The Writers Chapbook A Compendium of Fact, Opinion, Wit, and Advice from the Twentieth Centurys Preeminent Writers by George Plimpton

The Writers Chapbook A Compendium of Fact, Opinion, Wit, and Advice from the Twentieth Centurys Preeminent Writers Reviews

• 
  Jim Fonseca

  A collection of quotes from (mostly) famous writers. The quotes are organized by themes in about 40 sections ranging from “On Work Habits” and “On Character” to “On Short Stories” and “On Peers.” The larger organization of the book is A Profile of the Author (Habits, Revising, Critics); Technical Matters (Style, Plot, Characters); Forms of Writing and The Writer’s Life (On Teaching, On Peers, On Politics). Each chapter is simply a compilation of quotes; there is no introduction or summary to the chapters. Best dipped into at random.
  
  
  
  Dickens from likesuccess.com
• 
  Susanna Sturgis

  I'm not a fan of inspirational quote books, and the out-of-context one-liners zipping around social media drive me nuts, but I love this book. Some of the entries are short, but others are full-blown vignettes, all extracted from interviews conducted over several decades for The Paris Review. Writers who lived in different times and places are holding forth in the same room, and I get to listen in. An anecdote by William Faulkner may be followed a few pages later by a comment about Faulkner made after Faulkner was long dead.
  
  The book covers all sorts of topics that writers talk about often, and the "Technical Matters" section includes plenty of useful nuts-and-bolts wisdom about beginnings and endings, plot, characterization, dialogue, writer's block, and other challenges. I especially liked the chapter on symbols, though, or perhaps because, it will probably piss some English teachers off.
  
  Within each topic the contributions are arranged in alphabetical order. I just opened at random to two pages in "On Critics" where James Dickey -> J. P. Donleavy -> John Dos Passos -> Margaret Drabble -> Lawrence Durrell -> Aldous Huxley. The serendipitous conversations thus provoked are quite wonderful.
  
  Since I borrowed this book from the library, I went looking for my own copy -- and was shocked to learn that the going prices at OnlineBehemoth.com started at $299. I bid on a copy at MegaAuctionSite.com but bailed when the price soared past $30. It eventually went for $71. What to do, what to do? While typing this little review, I returned to OnlineBehemoth.com and what to my wondering eyes did appear but two used paperback copies for sale at less than $5 plus shipping. There's still one left. Go get it.
• 
  Bob Nichols

  The book is a collection of observations about writing from some well-known writers. The writers are all over the map in a good sense. My favorite quotes from various authors:
  
  • “circling the typewriter getting ready to write.”
  • “poetry is a language within a language.”
  • “The first discipline [in poetry] is the realization that there is a discipline…that any art is first and foremost a craft.“
  • ‘“Men should use common words to say uncommon things, but they do the opposite.’” Schopenhauer
  • "When a writer uses an “out-of-the-way word….the attention of the reader is distracted by the word.”
  • “Good ones [authors] don’t have time to bother with success or getting rich.”
  • “You do not create a style. You work, and develop yourself; your style is an emanation from your own being.”
  • “I truly do not care about a book once it is finished….The book dies a real death for me when I write the last word.” Steinbeck.
  • “One must avoid ambition in order to write. Otherwise something else is the goal….”
  • “Writing is more like a sculpture where you remove, you eliminate in order to make the work visible.”
  • “Hearing a poem, as opposed to reading it on the page, means you miss so much—the shape, the punctuation, the italics ….When you write a poem, you put everything into it that’s needed: the reader should ‘hear’ it just as clearly as if you were in the room saying it to him.”
  • ‘“I’ve written some poetry I don’t understand myself.’” Sandburg
  
• 
  Michael

  "The Writer's Chapbook" is a delightful book, composed of quotes from great writers of the 20th century, culled from The Paris Review about on topics such as work habits, style, criticism, and the writer's life. I particularly enjoyed the "portraits" section, with writers offering their thoughts about other writers, usually based on relationships or meetings. I gained additional insights on how these people related to others and to each other. George Plimpton, one of the founders of The Paris Review, wrote the introduction. This is a book that can be read in several sittings, or like me, over a period of several months since it's arranged in such a way that you can easily pick up where you left off and hardly lose a beat. As a writer, I found the book to be informative about how writers of every genre approach their work. I believe readers will also find the book to be enlightening and entertaining as it delves into all aspects of the craft.
• 
  Danyelle Read

  Exactly what it says it is, a compendium. What do you get when you listen to a slew of writers voicing their opinions on a variety of subject? Just that, a bunch of opinions, some helpful, some wishy washy, many conflicting views (which was most interesting), some subjective - almost stream of consciousness, suggesting they may have been off their game that day. Suspect that for anyone who reads it, there will be useable nuggets and much to skim. Enjoy it for the depth and breadth of the material and writers engaged.
• 
  Steven Paul Leiva

  A book to read while you are reading other books, not to mention writing if you happen to have that habit. All taken from Paris Review interviews these short to longish quotes answering questions about aspects of the writer's life, craft, thoughts, loves, likes, and hates proves, if nothing else, that each writer is an individual with individual ways, opinions, methods, styles, and experiences. And yet, something binds them all together. If you are a writer you will find both recognition and the opposite as you commune with members of your tribe.
• 
  Elizabeth

  who can argue with tenessee williams, eudora welty, f oconnor, k a porter truman capote, hemingway about what it means to write, why to do it, and what makes good writing?--well i guess they can argue with each other, and that's what they do in this book, virtually, that is, or more or less. It's reat fun.
• 
  Judith Shadford

  It took me forever to read it, just because the short segments made it easy to put down in favor of, oh, say, a novel. But it is a delightful compilation, more so because it was published in 1989--so there are writers included that have faded, others that are still underrated. But always wonderful. Kind of wish I had a hard-back edition--it's already showing signs of age.
• 
  Marcy Winograd

  I will be eternally grateful to my beloved father Sam Winograd for giving me this book of quotes, anecdotes, and reflections from writers on writing. I like this quote from writer John Irving, "A writer is a vehicle. I feel the story I am writing existed before I existed."
• 
  Shelley Schanfield

  Every novelist and poet should read this book. In the dark of night when you're sure it's all junk and you're feeling like an idiot and insane for even trying to write there's a quote that will get you out of your funk.
• 
  Jessica

  I enjoyed reading this but I don't think that I got much advice from it--could be because I was focusing more on the authors,
• 
  Jim Krosschell

  good section on the authors writers read, otherwise mostly a variation of practice and habit so big as to be almost meaningless.
• 
  Mary Pettigrew

  Great, must have for all writers or lovers of books and their authors! I re-read parts of it all the time and continue to learn something new!
• 
  Jeff Larbalestier

  A great book to put beside the bed and read short pieces of each night. Keep a pen or pencil handy, you will want to write down some of the better quotations.
• 
  Phil Slattery

  I pick this up occasionally to re-read parts. Thoroughly entertaining for anyone interested in writing.
• 
  Sam Klemens

  Brilliant book, very funny at times and overall a useful collection of writer's wit and advice.
• 
  Kevin Bjorke

  Hard to call this "finished" - a great book for random nibbling any time.
• 
  Cate

  I guess I was looking for a little more how-to and less woo woo about writing.
• 
  Charles

  wow i want this