"For nonwriters, it is a glimpse into the trials and satisfactions of a life spent with words. For writers, it is a warm, rambling, conversation with a stimulating and extraordinarily talented colleague." â Chicago Tribune
From Pulitzer Prize-winning Annie Dillard, a collection of essays on writing that illuminates the dedication and daring that characterizes a writer's life.
In these short essays, Annie Dillardâthe author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and An American Childhoodâilluminates the dedication, absurdity, and daring that characterize the existence of a writer. A moving account of Dillardâs own experiences with the creative process while writing her works, The Writing Life offers deep insight into one of the most mysterious professions.
With profound insight and startling imagery, this essential work of literary nonfiction confronts the paradoxes of a writerâs work. The Writerâs Discipline: Dillard explores the daily commitment required to face the blank page, from the practical necessity of a schedule to the metaphysical terror of a single sentence.Artistic Sacrifice: Learn why the part a writer must often jettison is not only the best-written, but the very passage that was to have been the point.A Philosophy of Writing: Through unforgettable metaphorsâfrom a stunt pilot carving the air to a typewriter erupting in flamesâDillard builds a powerful case for what it means to live a life in words.Inspiration for Writers: A profound and deeply honest companion for anyone who has wrestled with the absurd, noble, and necessary task of making art.
"For nonwriters, it is a glimpse into the trials and satisfactions of a life spent with words. For writers, it is a warm, rambling, conversation with a stimulating and extraordinarily talented colleague." â Chicago Tribune
From Pulitzer Prize-winning Annie Dillard, a collection of essays on writing that illuminates the dedication and daring that characterizes a writer's life.
In these short essays, Annie Dillardâthe author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek and An American Childhoodâilluminates the dedication, absurdity, and daring that characterize the existence of a writer. A moving account of Dillardâs own experiences with the creative process while writing her works, The Writing Life offers deep insight into one of the most mysterious professions.
With profound insight and startling imagery, this essential work of literary nonfiction confronts the paradoxes of a writerâs work. The Writerâs Discipline: Dillard explores the daily commitment required to face the blank page, from the practical necessity of a schedule to the metaphysical terror of a single sentence.Artistic Sacrifice: Learn why the part a writer must often jettison is not only the best-written, but the very passage that was to have been the point.A Philosophy of Writing: Through unforgettable metaphorsâfrom a stunt pilot carving the air to a typewriter erupting in flamesâDillard builds a powerful case for what it means to live a life in words.Inspiration for Writers: A profound and deeply honest companion for anyone who has wrestled with the absurd, noble, and necessary task of making art.