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Good Prose The Art of Nonfiction Tracy Kidder Richard Todd 8601423347196 Books

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Good Prose The Art of Nonfiction Tracy Kidder Richard Todd 8601423347196 Books

Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction is not what I expected. The title suggests this book, like most craft books, will provide a cohesive guide to writing good nonfiction. Instead, the authors Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd have assembled a collection of essays discussing their thoughts regarding the writing process, specifically as it pertains to writing nonfiction works like memoirs, essays, and the like. The story they share is touching and thoughtful, and occasionally I found their reflections to be helpful and insightful, but overall the topics covered are not explored thoroughly. If you are looking for a philosophical discussion on writing non-fiction, then this book works. If you are looking for a solid how-to craft book, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

Good Prose shines here and there, particularly when the chapter focuses on a relevant writing topic, like the ones on narratives and essays. In the narrative section, the authors place a strong emphasis on settings. Settings, they argue, are needed in order for the characters to live. The setting of a work communicates what is at stake: what is the character trying to do? What does he fear? What is he trying to hide? What does he hope to gain? Settings are used to help the reader imagine, and therefore figure out why the characters do what they do, or feel as they do. The ultimate goal with all of this is to not only make the reader understand the character in the story, but help the reader better understand themselves as well. A writer wants a reader to place themselves within a setting so they can envision their own character. I found this lesson on settings to be as useful for fiction as it is for nonfiction.

Regarding narration, one of the arguments the writers make involves the choice between past and present tense. They assert that it is better to avoid the present tense because it “proves all too convenient for many writers” (44). I agree. When I read present tense, it comes across as a melodramatic effort to engage me as a reader, to create a false sense of urgency instead of just telling the story. Not only that, the authors of Good Prose argue that present tense has a tendency to “commandeer the reader’s attention” in a way that engenders resistance (ibid). When we read something like “It’s a stormy day and the clock says 3:00” and we look outside and see that it’s a sunny morning, it can jar us out of our suspension of disbelief. This is definitely something I always try to avoid in my own writing, and I am glad to see the authors of Good Prose hold to the same position.

My favorite section of the book covered the topic of essays. The chapter opens: “There is something you want to say, and yet you are dogged by the perennial questions—sometimes useful, but sometimes fatal—that can visit any writer. Who am I to be writing this?” (67). As most writers go on to learn, chances are nobody really asked you for your opinion. But the authors argue that if your idea is fresh, you’ll surprise more people than just yourself, because a good essay transcends mere argument. Interestingly enough, I noticed a parallel between the argument here in Good Prose and Stanley Fish’s How to Write a Sentence. Kidder and Todd believe that essays can and should be extra-logical, meaning that as a writer, you can approach your essays with an associate style of writing, rather than strict linear thought. For a journalist or a nonfiction writer used to formal strictures often found in other media like journalism, the essay offers unparalleled freedom. Additionally, the authors insist that all essays are personal. They don’t need to make huge, broad pronouncements, but they must bear the imprint of an individual mind. Original ideas must be present. Essays are “like poems in that they may confront old wisdom in a fresh way” (70). I agree with this advice on essay writing and hope to incorporate it into my own essays in the future. I am drawn to essays because they offer the most freedom, and as a fiction writer, I like the approach laid out here by both Kidder and Todd.

Unfortunately, much of Good Prose reads like a memoir. The authors are actually an author-editor pair who worked together for many years. As such, much of the book centers on their memories regarding nonfiction writing, editing, and the process of publication. It’s written in a conversational style, and the musings are interesting. Some of the musings are actually relevant to the subject of good prose, but a lot of it is not. That is not to say the book is bad, it is just not what I expected from a craft book. Finding the nuggets in the story can be a bit of a challenge, especially when it appears many of the chapters are written in the associative style mentioned above. For a craft book, it’s different, and that makes it enjoyable. A pleasant break from the usual structure seen in Writer’s Digest books. So if you’d like an inspiring writer’s story with bits of nonfiction writing advice sprinkled in, give this a try. Fiction writers be warned: you will only be fed a few sparse crumbs.


