The Strange and Confusing Struggle to Be a Writer
Romantic as it may sound, learning to write well involves going down many blind alleys, following advice that is useless, and coming to realize it’s not what they presented; there are few rules you can use.
Writers need to read; we are told more times than we wish to hear. In fact, we hear this or read this so often that sometimes I would like to stuff cotton into my ears or put blinders on my eyes, not to have to read that mandate once again.
But here I am, wanting to write and wanting to know how to write well. Elementary school gave me the basics of the language, which I have to admit I have not conquered in Stephen King's manner, who embarrasses me with his grammar knowledge. Yes, he even taught English grammar.
At one time in my life, having heard this rule about writers needing to read, I dutifully, every payday, on my lunch hour, marched into a place called The Open Bookstore in the Graybar Building in Manhattan.
I had a list of the 100 books that every educated person (educated, I think is a little over the top) must read during their lifetime. Today, I would like to meet the person who has read all 100 of those books and ask them if it was…
