Right Up There With Stephen King's "On Writing"

books:

	• Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft David Morrell Writers Digest Books, 2003 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 29 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Why We Write

Mr. Morrell's first chapter alone was worth the price. As a yet another baby boomer with a laptop, I've written two novels without fully understanding WHY I toil creating fiction. I know now the reason I write--the one thing. What a satisfying feeling to finally understand what keeps me motived and in sync with my inner drive. His other chapters are also excellent, good stuff and well written. Buy the book.

Russell Traughber
Irvine, CA

Outstanding

If you have read more than a couple of books on writing fiction, then you probably are already well aware of the fact that most of the best ones pretty much say the same kinds of things. The techniques of this ancient craft have already been thoroughly described by others. Morrell's book is actually one of the most original that I have read, and one of the most practical for someone ready to move beyond the basics. While I did not find all of his techniques equally helpful, many I found downright indispensable. It is still too early to say whether or not this book will help me achieve publication, but I can say that I found much of his advice tailor-made to solve many of the difficult problems in my current project. If you enjoy reading books on writing, this one stands out from the pack and is well worth your time.

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Wonderful, Warm, Insightful Book

I started to read this excellent book by David Morrell and then I stopped and read three of his novels: "Testament", "The Fifth Profession" and "The League of Night and Fog". Then I resumed reading this book about the business of writing and the technique.
David Morrell is a charming and interesting writer. I have read nearly every book there is on writing and David taught me many things I have read no where else. He also seemed like he was on my side, a fellow writer. I was sad when I turned the last page and that was it.

Right Up There With Stephen King's "On Writing"

While David Morrell may be best-known for writing "First Blood" and the subsequent Rambo novelizations, "Lessons..." puts him on the map as a world-class professor of writing. He used to teach in the University of Iowa English Department that was located below the Iowa Writer's Workshop offices. However, his instruction here is contrary to that of most college creative writing workshops, in that he adresses writers of all genres (not just "literary" writers) in this book. For that reason, "Lessons..." will be of particular interest to thriller, science fiction, horror, and other genre writers looking for instruction outside of the university structure. If you enjoy this book, you should also check out Stephen King's On Writing and Strunk and White's The Elements of Style.

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Like Sitting in on Proffessor Morrell's Class

Morrell wrote some of the books that were so mind-enhancing that I wanted to infuse my books with that much meaning. "The League of Night and Fog" and "Covenant of the Flame" were both action-packed thrillers that had a resonance of historical events that shaped an unseen undercurrent of our times. "Assumed Identity" "The Fifth Profession," and "Extreme Denial" hold up as examples of espionage fiction at its best. And my favorite, "Double Vision" has haunting tone that reminds me why Morrell is a master in my short-list. He continues to bring out stories that make you think from rare perspectives.

"Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing" confirmed my appreciation of Morrell's craft. He discusses where ideas come from, how to extract the significance of your own experience and explore the depth of your ideas. His counsel on holding conversations with yourself is valuable advice on how to keep writing when you don't know what to write. Morrell's perspectives come from a solid career in the business. I always consider his novels a great place to look for a well-told story. So, when I read his "Lessons..." it's with a sense of having a famous-friend who happens to be an author sit and talk about the mechanics of a common interest. His insights are fresh and grounded in well-earned experience.

Morrell's "Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing" is right up there with my favorite how-to manuals on writing. It is a worthy edition in the club of Sol Stein's "On Writing," and "How to Grow a Novel," Bradbury's "The Zen and Art of Writing," Lawrence Block's "Telling Lies For Fun and Profit," and "Writing the Novel from Plot to print." A solid, practical addition to the Writers Digest series of nuts and bolts manuals for anyone driven to sharpen their craft.

A personal note to David Morrell: Thanks for letting me sit in on your class and over-the-shoulder consultant. You're an inspiration to me. I hope to sit in as a colleague some day.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Best-selling novelist David Morrell provides insights and advice learned during thirty years of writing and selling novels-insider secrets that are sure to help writers achieve the next level of literary success, whether they're just beginning or already published!

With captivating anecdotes and thoughtful discussion, Morrell explores the basics of the writing craft, from structure and character to dialogue and style, allowing readers to look into the mind of an internationally known best-selling novelist. He also examines how to get published, the business of writing and the steps for getting fiction translated into film.

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