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.
When I finished Mortal Coils this September I did an interview to answer a few of the questions my readers would have. Here it is in .mp3 format.
