Looking for a book on writing but don’t have time to read it because you’re writing too much? Look no further than Words Fail Me: What Everyone Who Writes Should Know About Writing by Patricia T. O’Conner. Patricia O’Conner’s little book on writing never fails to reenergize my devotion to the craft. I have read this book at least once a year since receiving it as a gift in 2001.
Many books take you through the technical aspects of writing and help you avoid common grammatical and spelling mistakes. What makes Words Fail Me stand out is O’Conner’s winsome personality and humor.
I’ve found that most of the times I’ve had “writer’s block” I’ve been afraid of my “reader,” or I’ve just been overwhelmed with seriousness as I approached the task. O’Conner explodes all that. She offers biting criticism of bad writing and rapturous praise for good writing – but it’s all in good fun.
If you are constantly writing and feel like you need to fall in love again with the craft, take my advice. Buy Words Fail Me, read it, and then put it away. But make sure you keep it close by.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog
