Customer Reviews

Word Work: Surviving and Thriving As a Writer

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Writing instructors and conference speakers like to discourage writing wannabes. "You won't get rich, you'll get depressed and lonely, and you need a buddy to talk you off the window ledge."

So I was curious to see how Bruce Holland Rogers would address the psychology of writing. As other reviewers observed, this book is not about how to write or how to market your writing. It's about the day-to-day life of being a writer.
Get up. Go to word processor. Stare at computer awhile.

Rejection. Bad reviews. Writing a novel under deadline pressure. And a whole lot more.

Word Work is a collection of Rogers's columns, so each chapter can be read as a stand-alone. That's a plus and a potential downfall. If you open the book, as I did, to a chapter that's doesn't grab you right away, you may be tempted to toss the whole thing aside. I couldn't get excited about "best time to write." The message seems to be, "Whenever you want."

On the other hand, you can read a chapter at a time, in any order, and feel satisfied.

Which chapters are best? I suspect that will be a personal decison. What made the book work for me were "Death and the day job," "in the affirmative," and "advanced affirmations." That's when I realized Rogers was a thoughtful person who knows how to read self-help without getting suckered. And, like Natalie Goldberg in Thunder and Lightning, Rogers really writes about life, not just the writing life.

In particular, Chapter 1 - Hunters and Farmers - blew me away. I had never heard of this metaphor, which apparently comes from an author of a book on ADD. Writers are primarily hunters -- and so are entrepreneurs.

The chapters aren't light reading. You don't need to underline and read each sentence three times to get the meaning, but you won't always get hooked on the first sentence. And Rogers makes no effort to sell the reader. A chapter "The Foam White Bull" would be more approachable if titled "The Minotaur in the Basement."

I would like to see two major changes if Rogers gets to a second edition. First, Rogers needs an opening chapter, describing his own life, to unify the chapters and give us a context. The author of a daily or weekly column becomes an old friend. We see his name over and over again and sooner or later we read and we get hooked. In a book, however, we need bait. And Word Work is a very personal book, so we need more background about the author..

Second, the cover is off-putting. The design shows the back half of a wine-colored iMac and some stacks of paper. That's not the view most writers have of their own computers. I see the front of my computer, rarely the side view. And the cover artist needs to sacrifice esthetics for readability. The front words sprawl over the artwork and the back cover -- yellow on gray? -- presents a real challenge.

This is the book to give your writer friend for her birthday or his Christmas. As other reviewers have indicated, it's not for the raw beginner who is still busy asking, "What should I write and where do I send what I write?" It's really for someone who's committed to writing and wants to hear from someone who's been there. Writing is lonely and Rogers is a good companion for the journey.

I stopped buying writing books years ago when I had a couple of Xerox boxes filled with Strunk & White, Gardner, Burroway, and just about everyone else. But the back cover blurbs for this book -- by Peter Straub ("The most useful, reliable writer's guide imaginable.") and Jean Auel ("Word Work will likely end up on every writer's desk, or it should.") -- made me look. I opened right to a chapter about what I've always thought would make a pretty interesting book all by itself: things to keep in mind if you're in a relationship with someone who doesn't understand the writing life. (Nora Joyce to James Joyce, "Why don't you write books people can read?")

Word Work looks to be targeted at everyone from beginners to successful professionals. I think it will be most valuable to the writer who's made a commitment to the craft but who hasn't yet rocketed to acclaim and success. Do I quit my day job? (Ch. 11: 'Death and the Day Job') Am I getting usuable feedback from my workshop? (Ch. 16: 'The Hazards of Writing Workshops') Am I crazy to believe I'll ever get published? (Ch. 20: 'That's an Affirmative')

The impediments to writing, to writing well, to publishing, and to making a living at it, are myriad. Rogers touches on more of them than any book I've seen outside of Plimpton's Writer's Chapbook. He presents multiple practical and novel strategies for dealing with the psychological, logistical, and social roadblocks writers face. Of the three writing books I keep handy to help me through the rough times (the Chapbook, Gardner's Art of Fiction, and this book) 'Word Work' is the most useful for the dealing with the greatest number of demons. Simply put, it helps me get more writing done.

Many writing books give the reader specific technical instruction followed by batches of writing exercises. Not so with this one. Although Rogers shares ideas for getting around writing problems (procrastination, networking, writer's block, taking rejections, etc.), he concentrates on the entire world of being a writer. He shares what he knows in essay format in such a way that any reflective, working writer can benefit. I was especially taken by the chapter, "Death and the Day Job," in which Rogers discusses the real reasons we should think about and focus upon our writing and why we do it.

This is a book for thinkers, doers, achievers, and all those who want to achieve in any realm of writing. It reads like a wise mentor is sharing the information, and the entire book is peppered with humor and information about other writers and their processes.

I give this one high marks, right up there with THE COURAGE TO WRITE by Ralph Keyes, and LIVING THE WRITER'S LIFE by Eric Maisel.

