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Self Help Books V's General Reading

  • 21-05-2009 4:30pm
    #1
    WHU
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭


    Hi all,
    I was just wondering...

    Which do you think you have benefitted from the most?
    Reading books such as 'On Writing', 'Creative Writing' etc.
    or just reading as many books as possible, maybe in your own genre, various authors etc.


Comments

  • #2
    i-digress
    Closed Accounts Posts: 692 ✭✭✭i-digress


    Reading everything and anything, definitely. Even if it isn't what I like to write, it can give help you to shape your ideas and your structure. While some of those books you mention can be helpful, many are written for those who want a magic formula to get published and no more. Not for those who regard writing as an art.


  • #3
    EileenG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    Bit of both. General reading can be very inspiring, but the "How To" books can be very useful with stuff like what is a decent word count for the day, how to get past blocks etc.


  • #4
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭claire h


    I think both are useful - general reading is 'necessary' for writing well, while how-to-write books aren't so much - but there's a real danger of just reading so many 'how to write' books that all you do is read them rather than actually start writing.

    I like 'On Writing', it's one that I have to keep putting down so I can actually go and write something. :)


  • #5
    WHU
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭WHU


    Thank you for your replies, I too enjoyed 'On Writing' I also found it very hard to put down.


  • #6
    mylittlepony
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 531 ✭✭✭mylittlepony


    Whats the name of the author of 'On Writing'.

    Im really want to reattempt to write my stories not wasting time day/night dreaming it even its just for my own pleasure.

    Gosh I was good at it when I was teenager was able to writes pages every day.
    Now Im stuck, I guess it a bit like writer block, have ideas but cant write it.


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  • #7
    WHU
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭WHU


    mylittlepony wrote: »
    Whats the name of the author of 'On Writing'.

    Im really want to reattempt to write my stories not wasting time day/night dreaming it even its just for my own pleasure.

    Gosh I was good at it when I was teenager was able to writes pages every day.
    Now Im stuck, I guess it a bit like writer block, have ideas but cant write it.

    Stephen King,
    http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Stephen-King/dp/0743455967

    Good luck


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