On Becoming a Novelist
On Becoming a Novelist by John W Gardner, published by WW Norton on October 26, 1999, is a reprint edition comprising 172 pages in English. This book encapsulates the insights Gardner gained during his extensive career as a fiction writer and creative writing instructor. With a blend of elegance and humor, Gardner explores the realities of a novelist’s life, addressing both the internal and external challenges writers face, while offering a realistic perspective on the joys and difficulties inherent in the profession.
Readers will find a thoughtful examination of various aspects of writing, including the value of workshops, the roles of agents and editors, and the pitfalls of literary elitism. Gardner’s reflections serve as a practical guide for those genuinely drawn to the craft of writing. This edition provides a comprehensive overview of the creative process, making it a valuable resource for aspiring novelists and those interested in the art of writing.
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“One of the greatest creative writing teachers we’ve ever had.” —Frederick Busch
On Becoming a Novelist contains the wisdom accumulated during John Gardner’s distinguished twenty-year career as a fiction writer and creative writing teacher. With elegance, humor, and sophistication, Gardner describes the life of a working novelist; warns what needs to be guarded against, both from within the writer and from without; and predicts what the writer can reasonably expect and what, in general, he or she cannot. “For a certain kind of person,” Gardner writes, “nothing is more joyful or satisfying than the life of a novelist.” But no other vocation, he is quick to add, is so fraught with professional and spiritual difficulties. Whether discussing the supposed value of writer’s workshops, explaining the role of the novelist’s agent and editor, or railing against the seductive fruits of literary elitism, On Becoming a Novelist is an indispensable, life-affirming handbook for anyone authentically called to the profession. “A miraculously detailed account of the creative process.”—Anne Tyler, Baltimore Sun
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