Scan barcode
A review by valparaiso
Letters to a Young Writer: Some Practical and Philosophical Advice by Colum McCann
5.0
A quick, punchy collection of micro-essays filled with helpful, thought provoking advice for writers. I found myself nodding with appreciation for virtually every piece of hard-won wisdom McCann shares in this gem of a book.
Some key takeaways:
Write towards what you don’t know.
Language is more important than plot.
To write well, you must be a voracious reader.
Spare those in your life the indignity of writing them so directly into your fiction. Give them grace and write away from them so directly.
You must write. Fail. Write again. Don’t be afraid of the grind required. Do the work.
More to come.
—
I found this book online after picking up McCann’s short story collection “Thirteen Ways of Looking” and recognizing the author.
Some key takeaways:
Write towards what you don’t know.
Language is more important than plot.
To write well, you must be a voracious reader.
Spare those in your life the indignity of writing them so directly into your fiction. Give them grace and write away from them so directly.
You must write. Fail. Write again. Don’t be afraid of the grind required. Do the work.
More to come.
—
I found this book online after picking up McCann’s short story collection “Thirteen Ways of Looking” and recognizing the author.