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Starting from Scratch: A Different Kind of Writers' Manual
From the best-selling author of Rubyfruit Jungle and Bingo , here is a writers' manual as provocative, frank, and funny as her fiction. Unlike most writers' guides, this one had as much to do with how writers live as with mastering the tools of their trade. Rita Mae Brown begins with a very personal account of her own career, from her days as a young poet who had written a novel no publisher wanted to take a chance on, right up to her recent adventures as a Hollywood screenwriter. In a sassy style that makes her outspoken advice as entertaining as it is useful, she provides straight talk about paying the rent while maintaining the energy to write; and dealing with agents, publishers, critics, and the publicity circus; about pursuingj ournalisim, academia, or screen-writing; and about rejecting the Hemingway myth of the hard-living, hard-drinking genius. In addition Brown, a former teacher or writing, offers a serious examination of the writer's tool--language, plotting, characters, symbolism--plus exercises to sharpen the ear for dialogue, and a fascinating, annoted reading list of important works from the seventh century to the late twentieth.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
23 people are currently reading
377 people want to read
About the author
Rita Mae Brown
178 books2,198 followersRita Mae Brown is a prolific American writer, most known for her mysteries and other novels (Rubyfruit Jungle). She is also an Emmy-nominated screenwriter.
Brown was born illegitimate in Hanover, Pennsylvania. She was raised by her biological mother's female cousin and the cousin's husband in York, Pennsylvania and later in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Starting in the fall of 1962, Brown attended the University of Florida at Gainesville on a scholarship. In the spring of 1964, the administrators of the racially segregated university expelled her for participating in the civil rights movement. She subsequently enrolled at Broward Community College[3] with the hope of transferring eventually to a more tolerant four-year institution.
Between fall 1964 and 1969, she lived in New York City, sometimes homeless, while attending New York University[6] where she received a degree in Classics and English. Later,[when?] she received another degree in cinematography from the New York School of Visual Arts.[citation needed] Brown received a Ph.D. in literature from Union Institute & University in 1976 and holds a doctorate in political science from the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.
Starting in 1973, Brown lived in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles. In 1977, she bought a farm in Charlottesville, Virginia where she still lives.[9] In 1982, a screenplay Brown wrote while living in Los Angeles, Sleepless Nights, was retitled The Slumber Party Massacre and given a limited release theatrically.
During Brown's spring 1964 semester at the University of Florida at Gainesville, she became active in the American Civil Rights Movement. Later in the 1960s, she participated in the anti-war movement, the feminist movement and the Gay Liberation movement.
Brown took an administrative position with the fledgling National Organization for Women, but resigned in January 1970 over Betty Friedan's anti-gay remarks and NOW's attempts to distance itself from lesbian organizations. She claims she played a leading role in the "Lavender Menace" zap of the Second Congress to Unite Women on May 1, 1970, which protested Friedan's remarks and the exclusion of lesbians from the women's movement.
In the early 1970s, she became a founding member of The Furies Collective, a lesbian feminist newspaper collective in Washington, DC, which held that heterosexuality was the root of all oppression.
Brown told Time magazine in 2008, "I don't believe in straight or gay. I really don't. I think we're all degrees of bisexual. There may be a few people on the extreme if it's a bell curve who really truly are gay or really truly are straight. Because nobody had ever said these things and used their real name, I suddenly became [in the late 1970s] the only lesbian in America."
Brown was born illegitimate in Hanover, Pennsylvania. She was raised by her biological mother's female cousin and the cousin's husband in York, Pennsylvania and later in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Starting in the fall of 1962, Brown attended the University of Florida at Gainesville on a scholarship. In the spring of 1964, the administrators of the racially segregated university expelled her for participating in the civil rights movement. She subsequently enrolled at Broward Community College[3] with the hope of transferring eventually to a more tolerant four-year institution.
Between fall 1964 and 1969, she lived in New York City, sometimes homeless, while attending New York University[6] where she received a degree in Classics and English. Later,[when?] she received another degree in cinematography from the New York School of Visual Arts.[citation needed] Brown received a Ph.D. in literature from Union Institute & University in 1976 and holds a doctorate in political science from the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.
Starting in 1973, Brown lived in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles. In 1977, she bought a farm in Charlottesville, Virginia where she still lives.[9] In 1982, a screenplay Brown wrote while living in Los Angeles, Sleepless Nights, was retitled The Slumber Party Massacre and given a limited release theatrically.
