Review by Choice Review
Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow is a collection of essays on the craft of writing by Almond, an accomplished nonfiction and fiction writer. Almond groups his essays into four sections. The first is dedicated to the writing craft, emphasizing the need for characters who possess psychological depth and who are active (i.e., their actions to constitute a plot). It also includes advice about managing time in a story, the importance of the narrator, and how to hook a reader with an opening. In the second section, Almond devotes chapters to the need for writers to possess and pursue obsessions, how to infuse stories with drama and authentic emotion, how to deal with self-doubt, how to make use of humor, and how--and why--to write shameless sex scenes. Each of the chapters in this section concludes with a writing exercise. The third section considers the obstacles that face a writer committed to telling stories that are emotionally honest, presenting flawed characters and regarding them with clear-eyed compassion. The final section, styled as an FAQ, answers questions that readers and aspiring writers often ask people like Almond: e.g., "How much do titles matter?" and "When am I allowed to call myself a writer?" Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Thomas A. Dodson, Southern Oregon University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
After years as a writer and a writing professor, Almond has learned many things about the mystery of literary craft. This guide is a helpful supplement to any writer's practice, be they a novice or a seasoned vet. Almond admits to his struggles with fiction; he has a handful of unpublished novels that built intricate worlds without swiftly getting to the action. Because of this, Almond encourages clear, urgent peril for fictional characters. He's had more success with nonfiction, following his real-life obsessions onto the page in Candyfreak (2004) and Against Football (2014). He reminds readers how easy it is to write when you care about something deeply. His prose has the cozy formality of a writers' workshop, and he delivers a treasure trove of examples from literature to prove each point. He emphasizes the roles of humor and doubt and advises on how to write authentic intimacy, break the cycle of writer's block, and move beyond entitlement and into wisdom. He closes with FAQs on process and publication.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A bestselling author explores both the technical and personal aspects of the writing craft in a series of essays. Almond's philosophy of writing is simple: "Every single person on earth is a storyteller [because we] are all trying to understand the story of our lives." To that end, he offers readers wisdom culled from a career as an "apostate journalist"-turned-fiction writer and teacher. In the first section, the author focuses on five essential story elements: plot, characterization, chronology, narrative voice, and an opening paragraph that offers "the promise of a good story" and "the assurance that [readers] will be taken care of rather than taken for granted." In discussing each element, Almond draws examples from a refreshing variety of writers that include luminaries such as Fitzgerald and Hemingway and lesser-known lights like John Williams and Megha Majumdar. The second section grapples with the "origins of story," which Almond sees as emanating from the darker, more forbidding places of the human psyche, home to obsession, fear, desire, and doubt. For Almond, the best writing will always express "radical subjectivity" and feelings that are "unstoppable…crazed and shameless." In the final section, the author turns his attention to elements of the writing life. He offers unique perspectives on old problems like writer's block, which he understands as a gift meant to help writers find their way to more "egoless prose." Drawing on his many years as a teacher, Almond also offers observations on effective workshop environments, the best of which foster the humility--rather than empty, excessive self-regard--that helps writers endure setbacks. At times overly quirky but always candid and humane, Almond's book will appeal to writers of all different skill levels seeking insights into the wondrous art of storytelling. The author concludes with an informative FAQ section. An engaging reading guidebook to the writing life. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
