Renowned, bestselling novelist Chuck Palahniuk takes us behind the scenes of the writing life, with postcards from decades on the road and incredible examination of the power of fiction and the art of storytelling.In this spellbinding blend of memoir and insight, bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk shares stories and generous advice on what makes writing powerful and what makes for powerful … what makes for powerful writing.
With advice grounded in years of careful study and a keenly observed life, Palahniuk combines practical advice and concrete examples from beloved classics, his own books, and a”kitchen-table MFA” culled from an evolving circle of beloved authors and artists, with anecdotes, postcards from the road, and much more.
Clear-eyed, sensitive, illuminating, and knowledgeable, Consider This is Palahniuk’s love letter to stories and storytellers, booksellers and books themselves. Consider it a classic in the making.
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Ever since Fight Club, I have been reluctantly captured by the brilliant, offbeat rebel prose of Chuck Palahniuk, so when he came out with a writing book, I had to have it and it did NOT disappoint. I enjoyed his anecdotes, stories, and the reveal of his process as he followed a writing teacher. Will be a permanent addition to my author shelf.
Okay, top of the pile. A book to reread for many reasons.
I don’t think it’s a book for newer writers, but for those with a few years under the belt with lots of practical endeavours, this is an honest and valuable resource to get beyond the norm.
A treasure that contains a few treasure hunts …
I loved the insight on writing dos and don’ts, but I think I loved his personal stories best. (And some of them were jaw dropping.)
I’ve read other books on writing and loved them all. The first one was THE FOREST FOR THE TREES by Betsy Lerner. Next came BIRD BY BIRD by Anne Lamott. The last one was ON WRITING, by Stephen King. Much like Palahniuk’s book, King shared personal stories too. (Mouthwash? Okay, that definitely explains why some of his stuff started getting a little too weird)
Palahniuk delivers the goods about writing fiction with humor and kindness. I started to add a third adjective in there, but one of the things I learned? Don’t always go with threes.
The book was well organized. I liked the short, punchy narrative and chapters. I bet even someone who doesn’t write would be entertained.
Highly recommend for the writer looking for a different approach on honing their craft.
Anyone in the craft needs to re-up with Palahniuk’s wisdom.
Great read for seasoned or aspiring authors!
The first rule of Write Club is…
Chuck Palahniuk gives us food for thought on writing and the process it entails .The author tells us Instead of writing about a character write from within the character .You have chosen to explore a certain character because something about it resonates with you . The writer quotes Jacques Derrida who proposed Western Culture is binary .Things must be one way or the other.The author urges us to find some unresolvable issue that will instantly guarantee tension and debate over your work.Readers do not need to be fixed or repaired.Instead I will
remind you of Tom Sponbauers directive Write about the moment after which everything was different .What could be better advice.
I’ve yet to make it through a Chuck Palahniuk novel myself, but he knows how to tell a story, and this book alternates funny/weird/horrifying stories about the writing life with interesting and actionable suggestions for writing better fiction. I finished it with some useful notes for things to consider while drafting and editing. Also with enormous gratitude that I will probably never need to go on a book tour. (Oh my God, the mice!)
I loved this book so much. Chuck is a brilliant writer. This book is raw, heartfelt, and not for those who are easily upset.
Palahniuk is a master storyteller, and in this part-writing guide/part-memoir he shows potential students how he does what he does. An honest behind-the-scenes look at the writing life, plus a good deal of sensible how-to