During Brown's spring 1964 semester at the University of Florida at Gainesville, she became active in the American Civil Rights Movement. Later in the 1960s, she participated in the anti-war movement, the feminist movement and the Gay Liberation movement.
Brown took an administrative position with the fledgling National Organization for Women, but resigned in January 1970 over Betty Friedan's anti-gay remarks and NOW's attempts to distance itself from lesbian organizations. She claims she played a leading role in the "Lavender Menace" zap of the Second Congress to Unite Women on May 1, 1970, which protested Friedan's remarks and the exclusion of lesbians from the women's movement.
In the early 1970s, she became a founding member of The Furies Collective, a lesbian feminist newspaper collective in Washington, DC, which held that heterosexuality was the root of all oppression.
Brown told Time magazine in 2008, "I don't believe in straight or gay. I really don't. I think we're all degrees of bisexual. There may be a few people on the extreme if it's a bell curve who really truly are gay or really truly are straight. Because nobody had ever said these things and used their real name, I suddenly became [in the late 1970s] the only lesbian in America."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 18, 2012
I love Rita Mae Brown's mysteries - especially the Mrs. Murphy ones, where a postmistress's dog and cat help her solve the crimes. So I wanted to read her thoughts on writing. They were certainly different ... and somewhat exacting, like suggesting everyone who wanted to write successfully needs to study Latin first.
She tells her own story of writing ... but tends to suggest a background like hers is what any writer needs in order to succeed.... kind of missing the reality that artists and writers are by nature incredibly unique and different one from the other - a part of the aspect of what makes the work unique and individual. .... However, other chapters gave helpful tips on creating dialogue, character, and plot ... and she offers some writing exercises in one chapter and extensive grammatical lessons in another ( a little slow here - but perhaps helpful for many). The funnest part of the book was learning her interesting background and how she got into writing at the beginning of the book.
She tells her own story of writing ... but tends to suggest a background like hers is what any writer needs in order to succeed.... kind of missing the reality that artists and writers are by nature incredibly unique and different one from the other - a part of the aspect of what makes the work unique and individual. .... However, other chapters gave helpful tips on creating dialogue, character, and plot ... and she offers some writing exercises in one chapter and extensive grammatical lessons in another ( a little slow here - but perhaps helpful for many). The funnest part of the book was learning her interesting background and how she got into writing at the beginning of the book.
November 10, 2016
You have to give credit to a writer who could bench press 200 pounds. This is an interesting and sometimes amusing memoir of a white working class woman who got involved in the antiwar and anti-racist struggles of the 60's and later went on to become a best selling author. I happen to be watching a compelling documentary called "Bastards of the Party," about the history of the Black Panther Party, the CRIPS and the Bloods. It reminds me that white writers like Brown were able to live in a parallel universe despite their radical ideas. This universe is a place where real writers, Brown points out, must learn Latin and read Cicero if they hope to produce anything worthwhile. Thus despite her progressive sympathies, Brown adds a brick to the Eurocentric Wall that excludes writers of color and Indigenous writers - a Wall that is still under construction and may soon be built even higher.
January 10, 2011
Every writer should read this book.
December 22, 2019
Brown came across as opinionated and condescending to anything and anyone she doesn't like or agree with. The first section was titled "ME". The entire book could have been titled "ME". More of a social rant and less than a book about writing. Couldn't finish it. I quit reading her Sneaky Pie Brown books years ago. Now I know why.
July 8, 2007
Rita fired me up and got me going through Homer, Plato, and other classics. The best book for writers about writing I've ever read.
October 31, 2019
Okay, first thing and before anything else, Get This Book!
I don't care where you are in your writing career, Rita Mae Brown's Starting from Scratch will give you a chuckle (several hundred, probably) and clarify things that were not only muddy, but had been pushed aside because they were just too damn hard to figure out.
Worry no more, Rita's got you covered.
I didn't know who Rita Mae Brown was until a friend suggested I give her a read. This was back in the early-mid 1980s. He thought she was brilliant and hilarious.
That didn't tempt me.
Then he told me she could benchpress 225#.
Yes, I was that much of an assh?le (may still be) that that caught my interest.
But I didn't pick up one of her books (that I remember) until my first go-round as a writer. That book being Starting from Scratch.
Reading the book recently, it's obvious I had read it at least once before; there were highlights in it. There were highlights of concepts I remember, if not exact phrasings. Truth be told, I was probably unprepared for the book when I first read it (my copy was published in Feb 1988). I'm glad I kept it around.
