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Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life

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Like Stephen King's book `On Writing,' `Sometimes the Magic Works' is part autobiography and part writing advice. Brooks addresses the general and the specific, teaching writers how to avoid some of the biggest blunders while growing and developing into a writer of more depth.

Brooks had a very interesting beginning. He was a lawyer for several years, yet when he decided to write, he wasn't interested in becoming a legal thriller writer like Grisham or Turow. He settled on fantasy. (By the way, Brooks advises that you write in as many genres as possible until you determine which genre is for you.) His first book, `The Sword of Shannara,' made publishing history by becoming the first trade paperback to make the New York Times Bestseller list. So it was a bed of roses for Brooks from that point on, right? Hardly.

`Sometimes the Magic Works' is valuable for the writing advice, but also for a glimpse into the writer's life and the journey that Brooks has taken. Readers will see Brooks as a passionate writer and a dedicated family man. (Yes, you CAN be both!) This is a book that all writers, regardless of their genre, will want to read.

197 pages

Terry Brooks is the author of the Shannara fantasy series. The series began in 1977 when The Sword of Shannara was published, the early books have been compared often with Tolkien. Sometimes the comparison was favorable, sometimes not. Brooks himself said that he wanted to tell an adventure story like Tolkien, but he had no intention of going into the linguistic detail that Tolkien is known for. The Shannara series has been on top of the bestsellers lists with each new volume in the series.

Sometimes the Magic Works is part memoir, part writing guide as written by Terry Brooks. He writes about how his first book was published, some of the difficulties in writing the book that would become The Elfstones of Shannara , and about the book adaptions of Hook (horrible experience) and The Phantom Menace (wonderful experience). The other half of the book focuses on tips and thoughts for aspiring writers. Brooks writes about things that a writer should do, what they should not do, and what works for Brooks himself. There is an interesting chapter about outlining (yes, an author talking about outlining is actually interesting). Brooks talks about how he has to outline the major plot and characters and while he believes it is an invaluable tool (and the reason he does fewer drafts of the book than many writers), he was at a conference and as he was extolling the virtues of outlining, fantasy author Anne McCaffrey (The Dragonriders of Pern, and author of dozens of books) leaned over and told him that she has never outlined anything in her life.

Sometimes the Magic Works is written with a very easy writing style, and feels almost conversational, as if an old friend is telling us some personal stories. This was a very interesting book to read and it was nice to get into the personal thoughts of one of my favorite fantasy authors.

Shame on me, I know...I've never read a Brooks novel. As a writer, though, I was interested to read his insights on the writing life. The book looked readable. Helpful. Witty.

I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I read the entire thing in one evening. From peeks into the labor of the editing process to the debacle of writing the novelization of a movie, Brooks is honest and informative. He gives glimpses into his own beginnings and inspiration without seeming self-absorbed. He points future writers in the direction of hard work and quality craft. He offers a wonderful look into the joys of fiction.

Stephen King and Anne Lamott have written sublime books on the world of an author, and now Terry Brooks adds to the list a book worthy of his predecessors. If I had any doubts about his writing, I've now put those aside.

Time for me to grab one of his novels!

I have been a big Terry Brooks fan since first reading the "Sword of Shannara" nearly 25 years ago. His writing style has been often criticized, but mostly due to unfair comparisons with JRR Tolkien, although it is unlikely anyone writing in the same genre would stand up to the legend. That said Brooks deserves much credit for his accomplishments. His books never fail to deliver.

What is different about this endeavor is that it is not fiction, but rather reads like a friendly conversation about his writing style and the process he uses to write his stories. I was captivated and encouraged by how he uses some simple and straightforward techniques, including outlining, to put his ideas onto paper.

I have been thinking of several books that are just waiting to be written, and am inspired by his insights and encouragement to take a few risks and just get started.

A very interesting read, and an insightful look behind the scenes. Equal parts talent, writing ability, hard work and luck enabled Terry Brooks to get to the top and stay there for twenty years. No reason why it cannot happen to someone else. I recommend this book to anyone who has been a fan of his work, or is thinking of writing themselves.

