Why read Craft in the Real World?

Book cover of Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping

Book description

This national bestseller is "a significant contribution to discussions of the art of fiction and a necessary challenge to received views about whose stories are told, how they are told and for whom they are intended" (Laila Lalami, The New York Times Book Review).

The traditional writing workshop was established…

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Asian Americans

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Self-help

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Craft in the Real World as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Thaisa Frank

Author

I admire the way this book jumps out of the box and debunks the emphasis on “pure craft”—a term that grew out of the hero’s journey. (Basically the “Horatio Alger” story about a character going from rags to riches.)

This model stifles the voices of writers from other cultures.

Salesses’ techniques help writers mine their cultural background and discover stories only they can tell. It also frees all writers from the model of the hero’s journey.

From Thaisa's list on The best books for discovering your distinctive path as a writer.

Margot Livesey

Author

Salesses reminds us that “craft is a set of expectations,” and I love that he makes me question those expectations in fruitful ways. Jane Eyre does get to marry Rochester but at some cost. Salesses writes with warmth and wit about the western canon and about other literary traditions. I finished the book with a terrific reading list and new thoughts about my own writing and reading.

From Margot's list on The best books about reading and writing fiction.