Talking to Myself

The concept behind this book is that you can become a better writer by learning specific techniques from master writers. Writers write by mimicking other writers, writers get inspiration and ideas from other writers. Adam Sexton shows how aspiring writers can develop their skills from classic writers such as Joyce, Conrad and Nabokov.

Sexton divides his book into sections that discuss the various elements of fiction. We use Hemingway's stories for learning voice, Austen for characterization, etc. Each section focuses on one work, either a short story, long story, or novel. He tells you to "stop now and read...." So you've got an excellent guide to reading or re-reading some twentieth century classics.

I bought this (work)book with hopes that it would help me hone my skills as a writer. I can see how I will apply myself to the chapters of this book. I will have to identify the writers that I admire and I want to learn from, then use the book to examine how my favorite writers manage to shape their stories based on their own writing styles. Hopefully this would give me ideas on how to improve my own work and writing.