Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
72nd out of 319 books
—
506 voters
Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life
by
Terry Brooks (Goodreads Author)
In Sometimes the Magic Works, New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks shares his secrets for creating unusual, memorable fiction. Spanning topics from the importance of daydreaming to the necessity of writing an outline, from the fine art of showing instead of merely telling to creating believable characters who make readers care what happens to them, Brooks draws u...more
Paperback, 208 pages
Published
February 3rd 2004
by Del Rey
(first published March 4th 2003)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,287)
Brooks, you spoke right to me. I have now read three really fantastic books on writing. Each one offers different things, different lessons. With each we must take what works for us. No one method works for all, no one lesson is a lesson for everyone and no one rule should be followed by everyone. We are all different.
As far as personality and approach to writing I feel that I relate the most to Brooks, and yet I haven't read a Brooks book (which I plan to reconcile!).
Sometimes I read what anoth...more
As far as personality and approach to writing I feel that I relate the most to Brooks, and yet I haven't read a Brooks book (which I plan to reconcile!).
Sometimes I read what anoth...more
As a career programmer, and on whimsical occasion an aspiring author, I’ve always thought that programming is more like writing. Aside from the obvious parallels in entering text and following syntax and grammar rules, good code is expressive, succinct and has style. And I have speculated that the organizational and structural challenges in developing large, complex programs are analogous to those posed by novel writing.
Now I feel validated after reading Terry Brook’s account of his creative pro...more
Now I feel validated after reading Terry Brook’s account of his creative pro...more
Having a read a few of these writing manuals/writer's memoirs now in the course of my time in graduate school (I'm about to finish a Masters in English with an emphasis in creative writing), and especially as I've been working on my own creative project, I really enjoyed Brooks'. He has a skill I truly appreciate, one that I wish more writers of literary fiction would adopt--vanishing behind the story and focusing primarily on not getting in the way rather than showing off. As Scott Card will te...more
A nice, friendly, inviting read. The author conveys a warm message of encouragement and camaraderie to aspiring writers; a bestselling author, with this book he shows that he is also an effective tutor and mentor. For any aspiring writer, this is a good book to read and re-read.
I'm not a fantasy reader. I've never read Terry Brooks. But I love reading artists and writers describe their art and their process, which is what drew me to Brooks' book on writing, Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life.
And it's wonderful. I found myself copying quotes like crazy. I found myself getting excited about outlining, for heavens' sakes! I loved his stories from a writer's life and I found some of his ideas so compelling I had to stop reading and go write.
Or go, as Br...more
And it's wonderful. I found myself copying quotes like crazy. I found myself getting excited about outlining, for heavens' sakes! I loved his stories from a writer's life and I found some of his ideas so compelling I had to stop reading and go write.
Or go, as Br...more
I wonder at what point a writer is asked to write a book about writing? Obviously after they are successful by some standard, and that is probably after they've been doing their thing for awhile. The title of this grabbed me - I'm a big believer in magic, and I seem to be reading about writing just now.
I liked the quotes that framed each chapter - "I am incomplete without my work. I am so closely bound to it , so much identified by it, that without it I think I would crumble into dust and drift...more
I liked the quotes that framed each chapter - "I am incomplete without my work. I am so closely bound to it , so much identified by it, that without it I think I would crumble into dust and drift...more
Insightful, funny, helpful. All words that describe "Sometimes the Magic Works." I read this once before but found I needed to revisit it with my current writing crisis and it was a good choice. I've been able to relax about where my writing's at and find different ways of making it work.
Terry Brooks brings up some well-known rules - like "Show, don't tell" - but he also brings up things you don't see too often in writing books. Like the importance of dreaming your work into existence before yo...more
Terry Brooks brings up some well-known rules - like "Show, don't tell" - but he also brings up things you don't see too often in writing books. Like the importance of dreaming your work into existence before yo...more
This is just what the aspiring (and established for that matter)fantasy novelist needs for encouragement and hope. Brooks has a very approachable writing style that is both inviting and comforting. Part autobiography, part writing guide, Brooks first tells us of his experiences and then explains how we can learn from those experiences to avoid common mistakes and take advantage of fleeting opportunities. This is definitely a book that can be referenced over and over and never grow stale.
As an aspiring writer and fan of Terry Brooks; Sometimes the Magic Works was a natural book to read.
I've only read two other books on writing (on of them being more on publishing than on writing), and the other was from Stephen King.
The comparison between Brooks and King are very different. The main difference is that Brooks outlined everything he wrote, whereas King would write without outlining.
Both have been an inspiration to me, and offered practical thoughts on the craft of writing.
I've only read two other books on writing (on of them being more on publishing than on writing), and the other was from Stephen King.
The comparison between Brooks and King are very different. The main difference is that Brooks outlined everything he wrote, whereas King would write without outlining.
Both have been an inspiration to me, and offered practical thoughts on the craft of writing.
I really enjoyed reading this book by Terry Brooks. He is one of my favorite authors and it was almost like having him sit here with me and give me answers to questions I hadn't thought to ask. The writing is done in a conversational tone instead of a teaching tone. He gives good advice about using outlines to help spread out your workload, get as much done on the front end to save yourself more work in the end. It was also interesting to find out that the success of Shannara might not of happen...more
I've read several of these instructional books on the writing world by successful authors. Terry Brooks is humble and practical about his career, and there are some real gems of advice. I found it a nice contrast to Stephen King and his fierce indictment of outlines. Brooks believes in outlining your story, and he lays down a case for outlines that matches my personal experience.
