| REVIEW FROM: AMERICAN LITERATURE JOURNAL
It is downright refreshing to read a straightforward, no-nonsense
account of how a successful storyteller goes about his craft. There is no pretension in
this account of one popular writer who goes about the job of earning his living by
entertaining and informing his readers. Making no claims to literary stature, Matthew
Braun only claims to have achieved a certain success in the popular marketplace and wants
to share his experience with others.
Braun defines and examines the various forms the novel has taken and
the various approaches to the telling of a good story. His analysis of how to write spans
the horizon from questions about which topic or theme to choose, to whether the first- or
third-person narration is best. Particularly useful is his analysis of the relationship
between fact and fiction in the telling of a good story. The advantage that Braun has is
he can repeatedly refer to his own novels and honestly evaluate their unsuccessful as well
as successful parts. One of the most intriguing aspects of his analysis is his detailed
discussion of the ‘mystical bond’ which he claims exists between a writer and
the characters, wherein the characters assume a life of their own and pester the writer
until their story is fully told. His discussion of good dialogue and how to create it is
both very practical and very astute. After having carefully analyzed the types of dialogue
that work and those that don’t, he concludes that the best teacher for good dialogue
is "jawboning with common folks."
But where Braun excels is in his discussion of the seriousness and
difficulty of good writing. For him, "Sentences are damn serous business."
Outlining is not a limitation of the writer’s impulses, but a way of freeing the
writer to successfully explore the craft of writing and it marketplace. In his chapter
entitled, "Inspiration vs. Perspiration," Braun details the role discipline must
play in any successful writer’s life. For him the only good writer is one who is
hungry to write. His axiom is simply that, "Writing is a discipline and discipline
makes the writer." That discipline must, according to Braun, include a devotion to
research because attending to the details is what marks novels of excellence.
Braun’s lessons are for all popular writers. His practical advice
about the process of submitting a manuscript, selecting an agent, and dealing with editors
is useful for any aspiring writer who aims to succeed in the popular marketplace.
Top of page |
