Trial and Error
Trial and Error is Jack Woodford's book on writing and the publishing industry. The book focuses on writing and editing and describes the behind-the-scenes machinations that result in the final publication of writing.
The book was instrumental in the writing careers of Ray Bradbury, Jerry Pournelle, Piers Anthony, Robert A. Heinlein, and Richard A. Lupoff. The Notebooks of Raymond Chandler contain a paraphrased excerpt from Trial and Error that Chandler wrote from memory, entitled "Jack Woodford's Rules for Writing a Novel."
The introduction was written by the founder of Esquire magazine, Arnold Gingrich.
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Though written in 1933, this, the first of Woodford's string of classic books on writing, still holds up well today, with his trademark caustic, no BS realistic advice for writers. I withheld one star in my rating only because a significant portion of the book is devoted to writing and marketing short stories to the then plentiful hordes of magazines that thrived on slick and genre fiction. Alas, that market is long gone, replaced by TV, so Woodford's advice there is now irrelevant to the needs of writers today.
Otherwise, the book is still entertaining and trenchant.
- -- By Peter L. Winkler
I found a copy of this book, the 7th edition published in 1937, in my grandfather's bookshelf after his death and fell in love. The best way I can think to describe this book is a "film noir" writer's guide because the whole tone of the book reminds me of how a writer's guide would sound if it were written by Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe! It's great and deals very frankly with the business of writing. Even if you have no intention of putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), you will enjoy this book!
- -- By Christine A. Lehman
External links
isbn: 1163162957
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