STARTING FROM SCRATCH

by Rita Mae Brown

Paperback, 2008

Status

Available

Publication

Random House, Inc. (2008), Edition: Bantam Trade Ed, 272 pages

Description

From the best-selling author ofnbsp;nbsp;Rubyfruit Jungle andnbsp;nbsp;Bingo, here is a writers' manual as provocative,nbsp;nbsp;frank, and funny as her fiction. Unlike mostnbsp;nbsp;writers' guides, this one had as much to do with hownbsp;nbsp;writers live as with mastering the tools of theirnbsp;nbsp;trade. Rita Mae Brown begins with a very personalnbsp;nbsp;account of her own career, from her days as a youngnbsp;nbsp;poet who had written a novel no publisher wantednbsp;nbsp;to take a chance on, right up to her recentnbsp;nbsp;adventures as a Hollywood screenwriter. In a sassy stylenbsp;nbsp;that makes her outspoken advice as entertaining asnbsp;nbsp;it is useful, she provides straight talk aboutnbsp;nbsp;paying the rent while maintaining the energy tonbsp;nbsp;write; and dealing with agents, publishers, critics,nbsp;nbsp;and the publicity circus; about pursuingjnbsp;nbsp;ournalisim, academia, or screen-writing; and about rejectingnbsp;nbsp;the Hemingway myth of the hard-living,nbsp;nbsp;hard-drinking genius. In addition Brown, a former teacher ornbsp;nbsp;writing, offers a serious examination of thenbsp;nbsp;writer's tool--language, plotting, characters,nbsp;nbsp;symbolism--plus exercises to sharpen the ear for dialogue,nbsp;nbsp;and a fascinating, annoted reading list ofnbsp;nbsp;important works from the seventh century to the latenbsp;nbsp;twentieth.… (more)

Rating

(52 ratings; 3.5)

User reviews

LibraryThing member GrinningDwarf
One of the best books I've ever read on the art of writing. Unpretentious, just gets to the meat of the matter...by prescribing some STUDY!! (Oh, no!! The 'S' word!!)
LibraryThing member jpsnow
Good ideas and she backs up her haughty, contemporary attitude with a firm foundation in the classics and literature. I might not agree with some of the political jibes interspersed, but she knows how to write and puts most of those with similar views to shame.
LibraryThing member bakersfieldbarbara
I began this book, thinking I would get grammer lessons or whatever to help with writing. Instead, I enjoyed Bowns's tidbits of information on how to write even if criticized, how to avoid the pitfalls of the trade, coping with publishers. There are outspoken opinions on a wealth of subjects, such
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as academic careers; how to write for the movies. In addition, there is a serious examination of a writer's tools, and many exercises to sharpen the ear and broaden your range of characters. This is a book you will return to many times, for its wonderful lessons and to absorb her passionate and irreverent love of writing.
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LibraryThing member riani1
I've had trouble getting through this book, because her opinions get weirdly biased and I get annoyed with her.

Awards

Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1988)

Language

Original language

English

Physical description

8.25 inches

ISBN

055334630X / 9780553346305
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