Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life~Doug Wilson

Ever just feel like giving up your aspirations of writing?  I have, many times. Even though my mother was an English teacher/major and inspired me and taught me all she knew, and I've worked hard at it since I could write my ABC's, and read every book I could find, I still felt as if I couldn't become that writer I dreamed of being.

But after reading this, I've a renewed sense of determination. Sure writing is hard, but it's a good thing; and good things come from hard work. Wilson, in this 120 page book, gives down-to-earth practical advice on how to achieve those lofty aspirations.

"Be at peace with being lousy for a while. Chesterton once said that anything worth doing was worth doing badly. He was right. Only an insufferable egoist expects to be brilliant their first time out." D. Wilson-Wordsmithy

I love Wilson's entertaining wit. One of his chapters is titled "READ Until your Brain Creaks". Don't you just love it?

He makes valuable points such as:

• It's not enough to know one form of writing very well; you must speak all the languages.
• Your only limitation is when you limit yourself.
• Always remember your writing will have a message-a worldview ingrained.
• Authenticity in writing will only arise from authenticity in living.
• Read widely, for it shapes your voice.
• Read like a reader, not someone cramming for a test.
• Read like a lover of books and not like someone who wants to be seen as knowledgeable, or well-read, or scholarly.

"If a writer only uses 2 buttons on a remote of 150 buttons, if he uses a Swiss army knife for cutting bits of string, and only for cutting bits of string, and if his sense of culinary exploration is limited to brown gravy or no brown gravy, then he is not excited enough about life to be exciting to anyone else when he writes about it." D. Wilson

This book takes the cake on how to gain knowledge of writing and writing well! I couldn't put it down. If you are an aspiring writer such as myself, this is your book. Wilson is concise, witty, informative, and very inspiring in Wordsmithy.

" If you read widely you will become accustomed to many different voices. You will accumulate a great deal of experience with all of them. And out of that, your voice will be born and will be able to grow naturally." Doug Wilson 'Wordsmithy'

Age Interest: 16-adult