Starting from Scratch is a mechanic's manual of the English language. Brown explains the purpose of first v third person POV with duh! level examples and lots of them. Ditto subjunctive case (trust me, you need to read this section). Ditto strong v weak verbs (another must read). Imagine someone showing you a crescent wrench and a 9/16" box-end, showing you they can do the same thing, then demonstrating why one works better on these types of nuts, the other works better on those types of nuts.
Her Exercises chapter...remember what I wrote above about being impressed by her bench? Here's your cardio and resistance training in one incredible package.
I'll repeat what I opened with; Get this book!
I've written more on my blog.
I don't care where you are in your writing career, Rita Mae Brown's Starting from Scratch will give you a chuckle (several hundred, probably) and clarify things that were not only muddy, but had been pushed aside because they were just too damn hard to figure out.
Worry no more, Rita's got you covered.
I didn't know who Rita Mae Brown was until a friend suggested I give her a read. This was back in the early-mid 1980s. He thought she was brilliant and hilarious.
That didn't tempt me.
Then he told me she could benchpress 225#.
Yes, I was that much of an assh?le (may still be) that that caught my interest.
But I didn't pick up one of her books (that I remember) until my first go-round as a writer. That book being Starting from Scratch.
Reading the book recently, it's obvious I had read it at least once before; there were highlights in it. There were highlights of concepts I remember, if not exact phrasings. Truth be told, I was probably unprepared for the book when I first read it (my copy was published in Feb 1988). I'm glad I kept it around.
Starting from Scratch is a mechanic's manual of the English language. Brown explains the purpose of first v third person POV with duh! level examples and lots of them. Ditto subjunctive case (trust me, you need to read this section). Ditto strong v weak verbs (another must read). Imagine someone showing you a crescent wrench and a 9/16" box-end, showing you they can do the same thing, then demonstrating why one works better on these types of nuts, the other works better on those types of nuts.
Her Exercises chapter...remember what I wrote above about being impressed by her bench? Here's your cardio and resistance training in one incredible package.
I'll repeat what I opened with; Get this book!
I've written more on my blog.
June 17, 2019
Since the book was published in 1988, the sections on career, journalism, publishing, and computer equipment are out of date. However, the sections dealing with language, words, and writers' craft still contain some valuable advice, even though the author is writing with the stated perspective that "high literary fiction" is the only true source of a novel, and genre fiction is mere plot-driven escapism. I don't agree with that view (JRR Tolkien, anyone?) Putting that aside, the section on the English language borrowing not only words, but endings and prefixes from other languages to extend its vocabulary and facility is particularly interesting, as is her view on Latin.
Read
October 27, 2021First got this when it came out in the late 1980s. My original copy was destroyed in a flood over 20 years ago. During COVID lockdown, started writing a bit and thought of this book and how it had been a silent support in my efforts to write. I found a used copy and it now amongst my pile of go-to reference books once again.
November 11, 2024
RMB is an ICON! And to all the haters, her books are funny AF--most of the time intentionally. And no, I don't agree that all writers have to learn Latin. But I don't write on a typewriter either. It's 2024 now. Writers should learn a modern Latin-based language instead, preferably one or two that they actually use to communicate with modern speakers of the language.
December 17, 2017
Best book ever for people who want to write!
May 3, 2020
Definitely a different kind of writer's manual in that it is useful and it tries to transcend eras. The advice on literature, Latin, and the Great Books inspired me.
May 13, 2020
This was great! The book is very informative and quite funny in spots. I should read it again so I can write a more cohesive review, but it ends with a reading list, so I have more reading to do.
October 8, 2024
This was incredibly fun to read even though a lot of the info is dated (the average writer makes how much per year?! Also the entire chapter about tech LOL). I like the writing exercises she assigns students and may try them out myself.
May 29, 2008
This is the book that put me off writing fiction, and later helped put me off Rita Mae Brown.
It put me off writing fiction because in it, Ms. Brown contends that all writers should know Latin and Greek. I know neither, and as at the time I had great respect for Ms. Brown's writing, I found that intimidating. We could argue that perhaps I did not have the true soul of a fiction writer, if I let such a small thing put me off, but I was young and placed too much faith in the words of the succesful.
Later, it helped put me off Ms. Brown altogether. In the final book of hers that I read (I forget which one of the cat books it was), she mis-used the word "impeachment." If she knows so much, surely she should understand the proper use of this term? Her cat series is such a blatant rip-off of Lillian Jackson Braun's far-superior series that it is staggering - the more so from an author who lays claim to integrity.
But the final nail in the coffin of my admiration for Ms. Brown was the combination of this pretentious book about writing and the rip-off cat series. Where did the cat learn Latin and Greek? If the cat doesn't need to know those languages (which was Ms. Brown's lame answer when a friend of mine asked that question at a book signing), then why should I? As the rip-off cat series got more lame with each passing title, I gave up altogether. Ms. Brown is, simply, a sell-out. The great promise she showed when she wrote Rubyfruit Jungle and Six of One has fizzled away on the hard road of the search for fame and money. What a shame.
It put me off writing fiction because in it, Ms. Brown contends that all writers should know Latin and Greek. I know neither, and as at the time I had great respect for Ms. Brown's writing, I found that intimidating. We could argue that perhaps I did not have the true soul of a fiction writer, if I let such a small thing put me off, but I was young and placed too much faith in the words of the succesful.
Later, it helped put me off Ms. Brown altogether. In the final book of hers that I read (I forget which one of the cat books it was), she mis-used the word "impeachment." If she knows so much, surely she should understand the proper use of this term? Her cat series is such a blatant rip-off of Lillian Jackson Braun's far-superior series that it is staggering - the more so from an author who lays claim to integrity.
But the final nail in the coffin of my admiration for Ms. Brown was the combination of this pretentious book about writing and the rip-off cat series. Where did the cat learn Latin and Greek? If the cat doesn't need to know those languages (which was Ms. Brown's lame answer when a friend of mine asked that question at a book signing), then why should I? As the rip-off cat series got more lame with each passing title, I gave up altogether. Ms. Brown is, simply, a sell-out. The great promise she showed when she wrote Rubyfruit Jungle and Six of One has fizzled away on the hard road of the search for fame and money. What a shame.
August 23, 2014
I'll admit I do like reading Rita Mae Brown's books which is why I picked this one up. She is very correct that this is not the usual writer's manual. It has no do this, do that. Instead it has lots of advice about things she found helpful as she launched her career.
Brown's opinions are direct and definite. Most of them made lots of sense. All of them deserve consideration even if you don't agree with them. And, if you don't, she says why she holds her opinion. Why do you hold yours?
Brown advocates four years of Latin. I had four years of Latin and loved it. Do I think everyone should have four years? No. Definitely one for the very reason she gives: Latin forms the basis of over half our vocabulary. Knowing basic Latin helps improve your vocabulary. And good writing depends on a good vocabulary.
The end of the book is a reading list. Some of the really old volumes (dating to the 700's) are probably unavailable to me. But I'm thinking I will read as many of them as I can.
Why? As Brown advocates, knowledge of literature and vocabulary are essential to being a good writer. And I want to be a good writer.
This is a good book to read. It is better as one to read at leisure to give yourself time to think about what Brown has to say.
Brown's opinions are direct and definite. Most of them made lots of sense. All of them deserve consideration even if you don't agree with them. And, if you don't, she says why she holds her opinion. Why do you hold yours?
Brown advocates four years of Latin. I had four years of Latin and loved it. Do I think everyone should have four years? No. Definitely one for the very reason she gives: Latin forms the basis of over half our vocabulary. Knowing basic Latin helps improve your vocabulary. And good writing depends on a good vocabulary.
The end of the book is a reading list. Some of the really old volumes (dating to the 700's) are probably unavailable to me. But I'm thinking I will read as many of them as I can.
Why? As Brown advocates, knowledge of literature and vocabulary are essential to being a good writer. And I want to be a good writer.
This is a good book to read. It is better as one to read at leisure to give yourself time to think about what Brown has to say.
June 5, 2013
This was one of the first writer's manuals I read, and it left an impression (although not always a good one). Some of Ms. Brown's advice was potent. Study Latin if you're serious about writing, because it teaches you how to think. Yes, absolutely. Yes. And exercise. If you keep your body in good shape, your mind will follow. This is something Haruki Murakami also practices... and so do I. Other points fell short for me, and at times a certain arrogance seemed to be seeping out from between the lines. The standard for books like this is Stephen King's On Writing, and this one doesn't quite reach it (even if it predated it by several years). Still, there is much to commend it, and it's worth a read for anyone serious enough about writing to be open to opinions that fall somewhat outside the mainstream.
