Letters to a young writer : some practical and philosophical advice
Title:
Letters to a young writer : some practical and philosophical advice
Author:
McCann, Colum, 1965- author.
Personal Author:
Edition:
First edition.
Publication Information:
New York : Random House, [2017]
Physical Description:
xix, 166 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm
Summary:
"Drawing on the lessons learned throughout a distinguished writing career and nearly 20 years as a teacher of creative writing, McCann delivers a collection of essays that combines practical advice, creative inspiration, and a profound call to arms for a new generation of writers to bring truth and light to a dark world through their art. Addressing subjects such as "The Terror of the White Page," "Embrace the Critics," and "If You're Done, You've Just Begun," this collection is a testament to the bruises of writing as profession and as calling, and a paean to the power of language"--
General Note:
"National Book Award-winning author of Let the Great World Spin"--Jacket.
Language:
English
Contents:
Introduction: The Unsayable Ecstasies -- Letter to a Young Writer -- There Are No Rules -- Your First Line -- Don't Write What You Know -- The Terror of the White Page -- No Ideas Without Music -- A Hero of Consciousness -- Out from the Dust: Creating Characters -- Shaping the Truth -- Carry a Notebook -- Be a Camera -- Fuhgheddaboudit: Writing Dialogue -- Read Aloud -- Who What Where When How and Why -- Seeking Structure -- What Matters: Language and Plot -- Punctuation: It's Not Just a Throwaway Thing (Comma) -- Research: Google Isn't Deep Enough -- No Rust on Your Sentences Please -- The Habit of Hoping -- There are No Literary Olympics -- How Old is the Young Writer? -- Don't Be a Dick -- Then Again, Don't Be Too Nice -- Fail, Fail, Fail -- Read, Read, Read -- Rejoyce -- Writing is Entertainment -- Take a Break -- Who's Your Ideal Reader? -- How to Get an Agent -- What if I Don't Get an Agent? -- Finding the Right Editor -- Bringing (Your Own) Fresh Eyes to Your Stories -- Throw It All Away -- Allow the Reader's Intelligence -- Success -- If You're Done, You've Only Just Begun -- Blurbs (or the Art of Literary Porn) -- A Secret Hearing -- Where Should I Write? -- To MFA or Not to MFA? -- Should I Read While I'm Writing? -- Smash that Mirror -- The Dark Dogs of the Mind -- Write Yourself a Credo -- The Bus Theory -- Why Tell Stories -- Embrace the Critics -- Be Exhausted When You Finish -- Your Last Line -- Letter to a Young Writer, Redux.
Subject Term:
ISBN:
9780399590801
9781443453158
Format :
Book
