Review of Making a Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers by Carolyn See

This review was written by Eugene Kernes  

Book can be found in:
Genre = Writing

Intriguing Connections = 1) How Information and Books Survive the Test of Time, and How They Change, 2) How Products Shape and Change the World

Watch Review

Excerpts

“Sneak up on your material.  Don’t go crashing after it through the forest with a machete.  Sit down, be quiet, let the material catch up with you.” – Carolyn See, Chapter 2: What’s Your Material?, Page 19

“The implication was that there was a serious apprenticeship, even for reading, to say nothing of the one for writing, and that to pressure to write something down took an enormous leap of both faith and pride.” – Carolyn See, Chapter 6: Hang Out with People Who Support Your Work, Page 62

“When you have something in print, even if it’s a recipe for heirloom tomato aspic, you’ve bought a ticket in immortality’s lottery.  Part of you is floating in another universe, and until every last copy of whatever-it-is, is burned, smashed, and gone, you, are, because of that little scrap, not bound by the rules of time” – Carolyn See, Chapter 9: Getting Published, Part 1 Page 102

Review

Overview:

Writing is a major commitment.  Writing is a creative act, which tends to destabilize structure and norms.  Best to keep what is being written secret, at least until its ready for publication.  Otherwise, it might arouse suspicion or other unneeded feedback.  

Writing is about writing, and what it needs are words written down.  Its good practice to make it a habit to write close to everyday.  Not necessary write the whole day, but words need to go unto a page.  Writing needs the author to find the author’s own voice, and material.  Using mostly what is known, the experiences and people that are familiar, to shape the world within the book.  Knowing what ideas and thoughts to stay away from, is just as important.  After having written the book, to revise the book.  Seeing what is missing, and what can improve the flow of the writing.  

Even if the content is great, does not mean people will read it, or understand it.  Even after finishing the book, there is still more work to do to get people to read the book.  Before and after publishing, the author is required to market their own work.  Convincing people to read the book.  The people who the author can ask to read and review the book, is everyone.  Finding belonging with people who support the author’s writing is needed not just for morale, but also because those people would be more willing to read the book.  

Caveats?

The advice is mainly for fiction writing, which might not easily transfer to non-fiction writing.  Some of the advice that helped the author, may not help other authors.  Need to personalize the advice to make it useful.  Most of the advice is relevant no matter the era, but some of the advice is no longer relevant.

  

Language is explicit.  Which may provide humor, or can distract from the advice.  Another potential distraction are the personal references.  This book is filled with many personal references, mainly to make the case that the personal references are the sources that any author should use.  The references are sometimes useful to understanding the context, sometimes distracting.  

Questions to Consider while Reading the Book

•What is the raison d’etre of the book?  For what purpose did the author write the book?

•What are some limitations of the book?

•Why do people choose to write?

•Who should know about author’s writing?

•What writing practices should an author have?

•How does an author find the author’s voice?

•What use is revising in writing?

•Why do author’s need to market their own work?

•Who supports the author?

Book Details

Publisher:         Ballantine Books [Penguin Random House]

Edition ISBN:  0345440463

Pages to read:   264

Publication:     2002

1st Edition:      2002

Format:            Paperback

Ratings out of 5:

Readability    4

Content          3

Overall           3

Review of A Writer's Diary by Virginia Woolf

This review was written by Eugene Kernes

Book can be found in:
Genre = Writing

Intriguing Connections = Biographies: Auto, Memoir, and Other Types, 

Elaborate Description

This book is a collection of various parts of Virginia Woolf’s diary which pertain to writing. Not a complete diary, as that would take volumes. There are many lessons that writers and readers can learn such as to apply the appropriate feelings and their weights to the text. Woolf questions the meaning in emotions in books as they are a product of the generation so are seen differently per generation. Writings is always difficult but it gets more difficult the further into the book one gets as the author tries to maintain consistency and the shape of writing. Determination not to give up is necessary for writing. Holding to ideas while beautify them with language. Depending on what is being written, some qualities need to be sacrificed in order to bring about others.

Containing many short book reviews or rather, what she thought of the book’s writing. Very critical and understanding of the content of the book. Even though it is edited to include mostly the parts on writing, many criticisms of others remain as they form appropriate expression of ideas. She expresses anxieties around reviews of her books as well. Anxieties such as not being able to sell many books or opinions of a particularly bad review of her book. Woolf tired not to be bothered by praise or blame but they did interrupt the flow of writing as she wanted to investigate the claims. There were times where she specified how many copies were sold.

As this is a diary, there are many sporadic and unrelated musings. The seemingly random musings cannot really be used against the author as this is a diary. Musings are ubiquitous and do show many of life’s moments. Many meetings with members of the Bloomsbury Group such as John Maynard Keynes. Tea, illness, passage of time, and remorse on who died are all part of the musings. Later in the book there are statements of life during the WWII and its prelude.

What can be said of Virginia Woolf is that she did not appreciate people who were insincere and dishonest as she was very critical of those aspects of politics.

Book Details

Edition ISBN:  9780547546919
Pages to read:   353
Publication:     2003
1st Edition:      1953
Format:            eBook

Ratings out of 5:
Readability     3
Content           2
Overall           2