Writing Magic

Gail Carson Levine's Writing Magic -- Creating Stories that Fly

 

 

I'm buying this book and putting it next to The Elements of Style by Strunk and White on my bookshelf, close at hand.

 

Using only six cent words and a direct style Levine clearly explains the basics of writing and gets the reader started with fun exercises. Without foreign words or graduate school jargon she distills the concepts into simple words and concrete examples.

 

The last page of the book explains that the inspiration for the book has been her extensive experience teaching writing to children. Whatever the inspiration, this book is great for any beginner writer or any writer wanting to renew their focus on the basics.

 

Warnings: 

 

A. p65 contains a twenty-five cent word, 'omniscient'

 

B. Chapter 14 uses the jargon, POV

 

C.  Chapter 30 uses the dollar foreign word, 'exeunt'

 

Bottom Line

This is a fun easy read that left me marveling at her skill. It is well worth working through her exercises. Like The Elements of Style, it should be worked through at least once a year by all writers.