Customer Reviews

The Craft Of Writing

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Many people might think Sloane to be kinda harsh, but, reality hurts. In order to express your creative juices, you must first master the technique. Some people might say it hinders the creative process, and these people,I believe, just write fiction without a sense of art. Art is not just, in my opinion, not just the ability to create something interesting, but making it appealing and correct (the craft) is also essential. How are you gonna express yourself if what you are writing is not readable or does not please the reader in all the dimensions that make a piece of writing readable? I recommend this book to many writers accross the internet, who believe that having a nice story is everything, yet I cannot (most of the time) get past the first two parragraphs. Even if you think he is a tough cookie, Sloane must be read. In order to achieve synthesis, you must look at both sides, even if you don't agree with one (which is not the case with me). Sloane is not really abstract in this book as some may say. Others are really abstract, talking about emotions and feelings and not giving concrete examples of what they mean. I think anyone interested in making the art of fiction his/her career should at least read the first few chapters.

This book is concentrated stuff. One must read it a few times to get what the author wants to get across.

It is not a straightforward "how to" manual. I am confident that there is some good to be gained by reading it.

However, a warning is in order, especially for aspiring writers: W.S. is a harsh and demanding editor; be kind to yourself or you will never write and make enough mistakes to become a good writer.

Most of the material in this small book is contained in every other how-to-write book.

Sloane's wife hobbled this book together using Sloane's notes and letters and unfinished manuscript. No doubt the book would be better if Sloane had written it; it seems incomplete and unpolished. But I cannot fault Sloane for something he didnt do. One of the other reviewers notes how you have to read the book a few times to get what Sloane meant. You shouldnt have to do this. His message should be clear and obvious; he was an editor!

But the bottom-line is: Is the book worth keeping? Yes. It has a point or two that are valuable and not found elsewhere. Like? The significance of the reader.

Sloan was a highly regarded editor for many many MANY years and really knows what works and what doesn't. If you want to be really good, if you have any aspirations to creating something in words that will last beyond a trend or whim of the moment, read this book.