Tags : Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction [Tracy Kidder, Richard Todd] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY KIRKUS REVIEWS</i></b> Good Prose</i> is an inspiring book about writing—about the creation of good prose—and the record of a warm and productive literary friendship. The story begins in 1973,Tracy Kidder, Richard Todd,Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction,Random House,1400069750,Authorship,Literary,Writing Skills,Authorship.,Creative nonfiction;Authorship.,Prose literature;Authorship.,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Literary Figures,Biography & Autobiography Literary,CREATIVE WRITING,Creative nonfiction,General Adult,JOURNALISTIC WRITING,LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES Writing Authorship,Language Arts & Disciplines Authorship,Non-Fiction,Prose literature,REFERENCE,Reference Writing Skills,Techniques,United States

Good Prose The Art of Nonfiction Tracy Kidder Richard Todd 8601423347196 Books Reviews

Though I have 3 self-published and 2 soon to be released traditionally published books, I consider myself to be a mostly untrained writer. To that end, I try to read every book about the art of writing I can such as Stephen King's "On Writing."

This book is both inspirational and educational. Some reviewers have complained that the friendship narrative is too strong and that the educational aspect is too light. I rather enjoyed the balance. This is not a how-to guide; rather it is a series of the most important epiphanies that a writer and his editor experienced during a decades long partnership.

Here are my takeaways
- "imagine for the reader an intelligence at least equal to the intelligence you imagine for yourself"
- "Good writing creates a dialogue between writer and reader, with the imagined reader at moments questioning, criticizing, and sometimes, you hope, assenting."
- "Beginnings [of books, articles, etc.] are an exercise in limits."
- "Clarity does not always mean brevity or simplicity."
- "[Putting most important facts of a story first] translates poorly to longer forms of writing."
- "The most important conflict often happens within a character, or within the narrator."
- "Revelation, someone's learning something, is what transforms event into story."
- "Point of view is a place to stand, but more than that, a way to think and feel."
- "As a rule, the smaller the canvas, the more intrusive the first person is likely to be."
- "Writers of fiction and nonfiction still have the distinctive and necessary task of getting the reader to do the necessary work of imagining... what we want are essences."
- "Above all, setting tells what is at issue."
- "Kidder discovers his stories by writing and rewriting them."
- "The fundamental elements of a story's structure are proportion and order."
- "the good and honest memoir is neither revenge nor self-justification, neither self-celebration nor self-abnegation. It is a record of learning."
- "Memoirists operation on a continuum between recollection and dramatization."
- "But originality and profundity are not identical. Profound ideas bear repeating, or rediscovery, and many original ideas do not."
- "Self-doubt, fatal in so many enterprises, fortifies the essay."
- "Assume that all potential subjects don't understand what they might be getting into, and tell them what you know about the possible consequences, especially the unpleasant ones."
- "One of the most helpful things an editor can say to a writer is, 'Make this two sentences.'"
- "Write the way you talk on your best day. Write the way you would like to talk."
- "Whatever art any book achieves may or may not be rewarded in the marketplace, but art isn't generally achieved with the market in mind."
- "... there are at least two kinds or rewriting. The first is trying to fix what you've already written... the second [better] kind [is]... figuring out the essential thing you're trying to do and looking for better ways to tell your story."
- "Don't try to tell the reader how to feel."
- "It has taken on average, about three years for [Kidder] to research and write a [nonfiction] book."
- "When the proof pages come, we read the book aloud to each other, pausing now and then to imagine bad reviews..."
- "That was when I began to learn a skill which for me needs constant relearning, how to fall out of love with my own words."
- "Everyone can sense when someone is looking for the good within them, and it opens people to questioning in a way that reveals the good and everything else as well."
- "Editors, in any medium, should avoid rewriting."
- "Most problems in writing are structural, even on the scale of the page. Something isn't flowing properly. The logic or the dramatic logic is off."

There are also a number of technical (style & grammar tips) but the gist of the material (minus the narrative) is what I have summarized above.
So much is written about writing fiction that it's always refreshing to come across a book that deals exclusively with nonfiction. And Good Prose is one of the best of this lot.

What I found most interesting and valuable were the chapters on the editing and publishing process and philosophy, specifically Chapters 7 and 8. I'd love all my editing clients to read those!

While it deals with nonfiction books and articles in the traditional and media publishing arenas, there are lessons even for authors who are self published. It's only weakness is that it focuses primarily on nonfiction genres such as memoirs, essays, journalism, etc. How-to and advice nonfiction books are not discussed.