SOMETIMES THE MAGIC WORKS is Terry Brooks's personal tribute to the writing life. I have had no prior interest in the fantasy genre, but I am now a Brooks fan and will comb the stacks for his bestselling titles. His love for the writing craft glimmers like a diamond throughout the book.

In the early chapters, he pictures the writer as observer, at times detached from the reality of mundane experience. He surmises that an author gathers smoke when appearing to "not be all there" and that smoke contains the meat of his creative imaginings, out of which comes perspective and a viewpoint. He contends that all writers must step outside the real world to be successful.

Each chapter in SOMETIMES THE MAGIC WORKS is prefaced by a quotation from Brooks that summarizes its content. Early in the book, he reveals his experience with first publication. "Luck with a capital "I" plays a large part in his success story and confirms his belief that "sometimes the magic really works." It is here where he talks about the couple who first believed in his work, editors Lester and Judy-Lynn del Rey. References are made to them throughout the remainder of his story.

"It's Not About You" is a section devoted to Brooks's first experience at a book signing. It is humorous and witty, a philosophical statement about the author's role in the event. He emphasizes that the reading public has the option to buy or not to buy. The writer's ego need not interfere when would-be buyers chat, then walk away without a purchase. Publicity tours are, in his opinion, necessary and the opportunity to thank the reading public.

Several chapters deal with Brooks's first experience with screenwriting, a bitter pill in the memory bank. Relegated to the post of distant observer, he was denied active participation in the filming process. For many years he refused to entertain a repeat.

The meat of SOMETIMES THE MAGIC WORKS lies in the pages offering the writer real ideas, an aid in finding his own magic. Brooks states that, for him, outlining is a must. He spends considerable time in justifying the method. He confirmed my preconceived notion that the outline is a worthwhile tool. The simple formula he gives for success is "Read, Read, Read. Outline, Outline, Outline. Write, Write, Write. Repeat." The formula allows him to do one draft and one rewrite before the work is done.

The outline point made, he continues advice with his ten rules for writing in subsequent pages. Each idea, from "Write What You Know" to "Don't Bore The Reader," is fully developed, with examples from Brooks's own writing. He uses an impromptu writing exercise to illustrate each point, a glimpse into his vast imagination.

Following the rules section, the author explains that a day with his small grandson, Hunter, taught him volumes about the writing life, or rather what it should be as an observer of real life. For him, the writer must live outside the moment to make progress on his journey to success. To write fiction, one must have determination, instinct and passion.

Brooks sums up the words behind his title in his final statement, "Writing. Is life. Breathe deeply of it." SOMETIMES THE MAGIC WORKS is a fitting tribute to his life's passion.

--- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad

Upon finishing the Elfstones of Shannara I was reduced to tears. Who would have guessed that the same would happen with this career-autobiography of Terry Brooks. The man loves what he does and it shows in everything he writes. If there is a story in you, and you read this book, you will find yourself racing to the computer afterwards to bring it to life.

I have loved Terry Brooks' work since the Sword of Shannara. I remember picking the book up in the late 70's and it blew my socks off. Later I had heard that he ripped off Tolkien, but back then I didn't know who Tolkien was, and when I did find out and tried to read the Hobbit for the first time I concluded that I liked Brooks better. I liked his writing style better. To me he is the best epic fantasy writer to date.

In this book Terry describes or imparts his journey along the way. From before the release of Sword to the present day. He is very insightful to his own internal processes and offers guidance to the wanna-be writers out there like me.

I bought this book with a little trepidation. I found that I really enjoyed it and could sense who he was and more about what writing was and is all about.

If you like Terry Brooks and his writing and want to learn to write fiction, you'll like this book.

I picked up this book when I was doing research for my own book about writing - I wanted to learn what other writers thought of their crafts, what pearls of wisdom or insight I might be able to glean for use in my own work.

