The Passionate, Accurate Story: Making Your Heart's Truth Into Literature

by Carol Bly

Book Overview

"Escape has its value, of course, like dessert: It is not food . . ." Here, short-story writer Bly teaches you how to cook up tales that--in a time of nukes, greenhouse gas, and ozone holes--matter.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0915943530
• ISBN13: 9780915943531
• Release Date: October 1990
• Publisher: Milkweed Editions
• Length: 197 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

superb insights and thoughtfulness

Definitely a student of the late John Gardner, Ms. Bly has written a wonderful guide for anyone--whether you're just starting out or have been writing for years already. I don't agree with her theory about the purpose of literature. She's a little too political for my taste. But that is easily dismissed in light of her wonderful eye for detail and her articulate view of what truly motivates people to write.

Something different

This is a book about writing that is different from all other books about writing I have read. (I have read a lot of books on writing.) That is because, although it gives good technical advice, it also addresses the question: what is actually worth writing about?

Must Reading for any Story / Fiction Writer

I love this book. It helps you get past the [stuff] bad teachers put in your head (focusing on grammar or spelling rather than passion) to find the really good stuff. Carol Bly offers wonderful inspiration & practical advice to plumb your soul's depths.There's so much wisdom and experience here.If you want to write, this book gives you essential advice on starting along the path. Even if you've been writing 20 years, she'll help you find some shortcuts for your journey-- not expedient, easy paths, but high mountain treks which will get you to the writing places you, deep in you heart, really want to reach.

Genius......and good advice

If you want to write, read this book. If you are writing, and feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of "do's and don't's" out there.....definetly read this book. This is absolutely the best book on writing I have ever read...Carol Bly is a compassionate, wise teacher and writer, the type of teacher you wish taught every English class. This book will take you from the free-for-all first draft, through the shaping of characters, plot, and dialogue. Her voice is encouraging, kind, and fully in support of the writer. A true gem. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It's wonderful.

Story development and conveying passionate beliefs

Carol Bly's primary contribution is to look at the development of a story after the writer creates the first draft. "For the short story writer, [and probably longer fiction as well] a story is a combination of what the writer supposed the story would likely be about - plus what actually turned up in the course of writing. For this kind of process, literary criticism is of no use at all." and "Inventions come from one's original ideal joined with whatever service the imagination subsequently offers." Unanticipated invention is what Bly wishes to encourage, fostering a fertile environment to create. It is the unfettered play of the unconscious upon the first draft that provides truly creative writing, writing outside of rules for drama, characterization, dialog and the rest. Those come later. The strength of the book is focusing on reviving the writer's unconscious. Bly makes the case that writers are not neutral observers. Writers must believe in something and formally state, to themselves what they believe. These beliefs, which she calls a value listing, should be the foundation for writing. She does not imply that the writer should write propaganda, rather the values important to the writer should form the foundation, the story question perhaps, for the main character. Bly does have comments on more writerly issues, plot, character, dialog, etc. gleaned from teaching writing. These are presented as well elsewhere. It is the chapters on invoking the unconscious and creating a values listing that set this book apart.