Thoughts on a Few Non-Fictions
Temporarily leaving the realm of fiction for fact.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An engaging read. I can't say I learned a lot about the craft that I didn't already know, but King did a great job with his no-nonsense presentation. Here are a few of my favorite quotes . . .
“What made me think I had anything worth saying?”
I love that even one of the most prolific and successful writers I know has doubts about his abilities.
“Fiction writers, present company included, don't understand very much about what they do--not why it works when it's good, not why it doesn't when it's bad.”
Whew. I can finally stop looking for a magic formula because apparently there isn't one.
“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.”
Amen.
My biggest takeaway value from this book is that it validated my sometimes angst over writing a story, that I'm not the only one who carries around a basket of doubts.
The Broken Way: A Daring Path into the Abundant Life by Ann Voskamp
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Blown away.
Yep, once again Voskamp's amazing writing style kills me with a thousand different phrases. I totally mutilated this book with highlights and dog ears and tears. Here are just a very few of the awesome things Ann had to say . . .
“Who doesn't know what it's like to smile thinly and say you're fine when your'e not, when you're almost faint with pain?"
“There are graves coming, there is dark coming, there is heartbreak coming. We are not in control, and we never were."
“Great grief isn't made to fit inside your body. It's why your heart breaks."
“Maybe our hearts are made to be broken. Broken open. Broken free. Maybe the deepest wounds birth deepest in wisdom."
“What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it."
I could go on and on but what's the point? Go buy the book already!