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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 031
EAN: 9780393320039
ISBN: 0393320030
Label: W. W. Norton & Company
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 150
Publication Date: 1999-10
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Sales Rank: 217247
Studio: W. W. Norton & Company
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Average Rating: 
Rating:  - A lot of common sense, not necessarily what I expected.
For aspiring writers wanting to get some heavy insight into the steps, practices, discipline and a "how-to" look into becoming a Novelist, you may want to look elsewhere.
While "On Becoming a Novelist" is a decent read, I found the content somewhat disengaging making the book, overall, hard pressed to keep my attention.
Rating:  - The One Book Novelists Need to Read
Gardner's "Becoming a Novelist" is a career advice book for authors who are serious about writing novels. (Short story writers need not apply.) John Gardner was not a man to pull his punches, so expect brutal honesty--especially regarding his dim views of most science-fiction, horror, and other genre writing. While I can't say that I agree with every word that he wrote, "Becoming a Novelist" provides more food for thought for aspiring novelists than a dozen "how-to" writing books. It's short enough ... Read More
Rating: - Concise, Sympathetic, Sage Advice for the Aspiring Novelist
I first read On Becoming A Novelist in 1989. I thought a lot of the 145-page book at the time, but then steered clear of trying to write for a living and instead embarked on a fruitful fifteen year career as a self-employed software developer (creative writing of a sort, probably close to a million lines of code altogether, in the language of Visual Basic). As for whether I would have been happier and better off financially if I had eschewed software development for novel writing back in 1989, I will ... Read More
Rating: - Every writer should read this book
I first read Gardner's "The Art of Fiction" some years ago. It was a fine book with some sound advice. However, it read too much like a how-to book for my tastes. And the how-to advice seemed a bit too formulaic. Though I am sure it is a fine book for instruction, especially for people who are just starting to look at fiction seriously.
"On Becoming a Novelist" is a different book all together. It deals more with the philosophy and life of writing. It is simply a joy to read. It does not ... Read More
Rating:  - Every aspiring writer should read this
If you're planning on becoming a novelist rather than just writing a novel - and I do believe there's a difference - you must pick up this book. It's 145 pages dedicated to the most common question aspiring writers have:
"Do I have what it takes to be a writer?"
Of course this question doesn't have an easy answer, but John Gardner uses his years of experience as both a writer and teacher and throws in his two cents. The book is divided into four sections:
1. The Writer's ... Read More
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