Product Description

Describes a writer's temperament and how to develop a writer's habits, originality, and insight, imitate exemplary works, read critically, and overcome writing difficulties. This guide to becoming a writer was originally published in 1934. It focuses not just on plotting techniques or prose style, but on the process of developing the habits and discipline of a writer, with beating writer's block, reading to improve one's writing and other psychological techniques. Refreshingly slim, beautifully written and deliciously elegant, Dorothea Brande's BECOMING A WRITER remains evergreen decades after it was first written. Brande believed passionately that although people have varying amounts of talent, anyone can write. It's just a question of finding the "writer's magic" - a degree of which is in us all. She also insists that writing can be both taught and learned. So she is enraged by the pessimistic authors of so many writing books who rejoice in trying to put off the aspiring writer by constantly stressing how difficult it all is. With close reference to the great writers of her day - Wolfe, Forster, Wharton and so on - Brande gives practical but inspirational advice about finding the right time of day to write and being very self disciplined about it - "You have decided to write at four o'clock, and at four o'clock you must write." She's strong on confidence building and there's a lot about cheating your unconscious which will constantly try to stop you writing by coming up with excuses. Then there are exercises to help you get into the right frame of mind and to build up writing stamina.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3917 in Books
• Published on: 1981-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Refreshingly slim, beautifully written and deliciously elegant, Dorothea Brande's Becoming a Writer remains evergreen decades after it was first written. Brande believed passionately that although people have varying amounts of talent, anyone can write. It's just a question of finding the "writer's magic"--a degree of which is in us all. She also insists that writing can be both taught and learned. So she is enraged by the pessimistic authors of so many writing books who rejoice in trying to put off the aspiring writer by constantly stressing how difficult it all is.

With close reference to the great writers of her day--Wolfe, Forster, Wharton and so on--Brande gives practical but inspirational advice about finding the right time of day to write and being very self disciplined about it--"You have decided to write at four o'clock, and at four o'clock you must write." She's strong on confidence building and there's a lot about cheating your unconscious which will constantly try to stop you writing by coming up with excuses. Then there are exercises to help you get into the right frame of mind and to build up writing stamina.

This edition comes with an informative foreword by the late Malcolm Bradbury, a man who knew a thing or two about teaching writing, having pioneered the innovative MA course in creative writing at the University of East Anglia which nurtured, among many other writers, Rose Tremain, Ian McEwan and Kazuo Ishiguro. It's a pity, however, that Brande (and Bradbury) define "writing" so narrowly. They refer only to novels and short stories--ignoring biography, travel writing, plays, poems, essays and reportage. In fact, Brande is unreasonably dismissive of journalism as if it were just an uncreative, prostituted form of "real" writing. --Susan Elkin

Synopsis
Describes a writer's temperament and how to develop a writer's habits, originality, and insight, imitate exemplary works, read critically, and overcome writing difficulties.

Customer Reviews

If you want to be a writer, then you need to read "Becoming a Writer"
This book will not tell you how to write a great novel. Nor the secrets to plot and character development. What this book will do is help you make the most of those tendencies that impel you to want to write. Written in the 1920's and still popular now, this is a vital tool for those wanting to enhance whatever compulsion to write that they already possess. Buy this book and begin to write. You never know where it will get you. And never, ever, let technical quandries mire your creative spirit.

The classic first book for wannabe writers
There are so many how-to books for aspiring writers, but this is far and away the best for the beginner at the outset of the writing journey.

Her written style is excellent, worth studying for itself. It puts the pedestrian style of many other how-to-write writers to shame.

Ms Brande also strikes a refreshingly honest balance between encouragement (anyone can become a writer, with persistence and application) and realism (but it may not be the path for you).

It's very much a book of it's period: writing about the different weights of paper to use in your typewriter; and clearly influenced by the trendy new studies in psychology at that time.

I'm adding my review, because I'm very surprised it's not garnered more votes.

It's an inspiring book, an encouraging guide, a wise teacher, and an enjoyable read. An essential buy, in my view!

F31

The One, The Only Writer's Guide
There is only one guide on how to become a fully fledged writer of fiction and this is it. The rest are footnotes. First published in 1934, it is still published because it works. Many have used it, some have plagiarised it (the Artist's Way being chief among suspects) none have bettered it. There's only one book that can help the budding author as much and that is McKee's "Story".