Terry Brooks has written a gem with this book. The back cover tells us that "in addition to being a writing guide, Sometimes the Magic Works is Terry Brooks's self-portrait of the artist." This is precisely true. The book gives the reader a sense of what it is to be a writer - the excitement and joy of getting swept up in a story as you create it, the frustration of doing a book signing event to which nobody shows up, and the sheer pleasure of doing professionally something that you enjoy so much.

This book is also invaluable to writers - the ideas and techniques that it describes are priceless, and the way in which the text flows with the reader is the perfect example of the concepts that the book describes.

More than anything else, though, the book shows the reader how exciting and enjoyable writing can be. Brooks shows us that - for writers, at least - sometimes the magic really does work.

Danny Iny
Author of "Ordinary Miracles - Harness the power of writing and get your point across!" (ISBN 1-4116-7252-6)

It is important to understand what this book is and what it is not. "Sometimes the Magic Works" is an autobiography of Brooks experience with his own writing. It is not a text on writing itself. Those who are fans of Brooks, or interested in writing speculative fiction will likely find this book worth their time. If, however, you are looking for a book to detail the methods and basics of solid writing, you will likely be disappointed.

The life experiences of Brooks can teach a person a lot about the character of a writer. His behind the scenes stories demonstrate how a writer can and should deal with adversity, failure, and disappointment. I also appreciate the stress he places on the significance of the act of writing. For example: "Writers need their writing; they need their imaginary worlds in order to find peace in, or make sense of the real world" (6). And: "If you think that by having published you will become a happier person, you are mistaken. If you think that the finished book is of greater value than what you learned from the writing process, you are mistaken yet again" (196).

If you want to know about Brooks, "Sometimes the Magic Works" will work for you.

This is a difficult book to review since it's not quite clear what it is. The back cover calls it a "writing guide" in which Brooks "shares his secrets," his website calls it "200 pages of sage writing advice for the beginning and expert writer alike," and the introduction tells you what a craftsman Brooks is and how "Terry Brooks is going to tell you about craft." But in truth less than a third of the chapters are about craft, and Brooks actually apologizes for them. In fact, there's just one example of writing in the entire book.

It's also not a full memoir, but simply a collection of essays on his experiences with the writing life. In that it's fine. It's very similar (though not as lyrical) as Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You in that it combines memoir with encouraging people to dream. It doesn't, though, come close to the depth or usefulness of King's On Writing or Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, both of which Brooks praises.

So the strange thing is, while I expected a book on craft, I actually looked forward to reading each day's chapter. Hardly ever dry or dull, Brooks comes across as sincere, smart, and humble. There's none of the arrogance of Sol Stein's books, but simply someone who got lucky doing the work he loves, and I enjoyed these essays.

In short, if you're totally new to writing and want a nice introduction to one author's experiences, it's fine. You don't need to be a fan of his work (I haven't read any) or even wish to write fantasy. (By the way, after I read the book, I found Brooks' website has a Q&A with 25,000 words just on Writing alone, so you can check that out to see what kind of advice he offers.)

If you've already read a few books on the craft of writing, though, and are looking to learn more, this book tells you very little, and you'd be much better off with something like Lawrence Block's Telling Lies for Fun & Profit: A Manual for Fiction Writers.

To give you a better idea of whether this book is for you, I've included a look at each chapter in the Comments. From looking at that, it'd seem as though there's a lot there about writing, but Brooks skims over most everything. For instance, in the chapter about how Lester Del Rey critiqued his second book with pages and pages of notes pointing out all his mistakes, Brooks writes: "What he had given me was the kind of education young writers can only dream about - the kind you hope and pray you might find in college writing programs, writing conferences, or even from editors, but seldom do."

But what does Brooks share of it? Nothing. Not one word. Even though "I learned more about the craft of writing and about being a writer through that one experience than I learned from all the other writing experiences of my life combined," all we're left with is that - how grateful he was.

In contrast, Stephen King's "On Writing" shows you exactly how a newspaper editor corrected his story and what he learned from it, and Lamott's book details how her own second novel was rejected and every step she took to improve it.

So again, it's a nice collection of reminiscing by a likable guy, but there's many better books on writing.