Bibliopath #3: In which a boy's life is changed by bird paintings
Dear reader,
Contentment is a strangely fading treasure. Like humility, as soon as you think you have it, that your quest is over, it fades away again in your hands, like a reverse Midas effect.
Our book today is for my old friend Nat, who bears the moniker of "fiercely intelligent" better than anyone I know, and who wrote me about our shared love of Ursula K. LeGuin, as well as Nat's first attempt at writing a short story. (Make sure you send it to me Nat!)
So the book is Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew, and it's kind of amazing. (Sarah, you may be interested too.)
For those who have tuned in recently, I found LeGuin last year after too long of not having read her and found that she was wise in the exact ways that I was looking to be wise, especially in the ethics of fiction, the dangers of lacking diversity, and the shores that story can bring us to. Not to mention that she has a back catalog that puts most authors, speculative fiction or otherwise, to shame.
Where many writing books try to begin with the author impressing you of their eloquence or their place in the canon, LeGuin boldly, brilliantly begins with the rhythms and pleasure of language itself. This sort of decision—towards fundamentals and craft and away from hype and guff—is the decision she makes throughout the book, and makes it the rare writing book that I'd recommend both to experienced writer and beginner.
If you like things I like, then you'll like LeGuin, and if you like LeGuin, then you won't think much of spending some money from writing lessons from one of the greats. (Oh, and if you do get it and want to bounce some writing exercises off me—I would be thrilled.)
And you, dear reader, what have you been thinking about this week?
Guan