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Do you find books and magazines on Writing helps you too?

AlanaAlana
edited December 2011 in - Writing Tales
I find by reading back on collected Writing Magazines gives me more confidence in my own writing. It pushes me to write more.
I was feeling a bit negative yesterday so today I visited the library and borrowed a book, 'How To Write' by Richard Rhobes. So far I have read two chapters and by it I managed to sit down at my desk and type up one page today for my next short story club.
Do you find book and magazines on Writing helps you too?
Alana

Comments

  • CarolACarolA
    Yes, I have always found Writing Magazine a huge source of inspiration to me. It's always been packed with interesting articles, ideas, suggestions. After reading it my mind is filled with lots of new ideas. It is my my favourite magazine.
    I don't buy books devoted to writing.
    I do enjoy listening to book programmes on the radio, or anything that mentions writing.
    The same applies to the television.
    Carol A.
  • pbwpbw
    I have several books which I found enormously useful. I have one or two which I read regularly for the power of the thinking rather than the writing advice. Writing Magazine provides a wealth of information and also helps to reassure you that your own thinking is on the right track, or points a new direction when you are stuck.

    Keep searching, you will turn up some gems.
  • CarolCarol
    I do think as your writing style and skills develop, books and magazines are a good way of encouraging you to try new stuff, and even look at an old subject in a new way.

    After all, writing always has new opportunities coming about and we have to keep up to date.
  • Baggy BooksBaggy Books
    You have to get the balance right - don't forget that it doesn't matter how much you read about writing, you have to do it too. Theory's great - but let the creative juices flow too. The most perfectly written piece won't get published if the story's naff.
  • Phots MollPhots Moll
    [quote=Baggy Books] don't forget that it doesn't matter how much you read about writing, you have to do it too. [/quote] Excellent point.

    WM & WN are handy for finding out about competitions and other news and both magazines and books can be encouraging - but have too many and their main use is as an aid to procrastination.
  • StirlingStirling
    I think Googling favourite authors, agents for interviews etc is very useful too.

    I also check out The Bookseller every morning to keep up with what's going on in the business side.
  • CarolCarol
    Yes, the Bookseller website is good, though they have now put quite a few things behind a paywall, but you can often find out a little bit more by going to the source and looking for latest press releases or info in other publications.
  • ClaudiaClaudia
    Writing Magazine/Writers' News and several 'how to' books most definitely helped me when I was starting out and I still use them for help and inspiration.


    [quote=Baggy Books]The most perfectly written piece won't get published if the story's naff.[/quote]

    That reminds me of a critique I received many moons ago when I was first trying my hand at short story writing.
    I received a glowing report telling me that I was a 'fantastic writer' - but the subject of my story was wrong. (Not exactly a 'naff' story but an inappropriate subject for the competition I had entered.) It taught me a valuable lesson.
  • DwightDwight
    [quote=Stirling]I also check out The Bookseller every morning to keep up with what's going on in the business side. [/quote]
    Hey, that's a good idea, Stirling.

    I suppose different pathways will suit different writers, Alana. I live by 'how to' books on writing, and bought some of them through the WN website: go to Store in the top menu bar. I love browsing WN in Smiths: it always has half a dozen articles that seem to apply specifically to me. Writers' Forum pushes it hard as a competitor, in my view.

    One of the main inspirational springs for me is authors' or agents' blogs. I only wish I had 36 hours in the day to visit them all. I can certainly recommend Sarah Davies' blog in The Greenhouse, which is directed towards as yet unpublished authors. http://www.greenhouseliterary.com/index.php/site/index
  • cekaceka
    Way back in the dark reaches of time, when I started to wane on the Novel Writing and was fit to dump the whole idea of writing for publication in the bin, someone put me on to Writing Magazine
    I entered the Fairy Story competition
    I entered the Sea Story competition
    I never heard any more about either BUT

    Later I sent both stories - unchanged - to My Weekly and sold both first time out.

    Yes, Writing Magazine and Writers' Forum and LOTs of books on writing have helped and inspired me, and I wish I'd found them sooner that I did!
  • pbwpbw
    Hey Ceka!
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