Writers’ Book Club (July-Aug)

We’ve tried in the past to have a Write Now! group book club based on Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award and Man Booker Prize winners. Since that didn’t go over very well, I’m changing the topic to the craft of writing. And instead of offering one or two books, this time I’m picking up the format used by @bookwyrmm and her seasonal reading swaps where several titles are offered and you pick the one you’re interested in.

There are tons of craft books on the market. Some are classics, others have recently been released. As writers, we should always look to expand our base of knowledge and grow in our craft. So let’s read those how-to books.

For this swap, 12 different craft books covering a variety of topics will be offered. You’ll have two months to read the single book of your choice and then send to two partners a two-page letter that includes the title/author of your chosen book, why you chose that one, a summary of the book, what you got (or didn’t get) out of the book and whether you’d recommend it to others. All of this should be in no less than 2 pages.

Already read a book on the list? Please choose something that’s new to you. The idea here is to learn and to grow as writers.

If you’d like to read more than one, feel free to do so. One book is the minimum. I’ve included sub-titles where applicable to assist you as you decide.

Here are the titles for July/August 2012 Writers’ Book Club:

• “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King

• “The Life of Poetry” by Muriel Rukeyser

• “Old Friend From Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir” by Natalie Goldberg

• “The Fire in Fiction: Passion, Purpose, and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great” by Donald Maass

• “19th Century American Writers on Writing” edited by Brenda Wineapple

• "The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile” by Noah Lukeman

• “Stein on Writing” by Sol Stein

• “The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot” by Charles Baxter

• “The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer's Block, and the Creative Brain” by Alice Weaver Flaherty

• “Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie Goldberg

• “The Art of the Short Story: 52 Great Authors, Their Best Short Fiction, and Their Insights on Writing” edited by Dana Gioia and R. S. Gwynn

• “The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear” by Ralph Keyes

Recap:

• Pick a book and read it.
• In a 2-page letter, include the title/author, why you chose it, a summary, what you learned from it and if you’d recommend it.
• Snail mail letter to two partners.

Group membership. Snail mail. International.

Sneak peek to the Sept-Oct Book Club: Among the dozen books offered will be titles by William Zinnsser, Chris Baty, Annie Dillard and Robert Mckee. Have suggestions for books in future Writers’ Book Club swaps? Post below!