writing

I have loved Terry Brooks' work since the Sword of Shannara. I remember picking the book up in the late 70's and it blew my socks off. Later I had heard that he ripped off Tolkien, but back then I didn't know who Tolkien was, and when I did find out and tried to read the Hobbit for the first time I concluded that I liked Brooks better. I liked his writing style better. To me he is the best epic fantasy writer to date.

In this book Terry describes or imparts his journey along the way. From before the release of Sword to the present day. He is very insightful to his own internal processes and offers guidance to the wanna-be writers out there like me.

I bought this book with a little trepidation. I found that I really enjoyed it and could sense who he was and more about what writing was and is all about.

If you like Terry Brooks and his writing and want to learn to write fiction, you'll like this book.

Shame on me, I know...I've never read a Brooks novel. As a writer, though, I was interested to read his insights on the writing life. The book looked readable. Helpful. Witty.

I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I read the entire thing in one evening. From peeks into the labor of the editing process to the debacle of writing the novelization of a movie, Brooks is honest and informative. He gives glimpses into his own beginnings and inspiration without seeming self-absorbed. He points future writers in the direction of hard work and quality craft. He offers a wonderful look into the joys of fiction.

Stephen King and Anne Lamott have written sublime books on the world of an author, and now Terry Brooks adds to the list a book worthy of his predecessors. If I had any doubts about his writing, I've now put those aside.

Time for me to grab one of his novels!

I have been a big Terry Brooks fan since first reading the "Sword of Shannara" nearly 25 years ago. His writing style has been often criticized, but mostly due to unfair comparisons with JRR Tolkien, although it is unlikely anyone writing in the same genre would stand up to the legend. That said Brooks deserves much credit for his accomplishments. His books never fail to deliver.

What is different about this endeavor is that it is not fiction, but rather reads like a friendly conversation about his writing style and the process he uses to write his stories. I was captivated and encouraged by how he uses some simple and straightforward techniques, including outlining, to put his ideas onto paper.

I have been thinking of several books that are just waiting to be written, and am inspired by his insights and encouragement to take a few risks and just get started.

A very interesting read, and an insightful look behind the scenes. Equal parts talent, writing ability, hard work and luck enabled Terry Brooks to get to the top and stay there for twenty years. No reason why it cannot happen to someone else. I recommend this book to anyone who has been a fan of his work, or is thinking of writing themselves.