Off the Page: Writers Talk About Beginnings, Endings, and Everything In Between by Carole Burns (Editor), Marie Arana (Introduction)

From the Publisher

How do writers approach a new novel? Do they start with plot, character, or theme? A. S. Byatt starts with color. E. L. Doctorow begins with an image. In Off the Page, authors tell us how they work, giving insight into their writing process. Gathered from some of today's best writers-Paul Auster, Martin Amis, Gish Jen, Dan Chaon, Alice McDermott, and many others interviewed on washingtonpost.com's "Off the Page" series-host Carole Burns has woven their wisdom into chapters illuminating to any writer or reader. How does place influence authors? How do they make a sex scene work? How do they tell when the work is done? Walter Mosley defying genre; Shirley Hazzard on love; Michael Cunningham on compassion: these and more from Richard Ford, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Charles Baxter will deepen your appreciation for the art of writing and excite you to try new ways of writing yourself.

Stacy Russo - Library Journal

Editor Burns started interviewing writers in October 2003 for the Washington Post's online literary chat sessions, Off the Page." Realizing she was collecting real gems led her to shape excerpts from the conversations into this book, in which popular contemporaries like Joyce Carol Oates, A.S. Byatt, Michael Cunningham, Gish Jen, Jhumpa Lahiri, Tobias Wolff, and Alice McDermott comment on various topics mostly relating to fiction. They discuss the ideas behind their stories, how their approaches to writing stories vs. novels differ, the revision process, how they determine when a work is complete, the influence of place, sources of inspiration, and more. In the final section, "Words of Wisdom," the interviewees provide advice to those on the path toward becoming writers. This is not a writing manual, yet it may provide insight and comfort to those who are struggling with their craft. A larger audience for the book includes readers who enjoy discovering the behind-the-scenes work of the writing life. Recommended for larger public libraries and academic libraries supporting writing programs. [The book has, in any case, inspired Burns: she is currently at work on her first novel.-Ed.]

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents