Back to Basics
In martial arts getting good comes from hard work, practice, and the mastery of the basic moves. These moves can later be built into complex sequences or it can be something as fundamental as a proper fighting stance.
The same thing applies to writing: You must practice the basics.
So as I'm preparing for my next major projects it’s time to go back to two of my favorite primary sources and review the basics of writing.
The first is THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE (3rd ed.) by William Strunk and E.B. White. Less than 100 pages but packed with more highly concentrated advice than you’ll ever see anywhere. Ever. I re-read this a few time a year.
My other “basic” book is more controversial. It’s STORY by Robert McKee. The book is geared towards screenwriting and often criticized as being overly complex...but I think it isn’t when you consider what McKee does. He breaks down storytelling into its fundamental particles and shows how to build a fascinating tale from the ground up. It’s like quantum mechanics for writers!
But his explanations and methods are a lot to take in. I found this book after writing for ten years...and even then there were parts I had to re-read several times to fully understand. Still, if you have the determination to study McKee and his methods, it can be rewarding.
The same thing applies to writing: You must practice the basics.
So as I'm preparing for my next major projects it’s time to go back to two of my favorite primary sources and review the basics of writing.
The first is THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE (3rd ed.) by William Strunk and E.B. White. Less than 100 pages but packed with more highly concentrated advice than you’ll ever see anywhere. Ever. I re-read this a few time a year.
My other “basic” book is more controversial. It’s STORY by Robert McKee. The book is geared towards screenwriting and often criticized as being overly complex...but I think it isn’t when you consider what McKee does. He breaks down storytelling into its fundamental particles and shows how to build a fascinating tale from the ground up. It’s like quantum mechanics for writers!
But his explanations and methods are a lot to take in. I found this book after writing for ten years...and even then there were parts I had to re-read several times to fully understand. Still, if you have the determination to study McKee and his methods, it can be rewarding.
posted by Eric Nylund at 10:01 AM
16 Comments:
Nice to see a writer letting us know about some valuable material. I'll certainly be giving these ones a look.
That's a thing you come to know about Eric. He's generous as he is talented.
I'll be picking up these books for sure. Thanks, Eric.
hmmm... My list of "going to buy" is becoming uncomfortably long. still these sounds like good material for my writing.
I had read numerous screenwriting books and even taken a David Freeman seminar in hopes of learnign the skillz I needed to make it. Once I discovered and read "Story" I threw out all the rest. I really don't think there's any other book you need in order to learn the fundamentals of screenwriting.
McKee is great but it doesn’t teach you screenplay formatting. For that I like the Screenwriter’s Bible by David Trottier.
PS: I’ll be taking a few days off—away from the internet—so I’ll talk with everyone after the New Year! Happy Holidays everyone.
ohh
good stuff
i might check it out
have you considered getting movies made of your books?
my friend and i agree the signal books would be rockin
Laban—Rockin, absolutely! The Signal books were almost optioned a few years ago but the interested parties wanted to remove the VR technologies, the gateway, the aliens...and make it more or a virus-invades-the-earth type thing?!
I kept the rights and passed.
After the movie 300, however, pretty much proved you can do _any_ movie now with green screens, I still have hope for a Signal movie one day.
ha.
war of the worlds
good choice
yah 300 was insane seeing that makes me think it might be easy to do a movie. but thats just me.
If you get really desperate, the SciFi Channel might take it. I mean, they made SS Doomtrooper. And Mansquito. No offense to the folks that worked hard on each, but...damn...With their penchant to use actors from the Stargates in their...ah..."films" you might get to meet one of them! I haven't had cable in forever so I have no idea if they've used actors from Battlestar Galactica, but that'd be kinda sweet too. Might almost make up for being a SciFi Channel joint.
More on topic, I'm so enthralled with The Elements of Style that when the illustrated version came out, my husband got it for me on the first day it touched shelves. It's one of my most treasured possessions.
I'm very much going to check out Story, though. I like complex. And what amounts to a zombie cat in a box. Although, I'm more a fan of Richard Feynman than Erwin Schrödinger.
How do you know if you're writing a good novel especially if you haven't read a book like what Eric is using?
Or any book of that sort?
Still, I am planning to buy at least one of those two books.
I'm currenly reading Halo: First Strike. I really find it intriguing and sometimes funny. I really like the way how Eric made some dialogues and events funny right in the middle of a serious situation. I'm also looking for the other books.
Speaking of movies, isn't there a movie of Halo coming up. I've heard the shooting was delayed because of lack of funds. Microsoft waited for the release of Halo 3 so they have something to get funds from.
I don't have Elements of Style - something I remedied a moment ago on Amazon-dot-com
A book I find that I frequently turn to is 'Write Right' by Jan Venolia. It focuses more on Grammar and punctuation, but has been useful resource to a guy who's been out of school for eleven years.
Viperz_d - Yes the Halo movie is currently in development at the WETA Workshop in New Zealand. They also made the Halo: Arms Race series.
On Topic - these books seem interesting, I'll give them a try. I'm willing to try anything apart from Internet walkthroughs... I got sick of them.
I love Story and it's on the list to reread this month. It is true that it's complicated, and it's hard to take it all in and use, but the content is brilliant.
Great recommendations, Eric!
Nikoda – I’ll have to check out that illustrated version of _Elements_. Very cool. Thanks!
Viper z_d – How do you know what you’ve written is good? That’s a tough one. Objectively only comes after years of experience...and even then, you can’t be sure. That’s why you show what you’ve written to other people for their option (see my previous blog entry on “readers.”)
J.A. F. – I’ll check out the Venolia book!
UNSC Trooper – I wouldn’t make assumptions about the HALO movie. There are too many rumors floating around out there.
Mike – Thanks! I’ll have to post and show what happens when you follow McKee’s methods with a large novel: a 24 page spreadsheet of 10-point story beats...over 200 3 x 5 cards filled with a chronology of those beats—all to get a decent outline. It’s intense!
eric i have only red the halo books but it is enouph to make me know that you are better than any writer i have
ever heard of before. so when i heard
about your suggestions on these two books i ran out and bought them! thank you so much for starting this site it helps allot!
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