Product Details
Ron Carlson Writes a Story

Ron Carlson Writes a Story
By Ron Carlson

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Product Description

Ron Carlson has been praised as “a master of the short story” (Booklist). In this essay collection, he offers a full range of notes and gives rare insight into a veteran writer’s process by inviting the reader to watch over his shoulder as he creates the short story “The Governor’s Ball.”

“This is a story of a story” he begins, and proceeds to offer practical advice for creating a great story, from the first glimmer of an idea to the final sentence. Carlson urges the writer to refuse the outside distractions—a second cup of coffee, a troll through the dictionary—and attend to the necessity of uncertainty, the pleasures of an unfolding story.

“The Governor’s Ball”—included in its entirety—serves as a fascinating illustration of the detailed anatomy of a short story.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #129577 in Books
  • Published on: 2007-09-04
  • Released on: 2007-09-04
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 112 pages

Features

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Do yourself a favor and read Ron Carlson.” —Stephen King

About the Author

Ron Carlson is the author of eight books of fiction, including Five Skies, to be published in May 2007. He directs the graduate program in fiction at the University of California, Irvine.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

It would be strange to get in the car and think you were going to pick up the kids at school, but not be really sure. But there are moments in the process of writing a story when you must tolerate that uncomfortable feeling: You stay alert to everything that is happening and by listening and watching, you find out where you are going by going there. Somebody else may get in the car.
—from “Ron Carlson Writes a Story”

Customer Reviews

Amazing insights into the mind of a writer5
My experience in finding this book, is just like the other reviewer, I was buying some books, and I was recommended this title.

With a name such as "Ron Carlson writes a story", I really had no idea what to expect. Who is Ron Carlson? I have never heard of this person in my life, is the idea of him being able to write a story worthy of a book, is it a man's triumph over the written word? No, it is a behind the scenes look at the making of a story.

Fortunately, the price was just ten dollars, a very low amount for something that could be of use. I love short stories, and I love writing, my reason for buying this book, was the possible glimpse inside the mind of a writer.

I am writing this review, because this is a great book, and the page here gives very little to go on. The author is a very gifted writer; his thoughts come through clearly, and cite countless ideas, and suggestions that will change the way you work.

I knew buying this, that it was more of a "making of a story" book, not a "how to write" book, hopefully potential buyers note this as well. Ron goes sentence by sentence (or paragraph) and explains what he is thinking while he wrote it. He analyzes only the finished story, not the first draft, we don't get to see him struggle on what elements he decides to keep and why, just how the story came to be, and why he does the things he does.

He also gives off ideas, how he approaches a tough spot, when the author gets stumped, what he likes to do, and gives off examples. I learned a lot from this book, it wasn't mind bending, it didn't change my world, but it did help, and it can help you too. The author writes with conviction, he prose leaps off the page, his characters are amazing, most every character he introduces in the story, I immediately wanted to know more about them.

Ron writes very organically, his story is told with no outline, it just flows, and through reading this book, you can get an idea of how powerful that is, and how powerful that can be. He creates a world I want to visit, and creates characters I want to meet, and learn more about.

If I have to give a downside to this book, it would be the lack of attention dedicated to story. Even the short story is not really a story; it's more of a vignette, a scene, a fond memory of things past. Be that as it may, I cannot fault this book on not addressing this topic; there are countless other books that focus on nothing but story. Though, it would have been nice.

In the end, if you are only going to pick up one book on writing, this is not that book. But if you have a passion for writing, you can do no wrong in buying this book.

Sharing the experience5
Years ago, I used to stay in a B&B next to the British Museum where literary workers stayed and often left their bound galleys on the "exchange" bookcase in the sitting room. On one trip, I picked up a collection of stories by Ron Carlson. The story that stuck with me -- for years -- was a story about a guy losing a mattress from the top of his truck on an overpass, and watching it fly away. Now he has written a book called "Ron Carlson Writes a Story" -- and it's about THIS story! From the things that were going on in his life before, to the first sentence, to the luminous ending, I can go right through it with him. It's actually a thrill.

excellent book5
I read Carlson's Five Skies just a few weeks ago and loved it. When I saw that he had written a book on how to write I was happily surprised. Ron Carlson Writes a Story does not disappoint. It is the single best book on how a writer creates something out of nothing that I have ever come across.