I've read dozens of 'writer's books,' and can honestly say "Word Work" is one of the best I have ever picked up. If you've read any of Bruce's fiction you already know what an incredible writer he is. What you may not be prepared for is what a fine teacher he is, guiding the reader with a style that is at once informational, personal, and highly enjoyable. "Word Works" is not about how to write, but rather how to be a writer, freeing up your time, your energies, and your mind to produce the best work that is within you. This book will aid any writer from beginner to published author to full-time pros. Highly recommended!

In his book, "Word Work: Surviving and Thriving as a Writer," Bruce Holland Rogers penetrates deeply into topics at the core of the writing process and what it means to be a writer: procrastination, ADD and manic depression, writing workshops, fear of death, handling rejection and success, and balancing relationships with loved ones.

The result is a book that is unique among all other writing books because it encourages you, the writer, to examine many of your pre-conceived notions about your own writing or the writing process in general. You'll begin asking yourself questions like, "Why do I write?" "How is my opinion of my writing affecting my growth?" "What relationships are important to me as a writer?" Throughout the text, Rogers does a great job of balancing the spiritual aspects of these inquiries with the writer's need for pragmatic solutions.

"Word Work" also explores some of the more basic aspects of the writing life including where and how to work, methods for jump-starting a project, and ways to get away from it all when you need a break. As a dedicated writer and teacher of college writing who has read dozens of books on the subject, I heartily recommend this book to both professionals and budding amateurs who want to grow--not only as writers, but also as human beings.

Buy this when you buy your updated market guide next year, or, if you're new to writing and thinking about diving in, buy this and get ready to jump.

"Word Work" provided some of the clearest, most practical advice I've ever received about the daunting but ultimately joyous work that is writing. The voice of this book is humorous, especially regarding the inevitable rejections that all writers face from time to time, but the major feeling you get from the text is excitement.

This book made me sit down and write, and write better. Next time I'm dealing with the dread writer's block or scrubbing tile grout just to avoid facing a blank page, I already know which dog-eared pages of "Word Work" I'll flip to.

BLUNT REVIEW FOR TIME-PRESSED SHOPPERS:
"WORD WORK" IS A WONDERFUL, HELPFUL BOOK!
HOPE, HELP, ENERGY, AND PROFESSIONAL ADVICE FOR THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF WRITERS!

Any negatives? Well, at first I thought the iMac on the cover was the nose of a rocketship, like a plastic rocketship. It's not really a design flaw, though, I'm just pre-disposed to seeing rocketships. So, no, no negatives. Awesome book!

As a beginner who has been trying to stop procastinating, and start writing - I'd almost given up hope. After two years and having read at least a dozen how-to books on the writing craft, I gained a lot of knowledge on how to write. After reading Word Work I finally gained the knowledge that allowed me to write. In Word Work, Bruce Holland Rogers takes your fears and concerns about writing and buries them. He explained why I was procastinating and gave me the techniques to overcome it. Rogers takes all the excuses we give ourselves about why we can't find time to write and he shoots them down one by one.

This book is a must for all of you who say: "One day I'm going to write a novel", and for those of you who have lost your way. I highly recommend it

This book is the kick in the pants I need to keep my writing going. After having met Bruce at the Midwest Poets and Writers Conference in Detroit, as I read the book I feel like he's sitting in my living room with me candidly discussing writing. It's a very conversational (and humorous) book from a man who knows what it's like to be a struggling writer. He's very honest and open about all the trials and tribulations a writer faces. It's very easy to identify with him which helps give hope and inspiration to the reader. This is a book I will turn to again and again to help keep me going. Excellent book. Buy it, you will not regret it.

Word Work is a wonderful, intimate look at the writing life. Like one of the other reviewers, I was also a fan of Bruce Holland Rogers' fiction long before I found out what a wonderful teacher he is. Last year I bought his audio tape, "Writing In Sprite of Everything," and found it entertaining and inspirational, so I was particularly excited to learn that he was writing a book that incorporated that material and went beyond it.

There are so many writing books out there, that it is easy to become skeptical. You wonder who all these "gurus" are. In this case, all you have to do is read some of Bruce's fiction -- start with FLAMING ARROWS, a collection of brilliant short-shorts, then look for WIND OVER HEAVEN -- to see that he knows what he's talking about.

Here's how I use Word Work: I keep it on my writing desk and when I'm feeling sluggish and uninspired, I open it up at random and find something that gets me going -- an exercise, an anecdote, something amusing, an image. It works.

"Word Work: Surviving and Thriving as a Writer," is at once most magical and practical book for writers I've ever read.

A writer cannot use or hone skills until she can put her bottom in a chair before a keyboard and make her fingers move. This book is complete, well written, and filled with a fellow writer's experience and compassion. The author, Bruce Holland Rogers, weaves his spell so effectively the book could probably include a golden money-back guarantee on the cover.

Each chapter is a little charm all its own. After each, I felt motivated to both reach for more in my career and life and to accept my own imperfections more readily. When Rogers waves his wand of philosophical and psychological wisdom, a writer's frailties are diminished, her strengths magnified.

Though a writer is certain to find this book a precious talisman for the pursuit of the written word, it should also discourage her from attempting another book of the same sort. It has already been done and--try as she might (even using all the skills learned in "Word Work")--she will not find it possible to improve on this one.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place"