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I had heard wonderful things about A Writer's Tale before reading it, but still wasn't expecting much. After all, this is a book about writing. How interesting can that be? In this case, very.
Dick takes us through the beginnings of his career, where he started and where he ended up. He also gives us insight to the publisher-author and agent-author relationships, which so many other writing books leave out. Best of all this book gives encouragement to newer writers.
I wish I hadn't waited so long to seek this book out but am very glad I was able to find it.
While fans of Laymon's might be interested in this book for the personal side of it (we are shown backgrounds of all of Dick's novels up through A Writer's Tale), this book is most valuable to writers. I'm sure any Laymon fan will have fun with it.
I really enjoyed this book. It's about 1/3 pep-talk/how-to on writing fiction; 1/3 look at all of laymon's bibliography, reasons behind certian choices, kind of a 'director's commentary' on the books; 1/3 autobiography.
The problem is, its audience seems such a tiny select group, that I can't really recommend it to many (that's why the three stars -- thoroughly well-done but so unappealing to so many). I mean, I'm a horror fiction fan who loves Laymon's stuff and one day aspires to write something, so i dug it, but how many others out there really fit that bill?
still, an interesting point-by-point discussion of getting published, the politics of publishing, and the like.
if you like laymon, or want to become a writer, go ahead and pick this book up. laymon's 'aw shucks' but still slightly egotistical manner of writing have such an endearing quality you'll feel like you're ready to run out and pump out your first novel after reading this.
