This is the inaugural post of a blog we hope will become a regular thing here at Williamson Lit, with ideas and tips about writing, submitting, and the book world in general. We hope you find it informative, and even inspirational and enjoyable. We may even include what we’re reading lately… Susan
I am a library-hound, stopping by my local library at least a couple times a week to pick up books I have put on hold, or take back the ones I’ve finished (or couldn’t get through). I am very lucky to live in a county that has a top-notch public library system. I even worked for a year at a new branch when it opened near my home. That was a fun job for a writer.
On my regular library excursions, I always seek out the new BookPage magazine, which is distributed monthly at my library for free—you might want to check if your library carries it. If not, it is also available online. It includes great sections on new fiction and nonfiction, as well as author profiles and audio book and book club recommendations. It’s a good place to check out what kinds of books are out there and getting attention. And I always find something interesting to look for on my next library trip.
Recently, I picked up two books on writing: Storyville! An Illustrated Guide to Writing Fiction, by John Dufresne, illustrated by Evan Wondolowski (2020, W.W. Norton & Co.) and Pity the Reader: On Writing with Style, Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell (2019, Seven Stories Press)
The first (I admit I’m a sucker for cover art) had a great cover, and made me laugh out loud – an illustrated guide to writing? I had to see what it was all about. The second, as a Kurt Vonnegut fan, I had to read. Vonnegut died in 2007. This book combines his writing with insights and commentary by author, editor and writing teacher McConnell, who was a student of Vonnegut’s at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in the mid-60s, when he was a writer-in-residence finishing one of his now most well-known works, Slaughterhouse-Five.
I haven’t finished reading either book, but was struck by the writerly advice offered early in each. As writers, we’re always looking for inspiration, validation, and on some dark days just a reason to keep at it.
In Storyville, full of graphics and quotes from famous authors, and advice, prompts and exercises, there is a list with the heading: You can’t want to be a writer. You have to be writing. This is followed by the cautionary list Don’t write fiction… here is an edited list of “Ifs.”
Don’t write fiction…
If you don’t know the basics of grammar, usage and syntax or are not willing to learn.
If you think that ideas are more important than people or if you think the author is more important than his/her characters, images, or lines.
If you believe in the magic and divinity of spontaneous writing as final product. All writing is rewriting. As first draft, spontaneous composition is desirable. But only then.
If you haven’t read a novel or a collection of stories in the last month. Why would you want to write something that you are not interested in reading?
Starting with “don’ts” does feel negative, or prescriptive, but on the whole, these are good ideas to help you remember why you are writing, who you are writing to, and how to write better.
Perhaps a far more holistic approach comes from Vonnegut, taken from Chapter 1: “Advice for Everyone on Writing Anything,” from Pity the Reader. McConnell pulls in ideas from Vonnegut’s “How to Write with Style” piece that originally appeared in the New York Times. I am including just his one-liners, get the book to see how McConnell fleshes out how Vonnegut applied each in his own writing.
- Find a subject you care about.
- Do not ramble.
- Keep it simple.
- Have the guts to cut.
- Sound like yourself.
- Say what you mean to say.
- Pity the reader.
Take a look at either or both books if you’re interested in more advice, ideas, inspiration and that all-important validation—because we all need that from time to time to sit in that chair and get the words down.
Our favorite recent reads:
Susan: The Day the Earth Caved In: An American Mining Tragedy, by Joan Quigley, NF
Emily: All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days, by Rebecca Donner, NF