The accounts of the very close working friendship between editor (Todd) and writer (Kidder) seem quite idyllic and atypical for today's tight publishing budgets and deadlines. (Their relationship began in the 1970s.)

A must-read for writers and editors of nonfiction!

Heidi Thorne, Editor & Author of Self Publishing Tips Library
Good Prose The Art of Nonfiction is not what I expected. The title suggests this book, like most craft books, will provide a cohesive guide to writing good nonfiction. Instead, the authors Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd have assembled a collection of essays discussing their thoughts regarding the writing process, specifically as it pertains to writing nonfiction works like memoirs, essays, and the like. The story they share is touching and thoughtful, and occasionally I found their reflections to be helpful and insightful, but overall the topics covered are not explored thoroughly. If you are looking for a philosophical discussion on writing non-fiction, then this book works. If you are looking for a solid how-to craft book, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

Good Prose shines here and there, particularly when the chapter focuses on a relevant writing topic, like the ones on narratives and essays. In the narrative section, the authors place a strong emphasis on settings. Settings, they argue, are needed in order for the characters to live. The setting of a work communicates what is at stake what is the character trying to do? What does he fear? What is he trying to hide? What does he hope to gain? Settings are used to help the reader imagine, and therefore figure out why the characters do what they do, or feel as they do. The ultimate goal with all of this is to not only make the reader understand the character in the story, but help the reader better understand themselves as well. A writer wants a reader to place themselves within a setting so they can envision their own character. I found this lesson on settings to be as useful for fiction as it is for nonfiction.

Regarding narration, one of the arguments the writers make involves the choice between past and present tense. They assert that it is better to avoid the present tense because it “proves all too convenient for many writers” (44). I agree. When I read present tense, it comes across as a melodramatic effort to engage me as a reader, to create a false sense of urgency instead of just telling the story. Not only that, the authors of Good Prose argue that present tense has a tendency to “commandeer the reader’s attention” in a way that engenders resistance (ibid). When we read something like “It’s a stormy day and the clock says 300” and we look outside and see that it’s a sunny morning, it can jar us out of our suspension of disbelief. This is definitely something I always try to avoid in my own writing, and I am glad to see the authors of Good Prose hold to the same position.

My favorite section of the book covered the topic of essays. The chapter opens “There is something you want to say, and yet you are dogged by the perennial questions—sometimes useful, but sometimes fatal—that can visit any writer. Who am I to be writing this?” (67). As most writers go on to learn, chances are nobody really asked you for your opinion. But the authors argue that if your idea is fresh, you’ll surprise more people than just yourself, because a good essay transcends mere argument. Interestingly enough, I noticed a parallel between the argument here in Good Prose and Stanley Fish’s How to Write a Sentence. Kidder and Todd believe that essays can and should be extra-logical, meaning that as a writer, you can approach your essays with an associate style of writing, rather than strict linear thought. For a journalist or a nonfiction writer used to formal strictures often found in other media like journalism, the essay offers unparalleled freedom. Additionally, the authors insist that all essays are personal. They don’t need to make huge, broad pronouncements, but they must bear the imprint of an individual mind. Original ideas must be present. Essays are “like poems in that they may confront old wisdom in a fresh way” (70). I agree with this advice on essay writing and hope to incorporate it into my own essays in the future. I am drawn to essays because they offer the most freedom, and as a fiction writer, I like the approach laid out here by both Kidder and Todd.

Unfortunately, much of Good Prose reads like a memoir. The authors are actually an author-editor pair who worked together for many years. As such, much of the book centers on their memories regarding nonfiction writing, editing, and the process of publication. It’s written in a conversational style, and the musings are interesting. Some of the musings are actually relevant to the subject of good prose, but a lot of it is not. That is not to say the book is bad, it is just not what I expected from a craft book. Finding the nuggets in the story can be a bit of a challenge, especially when it appears many of the chapters are written in the associative style mentioned above. For a craft book, it’s different, and that makes it enjoyable. A pleasant break from the usual structure seen in Writer’s Digest books. So if you’d like an inspiring writer’s story with bits of nonfiction writing advice sprinkled in, give this a try. Fiction writers be warned you will only be fed a few sparse crumbs.