But mostly it was just a cheering pick-me-up about writing that came at a good time for me.
But mostly it was just a cheering pick-me-up about writing that came at a good time for me.
I read this for a writer's group. I was surprised how fast I read this book, even at a regular pace. Brooks talks in a cheerful breezy style about the process of writing, what works for him and what didn't, like struggling to write that next book, especially after a successful first one. I could hear echoes of my own experiences. More inspirational for writers, rather than instructive, it's more why I write, rather than how.
I was hoping this would be something like Bird by Bird (Anne Lamott) or Writing Down the Bones (Natalie Goldberg) but it wasn't. The writing was dry and I don't agree with some of the things he had to say about the writing process. Mostly, I was disappointed that I had to skim the entire book to find two or three useful insights that I hadn't heard before. Your mileage may vary.
Non lo consiglierei a chi non ama Terry Brooks, perch�� in fondo �� un libro per appassionati.
Trovo per�� che sia interessante leggere un po' come l'autore ha vissuto certi momenti della sua vita da scrittore, capire un po' la sua visione del mondo, quello da cui trae ispirazione e cos�� via.
E' una lettura leggera ma piacevole e a me ha dato qualcosa.
Trovo per�� che sia interessante leggere un po' come l'autore ha vissuto certi momenti della sua vita da scrittore, capire un po' la sua visione del mondo, quello da cui trae ispirazione e cos�� via.
E' una lettura leggera ma piacevole e a me ha dato qualcosa.
A quick read, but a useful one for anyone interested on becoming a better fiction writer. The chapters are deceptively simple, but give you an in-depth look at Brooks' personal take on the classic questions: to outline or not to outline, what exactly does write-what-you-know mean, etc. I enjoyed ur and might give some of his fiction a try.
My favorite book abut writing. There are a lot of more popular books about how to write, like Stephen King's, but this is the one I was able to relate to the most. Brooks also mixes in an example story to show you what he means by each concept. Lots of good anecdotes from the life of a professional writer as well.
This book was a bit short, but still very good. Terry Brooks is one of my favorite authors. I've loved nearly every book I've read by him. Learning more about his writing process and how he became an author was great, I only wish I had more time to spend with him, like in Stephen King's "On Writing".
I picked this book up over a month ago with the best intentions, but didn't actually start reading it until late this afternoon. It was so engrossing and informative that I ended up reading it in one sitting. Terry Brooks is, in a word, amazing. Now... on to his Shannara Series!
An interesting look into how Brooks writes. As someone who came into fantasy through Shannara rather than though Tolkien and never really connected to well with the Rings. It was nice to see how someone who influenced my reading as much as Brooks did when I was a teenager.
I love the fact that I can hand this book to family members and say, "this explains all that quirkiness."
But it will also make them afraid to have conversations in front of me for fear they will end up as characters in future books. Bwuahahahahahaha.
But it will also make them afraid to have conversations in front of me for fear they will end up as characters in future books. Bwuahahahahahaha.
Reading a published author's thoughts on writing is always illuminating, but this was a particularly edifying book because I write the same way Terry Brooks does. Soemtimes, having that sort of affirmation is important.
An interesting interview with Terry Brooks (though it's not strictly an interview, each chapter seems to function as if it was one). I enjoyed it; a light read, but one that gives some insights into his work and his work ethic.
While Sword sparked my interest in writing; this book really made me crave it. Brooks does an excellent job of balancing the technical aspects of his writing style and the creative side to writing fantasy novels.
This was a nice, quick read. It's along the lines of Stephen King's "On Writing" only much shorter and a lot lighter on the writing advice. I read it primarily for writing advice, which was good but nothing I've not heard before. I think his stance for outlining is unique among the big names of publishing. Every other big name author out there seems to take it as a point of pride that they have no plan when they sit down to write. Thank you for talking sense about this, Terry Brooks! Most of us...more
Aug 10, 2011
Leah
added it
Great insights on writing and the writing life according to the author of Sword of Shannara. Even better insights according to Hunter. A must read for anyone thinking about entering the writing profession.
This book is my favorite nonfiction book, hands down. I always recommend it in conversation turns to books about writing or books about authors come up. It's a very fun, fascinating book by a great author.
This was a good book. Not a great book though, not one I'd want to run out and buy a copy of. Part biography and part instruction manual, there was a good mix of anecdotes and writing suggestions.
The only book signing that I ever called in sick to work for! Terry's writing method and inspirations are as creative as his stories yet simple. This autographed copy is indeed a treasure to me.
This is a pretty good read for anyone interested in writing. It's part autobiography and part writers guide. Interesting way of incorporating the two while throwing in some life interpretations.
Reminiscent in some ways of Stephen King's "On Writing," Brooks provides a loose guide to writing couched in autobiographical anecdotes. Take it for what it is and enjoy it :)
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodreads Sci-Fi/...: Sometimes the Magic Works | 1 | 5 | Jan 18, 2012 08:57pm |
Terry Brooks was born in Illinois in 1944, where he spent a great deal of his childhood and early adulthood dreaming up stories in and around Sinnissippi Park, the very same park that would eventually become the setting for his bestselling Word & Void trilogy. He went to college and received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College, where he majored in English Literature, and he received...more
More about Terry Brooks...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“If you do not hear music in your words, you have put too much thought into your writing and not enough heart" ~ Terry Brooks”
—
7 people liked it
“I am incomplete without my work. I am so closely bound to it, so much identified by it, that without it I think I would crumble into dust and drift away.”
—
4 people liked it
More quotes…
