Showing posts with label being a literary writer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label being a literary writer. Show all posts

Thursday 11 September 2014

Book Review: Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose

Today I share my review of Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose


A delightful read!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. It was a birthday gift from a friend, and I did really enjoy reading it. At first I was unsure because I felt like the author was simply showing off her own academic knowledge of books, and I wondered about why she shared such lengthy extracts from other stories to fill her book. However, after the first chapter I really got into the stride, and I delighted in the language she used, how she demonstrated her sheer love of reading, and then she proceeded to explain that actually, all of these traditional writing rules are made to be broken, but sometimes they can be used to good effect. This book made me feel good about my own writing, because I can see my talent compared to the extracts I read. It also gave me some new authors and stories to explore, and there is an extensive reading list at the back which I will take great pleasure in ticking off (although it might take many years to succeed!) All in all I recommend this book to readers and writers alike, especially if you take pleasure in wordplay.

Friday 17 January 2014

Inspiration for a Bestseller #ReadMe

Earlier today I was walking into town to collect my daughter from pre-school when a very insignificant event gave me a flash of inspiration that set my imagination alight. Hooray! Finally I have that million-dollar idea for a bestselling literary novel. I'm not even joking. The idea might not sound like a bestseller to a lot of people but I can see its potential. I won't give too many details, suffice to say it involves a doppelgänger and everyday situations.



Since I have several works in progress at the moment I won't drop everything to write this one. Besides, I feel it needs time to manifest in my mind and for me to collect more life experience to include in the novel. It will be written for a female audience and include themes of motherhood, the work/life balance, and ideas about what makes for an exciting life in 21st century Britain. I might even need a little more genre-specific academic training so that I can produce a fine manuscript to attract an agent, but I will decide that in due course.

I love being a writer!

*Image courtesy of Artsyville