In Uncle Orson’s 2005 Writing Class, OSC recommended several essential authors and books to read in both fiction and non-fiction. I have read a few of them now, but I know I missed several.
Does anyone have a list of books suggested in one of Orson's classes? I know there were several of you in the 2005 class who kept copious notes (this was in addition to the printed list that he handed out).
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
There's an article on him at "Barnes & Noble University" where he lists 15-20 books, things like Guns, Germs & Steel ,Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, and Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I've listed them on the "Discussions about OSC" forum as well. But I'm feeling a bit lazy at the moment.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
I don't know what was on his list, but I know he highly recommends Lost Country Life to anyone writing medieval fantasy. There was also that book about baboons ...
Posted by Louiseoneal (Member # 3494) on :
Barnes and Noble link. That reminds me, I need to find out if the library has Guns Germs and Steel, I've been wanting to read that.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
A glance at the list tells me I've read all but four of them...and they sound like terrific reads, at the very least.
Posted by TMan1969 (Member # 3552) on :
I found several books that take me away from just reading sci-fi and fantasy. My favorite one was John Irving's "Son of the Circus".
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
You can't just read science fiction and fantasy...it hasn't formed a majority of my reading for many years now...I'm lucky if I read one SF book a month, and usually an old one at that...
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
People can. My Main Problem (TM) is that I haven't read hardly any. I guess it wouldn't be a problem if I weren't interesting in writing any.
Posted by Garp (Member # 2919) on :
Interesting list.
And it seems that pooka has raised an interesting question. Asked broadly, it is this: "What's the relationship between what a writer writes and what a writer reads?"
Asked another way: "Should a writer who wants to write X-kind of fiction read primarily X-kind of fiction?"
Or, another question: "Should an unpublished writer even care about these kinds of things?"
I used to be of the opinion that an unpublished writer should say, "I want to write X, and therefore I need to read as much X stories and novels as I can."
But after writing for a couple of years, I think the best answer for the UNPUBLISHED is this: "I like to read and I like to write and therefore I'm going to read what I want and write what I want and not worry about specializing until I start to break in."
This way we are free to experiment with various kinds of genres, which helps us mature as writers.
It also gives us more opportunity to write: I may not have a horror story in mind, but I have this semi-autobiographical tale that I'd like to try.
And, finally, I think something Lawrence Block said is very true: Just because you like a genre doesn't mean you can write it. It requires a certain way of thinking, a certain kind of storytelling intelligence. I doubted this for some time until I read in Uncle Orson's Writing Class that Card himself, though he loves mysteries, can't write mysteries.
In other words, it seems that the unpublished writer should focus on broadening himself rather than limiting, and it is only when a career is knocking at your door should you start to specialize. That's when it's time to put away all other forms of fiction, at least for a while, and read only the kind of fiction that may give you a career. I know Peter Straub did this; only after he'd published his first two supernatural novels did he go back and immerse himself in the tradition.
Thoughts, anyone?
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
I think that's fine as far as it goes, but you don't need to specialize just because you start selling stories. Just because it's a little easier to sell in one genre, that doesn't mean that you can't write out of genre.
Posted by thexmedic (Member # 2844) on :
I always feel that if you're going to write genre fiction then it's good to have good handle on the genre and its curent status. The reason is that genres have IMHO more cliches than non-genre fiction. So you have to know those in order to avoid them, or to head straight for them if you're so inclined. Just as long as you're informed.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
If I remember right, Barry B. Longyear (a terrific and award-winning writer who seems to have gone missing-in-action of late) decided what genre to write in by piling the books in his home into separate genre piles, and then wrote in the genre pile that was largest.
Posted by Louiseoneal (Member # 3494) on :
The news, science journals, and college level history texts (whether for students, scholars, or regular folk) spark off lots of ideas for me-ideas undiluted by fiction writers. NPR is a favorite source for me. Especially programs like This American Life and All Things Considered.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I did buy a copy of Guns, Germs, and Steel this morning at the bookstore I frequent...I look forward to reading it, but, then again, I still look forward to reading some other books I picked up months ago...