July 26, 2009
Rita Mae lost me when she claimed in chapter one that if you weren't willing to learn to read Latin you would never make it as a writer. I took 3 years of high school Latin. I wanted to be a journalist and thought Latin would provide a language base for me to jump off of some day. Barabara Walters was the only available role model. But really I yearned to be more Christine Amanpour, except that she didn't exist when I was a girl. Regardless of high school goals, I have never regretted studying Latin. But as a requirement for writing?.....makes you go, "Hmmmmm."
"I believe we often disguise pain through ritual and it may be the only solace we have."
"I believe we often disguise pain through ritual and it may be the only solace we have."
December 27, 2009
This book is like a broad overview of how writing was taught in the 1980s. A lot of pet theories from that time period (study languages, study classics) doesn't necessarily hold up over time. That is, there may be some value to a writer in doing these things, but if all you ever read and study is 16th century poetry, your writing might ultimately reflect that. If you're writing for publication, you might be better off studying what's published now and learning the techniques used to reach today's readers.
That said, some of the advice is timeless -- avoid passive writing, leverage the power of verbs, mind your health. Read it for these chapters.
That said, some of the advice is timeless -- avoid passive writing, leverage the power of verbs, mind your health. Read it for these chapters.
November 28, 2014
This is an excellent writer's manual in many ways--I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on reading classics for "what works," the reasoning behind why a writer should know Latin, among others--even while it is totally inappropriate in others--things such as the unrealistic expectations based on Brown's own successes and her failure to understand genres, especially science fiction, fantasy and mystery. Still, the annotated reading list in the back is amazing for the simple fact that you have a hard time imagining that one person could read all of it, and yet it challenges you to give it a go. So I shall.
This would be an excellent book to re-read in a few years.
This would be an excellent book to re-read in a few years.
November 15, 2008
What I would tell people to really take away from this book is not necessarily what Brown states on writing. I don't really whople-heartedly agree with her advice there. However, her advice on living a healthy emotional life while being a writer is something unique to the genre, and advice any writer could benefit from. Also, her sardonic, quirky humor and no-nonsense tone make the book a wondrous read.
December 2, 2014
I've had this manual since it came out, and have gone through at least three copies because I keep giving it away to my own writing students. I think the chapter on the subjunctive is just about the best description of this tense I've ever read. I still reach for it occasionally on my own writer's shelf, and still recommend it to aspiring authors (just did so last month to a consulting client in fact!).
July 30, 2014
I'm upping this book from four stars to five. Although I don't agree with everything in it (a colossal reading list that doesn't include Raymond Carver!) there are enough gems scattered throughout the book to make it comparable to John Gardner's The Art of Fiction and Charles Baxter's Burning Down the House.
June 24, 2009
I found her advice--and particularly the tone--way too preachy to be helpful. There are many paths to the well, but Ms. Brown seems to see her particular route as the only correct one. For someone whose characters--both human and non-human--are so very perceptive, I was quite disappointed by Ms. Brown's short-sightedness.
August 28, 2009
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, mostly because I think it is very outdated and secondly because the other mostly talks about herself and doesn't really offer any concrete advice. However, my mom read it back when she wanted to write so I was interested in finishing it. It wasn't completely bad, it just wasn't helpful.
June 19, 2014
It was written in 1988 and feels dated. It is one long rant and lacks humor. Reading this feels like being trapped in some old person's living room as they shout their opinions at you. Some of her opinions are strange. Maybe it would help to know her work. I am going to stop reading, mainly because I resist the her assertion that her way is the only way. Not a fun or inspiring read.
September 10, 2011
I was interested in learning about writing. She has a very quick wit, and has an amazing way with words. I enjoyed her non-sugar-coated, straight from the gut presentation of various issues and topics related to writing.
April 17, 2015
This is one of the most helpful books I've read on the craft of writing. One piece of advice (out of many) that will stuck with me: the strongest verbs are the ones that decline mid-word, not at the ending.
You can skip the chapter on using a typewriter, of course. :-)
You can skip the chapter on using a typewriter, of course. :-)
May 18, 2013
Good ideas and she backs up her haughty, contemporary attitude with a firm foundation in the classics and literature. I might not agree with some of the political jibes interspersed, but she knows how to write and puts most of those with similar views to shame.
January 16, 2016
I loved this book and read it many years ago. It gets to the bottom of clear and concise writing. Tells you how to make your writing more immediate by taking out the past tense when it's not necessary.
I often read it just for a refresher course.
I often read it just for a refresher course.
Want to read
August 5, 2008[November/December?]
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews