read a single one of Wendig's books before, but I think I'm going to have to now just to see if he can take his own advice.
The only bad thing I have to say is that the advice tended to get repetitive. Which makes sense when you're writing a list-article type thing like this book, but it got irritating at times.
I may have mentioned this before, but I hate books on writing. The vast majority of them are either so dreadfully dull that they could double as a cure for insomnia, or they're so intimidating that I leave feeling like I'll never write another word.
But Stephen King's On Writing bucked that trend, and so does Chuck Wendig's The Kick-Ass Writer.
Wendig is clear from the get-go that the contents of this book are not gospel, that the majority of what he puts in this book amount to little more than suggestions. Suggestions that we, as authors, can take or leave at our discretion. The beauty of it, aside from Wendig's way with words and his incessant irreverence, lies in seeing a lot of my own theories and ways of doing things validated in a way.
I agreed with almost everything in this book, and I actually finished this tome ready to tackle my next project -- a rarity for me when dealing with this type of book. I would even go so far as to say that any writer, published or not, who does not have a copy of this book on their shelf is doing themselves a disservice. Not because Wendig preaches some sort of otherworldly gospel, but because he gets it. Perhaps more than any other writer who's attempted a book such as this.
This book will help you become a better writer. It will help improve every other aspect of being a writer -- editing, publishing, marketing, et al. Simply put, this is as close to a "must-have" as books like this get.
But Stephen King's On Writing bucked that trend, and so does Chuck Wendig's The Kick-Ass Writer.
Wendig is clear from the get-go that the contents of this book are not gospel, that the majority of what he puts in this book amount to little more than suggestions. Suggestions that we, as authors, can take or leave at our discretion. The beauty of it, aside from Wendig's way with words and his incessant irreverence, lies in seeing a lot of my own theories and ways of doing things validated in a way.
I agreed with almost everything in this book, and I actually finished this tome ready to tackle my next project -- a rarity for me when dealing with this type of book. I would even go so far as to say that any writer, published or not, who does not have a copy of this book on their shelf is doing themselves a disservice. Not because Wendig preaches some sort of otherworldly gospel, but because he gets it. Perhaps more than any other writer who's attempted a book such as this.
This book will help you become a better writer. It will help improve every other aspect of being a writer -- editing, publishing, marketing, et al. Simply put, this is as close to a "must-have" as books like this get.
I listened to this on audio and loved it. I'm a fledgling writer trying to teach myself the craft of fiction writing. I saw many complaints in these reviews about the repetitive advice in the book. I actually like the repetition because it helps to reinforce key info in my head. Someone else complained about the lists. I like the lists because they are handy quick references/memory joggers for when questions pop up (vs the full explanations I don't always need), so I'll likely buy the paperback to have these at hand. Probably many complained about the plethora of humorous metaphors, quips, etc. in the entire book. That definitely gets tiresome, but I'll take that over dry and boring every day.
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
"Mind the language; it gets a big naughty," Chuck says.
I don't mind naughty language. What I do mind is gross and vulgar language. When I got to a simile about a female body part, the book was a DNF.
Too bad, because there was probably some good advice in there somewhere.
I don't mind naughty language. What I do mind is gross and vulgar language. When I got to a simile about a female body part, the book was a DNF.
Too bad, because there was probably some good advice in there somewhere.
It's a book of lists! On writing! By Chuck Wendig! The truth is, I'll read nearly any list. I will read about something I have negative interest in, as long as it's presented to me in list form. I will read assembly instructions for items I do not and never will own, when conveniently in a list. So having a book of lists about something I actually love is totally cake.
I don't read books about writing because I want to learn how to write. I know how to write, and even have a sense about what kind of writer I am. I read books about writing because they make me want to write, they motivate me, and occasionally they offer something I've never tried that I think might work for me. This book goes one better (and not just because it's made of lists)—it's highly entertaining, too.
I don't read books about writing because I want to learn how to write. I know how to write, and even have a sense about what kind of writer I am. I read books about writing because they make me want to write, they motivate me, and occasionally they offer something I've never tried that I think might work for me. This book goes one better (and not just because it's made of lists)—it's highly entertaining, too.
I think this book is a lot of fun, but Chuck Wendig's listicles are quite punchy, and it's a lot to sit down and read more than one or two lists in a row. In terms of a long-term resource that you go to read in pieces, it's probably effective but it's quite superficial in a lot of ways. Very funny turn of phrase, but this isn't a book you sit down and read all in a go.