Customer Reviews

Take Joy: A Writer's Guide to Loving the Craft

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

TAKE JOY is a book that contains some advice for writers, some suggestions on how to write, a review of writing terms such as plot, character, voice, and point of view, mixed together with advice that the author provides from her own experiences as a writer. While there are many other books on writing that contain much of the same information, this book does have some qualities that I believe make it worth reading. First, the author assumes that the reader is also an active writer even if the reader is a bit of a discouraged writer, and is somewhat familiar with much of the material in the book so she dispenses herself from much of the theoretical information and speaks about how the information she provides is practical. Second, she doesn't claim that her way of writing is the only way to write and knows that readers will find some of what she has to say helpful and other parts will not be as important, and that the needs will vary from reader to reader. She's not so much a guru as she is a guide.

Jane Yolen wrote this book primarily for people who want to write but have been discouraged by rejection, writer's block, the overwhelming task of trying to complete a book, or trying to find time to write in the midst of busy schedules. Her supportive and helpful tone will no doubt be helpful to many readers and anyone who enjoys writing will probably find at least one helpful bit of information, whether it be with her advice, her alphabet of writing, or her personal quips.

When I saw this book, I knew the author was
familiar but I couldn't place her immediately.

OH YES! Children's book author - now I remember.

In reading only the first few pages, it is
evident that Ms. Yolen practices what
she preaches. Her friendly, conversational tone
is like that of a wise, content but not obnoxiously
cheerful friend who you truly like to have
around.

She uses words that communicate her take on
JOY as a spiritual experience. She writes
about writing being sacred and writing being
an important path to ones emotional truths.

I learned fun facts from the very beginning -
such as "Publish" comes from "To make public".

Each chapter concludes with an "Interlude" which
is almost fable like. "Here's the Stuff according
to Ms. Yolen and Here is the Moral of the story."
My favorite Interlude conclusion was "Good research
swims upstream where it can spawn again."

Highlights within the content itself include
Yolen's "Decoder ring for rejection letters."

My only criticism of this book is that
sometimes the quotes are too densely sprinkled.
There are times when I want to hear just
Yolen's voice, not the voices of others.

We love YOU Jane - speak it, sister - don't
quote others!

This book is a great pick-me-up reminder.
Nice, small, easily digestable chunks of
good information. A winner.

Jane Yolen's book, Take Joy: A Writer's Guide to Loving the Craft, is chocolate for the writer's soul, filled with contents as light and juicy as the slice of watermelon on the cover.

"There are writers who believe that writing is agony, and that's the best anyone can say of it." Her opening sentence throws down a gauntlet. She continues further down the page, "But by God, that's a messy way of working. And blood is extremely hard to get off of white paper." With that provocative beginning she skips lightly through the remainder of the 194 pages, strewing a mixture of exquisite and pithy phrases with the abandon of a flower girl preparing the bridal aisle.

But don't be misled by her odes to joy, extolling the virtues of dreaming and trusting the hindbrain, or her assurance that it doesn't matter where you begin your story -- only that you do begin. This whimsical book is a series of fifteen essays solidly covering all aspects of writing, from beginnings to endings and everything in between.

This veteran author knows her craft and talks about various ways to manage the writing process ("Writers write.") and where to do your writing (in the park, in a coffee shop, at your desk, in your jammies -- your call). She explains the elements necessary to make a great party anecdote work as a story: "Interesting anecdotes are not fiction by themselves. They need the sandpaper touch of art." She provides a decoder ring for making sense of rejection letters. Her two alphabet chapters, "The Alphabetics of Story" and "The Alphabetics of Writing" fulfill their promise and cover these subjects from A to Z.

Her "Advice" chapter pulls no punches: "Write every day." "Write what interests you." "Write for yourself." "Write with honest emotion." She warns of the dangers of facile writing and preaching and explains the occasional need to turn things on their end. Then she offers the hope of serendipity. Her concise explanation of poetry uses hilarious examples to succinctly clears up much of the mystery of this writing form. She explains voice, point of view, and plot with equal deftness.

The book is far more than solid advice. Her imaginative examples and flowing phrases are so artfully crafted and occasionally humorous that the book would delight even those who never plan to set pen to paper. I read most of her examples of terse book outlines aloud. She covers The Scarlet Letter in two lines:

Hester Prynne was a bad girl.
Still she got an A.

Other sections have succulent sentences like "I wrote my novels like a nervous tourist visiting an untidy continent, map and guidebook in hand. I was so careful to tread on the properly outlined paths, I never saw the life by the roadside..."

Throughout the book, she balances solid advice with reminders to take time to smell the roses, because it's only through the smelling that you learn to write them real. She freely tells of her own experience of writing. She writes. She writes every day. She plans to write. But she doesn't plan her stories. "I have often been known to reply to the question, `Where do you get your ideas?' by saying, `I don't know. The stories simply leak out my fingertips.' " She explains how green elves moved in and withstood her three-week boycott of one manuscript before they convinced her they should stay. She doesn't specifically give advice on how to be creative -- she simply models it and explains her own process within the body of the text and in one or two page "Interludes" of personal experience and insight between chapters.

Her words at the end of the first chapter, "I wish you all such joyous flights in your own writing. Save the blood and pain for real life where tourniquets and ibuprofen can have some chance of helping," sum up the spirit of the book. Her contagious joy in writing glitters like crystal on every page, and she gives readers the tools they need to express this same joy in our own words.

I keep Yolen's often funny, usually practical, always inspiring "Take Joy" close to hand whenever I'm working through a creative writing project. Yolen's insight was so fun and useful the first time around - what a surprise when I found myself coming back to it, time and time again, sometimes to remind me of specific writing tips, often to remind me of why I write. Highly recommended.

Award winning author Jane Yolen provides readers with a guide into finding joy in the process of writing.

Her book "Take Joy" provided me with:

* A journey into self discovery
* A new appreciation for the various motivation and approaches to writing
* New insights through the quotes of well known authors and writers on writing

"Take Joy" is an encouraging, entertaining, and inspiring work. An unforgettable reading experience.

As a writer, I still need inspiration on those days when the act of writing seems an impossible task. This book gave me that inspiration and added a sense of pride at being able to put words on paper, not for any further goal than pleasing myself.

"Take Joy" is wonderfully written, of course. It's compiled in a way that makes it useable in our busy everyday lives. You can read a piece, then go on with your day, feeling happy and inspired to write.

I love the personal stories that Ms. Yolen has woven in. Those really help me get going. It's good to know that someone can live their life and write at the same time.

Sorry I cannot give a first hand review but I did select it as a gift for a young college student who aspires to write. I gave it 5 stars because I hope it turns out to be the perfect gift under the circumstances. She has responded in the form of a thank you with the note that she can't wait to begin reading it in support of her writing aspirations.