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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 813.54 EAN: 9780345465511 ISBN: 0345465512 Label: Del Rey Manufacturer: Del Rey Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 208 Publication Date: February 03, 2004 Publisher: Del Rey Release Date: February 03, 2004 Studio: Del Rey Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: In Sometimes the Magic Works, author Terry Brooks mixes advice on writing with stories from his personal experience in publishing. A seasoned fantasy writer with 19 books under his belt, including the New York Times bestseller The Sword of Shannara, Brooks began his second career in middle age when he gave up his law practice to pursue writing full time. His move was fueled by an obsession with writing, ("If I don't write, I become restless and ill-tempered"), inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien, and constant encouragement from publisher Lester del Rey. Some of Brooks's advice is specific and useful, such as the chapter he dedicates to the importance of outlining. However, the lessons he tries to tell through his own adventures tend to be self-serving. Still, Brooks's experiences could be particularly interesting and valuable to fans of his fantasy novels--and aspiring authors of their own. --Lacey Fain Product Description: 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 upon his own experiences, hard lessons learned, and delightful discoveries made in creating the beloved Shannara and Magic Kingdom of Landover series, The Word and The Void trilogy, and the bestselling Star Wars novel The Phantom Menace. In addition to being a writing guide, Sometimes the Magic Works is Terry Brooks’s self-portrait of the artist. “If you don’t think there is magic in writing, you probably won’t write anything magical,” says Brooks. This book offers a rare opportunity to peer into the mind of (and learn a trick or two from) one of fantasy fiction’s preeminent magicians. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Great insightsBrooks gives an insightful look at being a fantasy writer, both in regards to the craft and the business. If you're a fantasy writer or interested in the process, this is a nice title to read. Rating: - Easy to read, insightfulI find most of Terry Brooks's work to be hit-and-miss, but this one was a definite hit. He lets us in to his head during the creating process. While there is nothing particularly ground-breaking here, his style is very conversational and easy to read. He doesn't get bogged down in mechanics but tries to convey that writing is a process and a craft, not just a hobby. Rating: - Wonderful Book!"Sometimes the Magic Works" is a wonderful book for aspiring authors and fans of best-selling fantasy author Terry Brooks alike. Mr. Brooks has created a truly delightful blend of personal memoir and writing guide that offers a rare peek behind the curtain at the life of a successful writer. In revealing what it takes to "make it" in this incredibly competitive field (discipline, perseverance, creativity, and LOTS of luck, among other things), Mr. Brooks provides the kind of invaluable advice and ... Read More Rating:  - Not all there.Five or six chapters in, I doubt I'll finish. It's probably interesting to Terry Brooks fans, but... The opening chapter goes into some detail about how he's "not all here," explaining that his attention is usually in the world of his writing instead of on his "real" world surroundings. Unfortunately, he's not all here in the book, either. It feels amazingly superficial, like Brooks was severely distracted while writing it. I can barely remember each chapter by the end of it. Read More Rating: - Sometimes the magic really does workI picked up this book when I was doing research for my own book about writing - I wanted to learn what other writers thought of their crafts, what pearls of wisdom or insight I might be able to glean for use in my own work. Terry Brooks has written a gem with this book. The back cover tells us that "in addition to being a writing guide, Sometimes the Magic Works is Terry Brooks's self-portrait of the artist." This is precisely true. The book gives the reader a sense of what it is to be a ... Read More |
