Review: Hills, Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular (1977)

Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular by Lawrence Rust Hills

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I was a lot less impressed with Mr. Hills than he seemed to be with himself, but then I don't actually think the "literary short story" is the be-all and end-all of creative writing.

He said three things I liked.

1. "Most of the playwright's theories about 'plot structure' and 'dramatic action' are solutions to problems the fiction writer doesn't even have" (p. 94).

2. "For surely a great part of what is called a writer's 'vision' comes from how he listens" (164).

3. [about writing] "The truth is that the only way not to feel really terrible is to work.

"But sometimes it seems easier just to feel really terrible" (190).



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