- Hardcover
- Publisher: Peter Smith Pub Inc (June 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0844671207
- ISBN-13: 978-0844671208
- Product Dimensions: 20.6 x 13.7 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 113 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,005,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Picture the poor, young, serious-fiction writer. He toils alone at a pace not so different from that of Lincoln Tunnel traffic at rush hour in New York. His spouse has a "real" job, or perhaps he has a trust fund. His college friends are cashing in on their dot-coms and wondering if he's ever going to join the real world. He is not hell-bent on publication; he is trying to write "serious, honest fiction, the kind of novel that readers will find they enjoy reading more than once, the kind of fiction likely to survive." He's likely to have no idea whether he's succeeding. Nobody understands him.
Well, almost nobody. John Gardner understands him. Gardner's sympathetic On Becoming a Novelist is the novelist's ultimate comfort food--better than macaroni and cheese, better than chocolate. Gardner, a fiction writer himself (Grendel), knows in his bones the desperate questioning of a writer who's not sure he's up to the task. He recognizes the validation that comes with being published, just as he believes that "for a true novel there is generally no substitute for slow, slow baking." Gardner also has strong feelings about what kinds of workshops help (and whom they help), and what kinds hinder. But a full half of Gardner's book is devoted to an exploration of the writer's nature. The storyteller's intelligence, he says, "is composed of several qualities, most of which, in normal people, are signs of either immaturity or incivility." In addition, a writer needs "verbal sensitivity, accuracy of eye," and "an almost demonic compulsiveness." But wait--there's more. A writer needs to be driven, and to be driven, he says insightfully, "a psychological wound is helpful." --Jane Steinberg --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Review
A classic of its kind. -- Joyce Carol Oates
Few, if any, American writers in our time understood the theory and practice of great literature better than novelist John Gardner. With imagination and breathtaking dedication, he trained a generation of young writers to reach for the highest artistic standards. That legacy is contained in "On Becoming a Novelist," one of the essential books for any writer's library. -- Charles Johnson, National Book Award-winning author of "Middle Passage"
John Gardner taught me how to write. I've read this book countless times, underlined it in many different inks, taught it, quote it, write by it. . . . Alone in my basement after my day job, I pawed through "On Becoming a Novelist," hoping to understand what it was I was trying to achieve, and why. John Gardner answered these questions and many more--and still does. Currently there are a number of popular writing guides--all worthwhile I'm sure--but there's no substitute for experience and the hard work of composition. John Gardner put in countless hours at his desk sweating over the depth, generosity and elegance of his fiction. That after his death he continues to share his practical knowledge with us is a gift. -- Stewart O'Nan, author of "A Prayer for the Dying" and "A World Away"
John Gardner's book is worth a thousand pictures of the writer writing--bemused, puffing a pipe, one hand on the keyboard, one in his hair. John was a devoted teacher, and those of us who witnessed his generous attention must be grateful for these pages and his enduring example. "On Becoming a Novelist" evokes the life of the writer, the student, the teacher, as few other documents can. -- Nicholas Delbanco, author of "Old Scores"
There are three books I keep on my desk so that I'll have them at the ready at any given moment in my writing life: the Bible, Roget's Thesaurus, and "On Becoming a Novelist." There is no better book on what it takes to be a writer than Gardner's classic. Period. -- Bret Lott, author of "Jewel" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Few, if any, American writers in our time understood the theory and practice of great literature better than novelist John Gardner. With imagination and breathtaking dedication, he trained a generation of young writers to reach for the highest artistic standards. That legacy is contained in "On Becoming a Novelist," one of the essential books for any writer's library. -- Charles Johnson, National Book Award-winning author of "Middle Passage"
John Gardner taught me how to write. I've read this book countless times, underlined it in many different inks, taught it, quote it, write by it. . . . Alone in my basement after my day job, I pawed through "On Becoming a Novelist," hoping to understand what it was I was trying to achieve, and why. John Gardner answered these questions and many more--and still does. Currently there are a number of popular writing guides--all worthwhile I'm sure--but there's no substitute for experience and the hard work of composition. John Gardner put in countless hours at his desk sweating over the depth, generosity and elegance of his fiction. That after his death he continues to share his practical knowledge with us is a gift. -- Stewart O'Nan, author of "A Prayer for the Dying" and "A World Away"
John Gardner's book is worth a thousand pictures of the writer writing--bemused, puffing a pipe, one hand on the keyboard, one in his hair. John was a devoted teacher, and those of us who witnessed his generous attention must be grateful for these pages and his enduring example. "On Becoming a Novelist" evokes the life of the writer, the student, the teacher, as few other documents can. -- Nicholas Delbanco, author of "Old Scores"
There are three books I keep on my desk so that I'll have them at the ready at any given moment in my writing life: the Bible, Roget's Thesaurus, and "On Becoming a Novelist." There is no better book on what it takes to be a writer than Gardner's classic. Period. -- Bret Lott, author of "Jewel" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
Nearly every beginning writer sooner or later asks (or wishes he dared ask) his creative writing teacher, or someone else he thinks might know, whether or not he really has what it takes to be a writer. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Nearly every beginning writer sooner or later asks (or wishes he dared ask) his creative writing teacher, or someone else he thinks might know, whether or not he really has what it takes to be a writer. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Required reading for writers-to-be,
By Kirk McElhearn "Freelance writer and translator" (A town in the French Alps) - See all my reviews
This review is from: On Becoming A Novelist (Paperback)
I read a lot of John Gardner's books about 25 years ago, and only recently started reading his books for writers. As an aspiring fictionist myself, I drank up his comments and advice in this book. Gardner was a strange bird, who didn't walk the walk - he rails often in his writings against some of the very types of writing he committed. But he remains one of America's original voices, and this brief book should be read by anyone who wants to write fiction.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great insights and counsel to writers,
By
This review is from: On Becoming A Novelist (Paperback)
Gardner comes across as a realist and an inspiration to writers. This is not a step-by-step book about how to write a novel. It is more of a big picture approach to developing the mindset, skills and discipline to become a novelist. Gardner illustrates the ingredients to writing novels and to being a novelist. His examples of his own writing experiences are the crux of this book. He has been through the angst and exhiliration of writing and shares his insights in this book. He clearly conveys that writing takes discipline, skill, perseverance and teachability. He elaborates on these areas in the book. Overall, the book is inspiring and educational. It is not drawn out or wordy. He gets to the point and keeps it short, so it is very helpful throughout.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good for creative prose writers in general,
By Super Cali Hummingbird Girl (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: On Becoming A Novelist (Paperback)
I recommend this book for any serious creative prose writer. The wisdom and guidance given in this book is extremely helpful. Gardner covers it all; he says things I wish I could, or don't have the time to say to students in my classes.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Reference > Writing > Journalism
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
