In the latest review of books from the New York Times comes a recommendation for a writer's how-to book. Francine Prose (yes, that's her name - hard to believe, though) has penned an interesting guidebook called Reading Like A Writer, and it is full of advice that I suspect you may have heard before, in a different form.
Ms. Prose is no fan of the writers workshop and its critique groups that try to tear apart and find faults to be corrected. Her approach to improve one's writing is, as we have all heard before, to read and read and read. In particular, she recommends reading the tried and true classics, the works that have stood the test of time. While reading, the budding author should not be skimming or looking for the flaws. Instead, she encourages us to pick apart the prose to see what was done right.
A love of reading seems to be a requisite for learning good writing. Taking lessons from successful authors involves deep reading, a slow process that will pick up on minute details that show - don't tell. That simple phrase says so very little, when you try to practice it. According to the book review, Ms. Prose does a fair job of making clear what is meant, using examples.
The best part could be Prose's indication that there are no rules set in stone that must be followed. Again, her points arise from copious reading, which would demonstrate the many instances in which rules were broken, but to good effect. Through careful reading, we can come to see what works and what is best kept to the rule book.
The bottom line? Creative writing cannot be taught, like a two semester course at the university level. By and large, writing is a self-taught skill, one that requires a great deal of study, with Prose's book as a guideline. Writing is a solitary occupation. Learning to write sounds equally lonely.
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