Word Work: Surviving and Thriving As a Writer (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In Word Work, Bruce Holland Rogers writes not about how to write, or how to publish, but about how to be a writer. Claiming to be "extraordinarily gifted with neuroses, even for a writer," Rogers is well-practiced in such writerly pursuits as procrastination, self-doubt, and rejection. Thus, he is perfectly able to write from experience. Rogers's tone is friendly, anecdotal, low-key. In each essay, he contemplates some aspect of the writing life, from writer's block (for which he recommends "atomizing" a writing project, by breaking it down into minute parts) to writing rituals; from quitting one's day job ("depends on how important writing is to you and how seriously you take your own death") to writing workshops. You can almost see him holding up some aspect of the writing life--procrastination, say--between his fingertips and his thumb, turning and examining it from all angles, then musing about how to deal with it. Good news: there are benefits, he discovers, to such impediments as depression, negative thinking, and trying to write with children in the house. --Jane Steinberg

From Library Journal

Here is another manual for writers by a fiction instructor and published author who has given serious thought to the vocation. Written mostly in the first person, the text offers anecdotal advice and practical suggestions addressing the "affective" needs of writers. Rogers provides insights into that monster called "writer's block" and the guilt associated with procrastination and shows how such traditional enemies of the writer can be allies. In personal chapters on invention, inspiration, and the place and circumstances of his work, Rogers explores his relationship with his own writing. The chapters on the hazards and benefits of writing workshops as well as those on the value of writing "buddies" are particularly insightful. Readers looking for guidance on bettering their craft or on the practicalities of publishing and marketing their work may be disappointed. Those who appreciate the honest reflections of a practicing and thoughtful writer will value the opportunity to listen in. Herbert E. Shapiro, SUNY Empire State Coll., Rochester
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Invisible Cities Press Llc; 1 edition (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931229171
• ISBN-13: 979-1931229172
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #731,508 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sneaks up on you, May 18, 2003

By	Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lives up to its blurbs, May 15, 2002

By	Oy "Oy" (Louisville, CO) - See all my reviews

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.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rogers WORD WORK Makes Good Sense, September 24, 2002

By	Lori L. Lake "Author of Snow Moon Rising, The... (Portland, Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews

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.