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Ashley Memory

Writer, teacher, muse

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in a flash

Confession…I’m addicted to writing guides!

Posted on March 9, 2019 by Ashley Memory

Writers have a habit of writing about obsessions. Not only is it fun, it’s easy, and it’s a little thrilling to make a confession, isn’t it? That’s an addiction in itself.

Among many other things (cherries, chocolate, chickadees, etc.), I’m seriously addicted to “how to” books about writing. I just love them. New ones, old ones, good ones. I’ve even learned a thing or two from the not-so-good!

This cabooks.jpgme up recently because my friend and fellow writer Joy Wright asked me to share a few favorites and I thought it’d be fun to post my list here.

The sacred texts for me will always be The Art of Fiction by John Gardner and What If by Pamela Painter and Anne Bernays. The latter is a pithy, noble book and a must-have for any serious writer. The former is just fun to read, a little more accessible and chock-full of good writing prompts. Oh, and another oldie-but-goodie is Flannery O’Connor’s book of essays on writing and more, Mystery and Manners. 

I’ve also recently acquired a few newer ones I’d like to tell you about. John Dufresne’s The Lie that Tells a Truth and his book specifically on flash fiction (Flash!) are excellent. As are the books by Fred White (The Daily Writer, The Daily Reader and Writing Flash), whom I’ve lauded before.

The Byline Bible by Susan Shapiro is my new favorite for writing nonfiction because it takes you out of the classroom into the real world at warp speed. She generously shares numerous essays (by her and students) that broke into the big time (The New York Times and more). She conveniently categorizes the type of essays being written today so you can figure out where your own essays might fit in. Think you might not have an experience worth writing about? Think again, according to Shapiro.

Other books I’ve enjoyed include Francine Prose’s Reading Like a Writer and Melanie Faith’s In a Flash. And for all you poets out there, the list of poetry writing guides is too numerous for this blog post, but I’ll give a short list of my favorites, at least for now.

The Daily Poet by Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano is a lovely book with lots of delicious writing inspiration, as are The Crafty Poet guide books by Diane Lockward. (I have one and two and a third just came out). Ted Kooser’s Poetry Home Repair Manual was also helpful, along with The Poet’s Companion by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux.

In the end, however, you can learn the most by reading firsthand the actual works of great writers themselves. And this is what separates the professional from the amateur. So read, read, read….and READ–the best way to learn how the masters do it.

“A good reader, a major reader, an active and creative reader, is a re-reader.” ~ Vladimir Nabokov

P.S. You knew there would be at least one more, right? Please, please check out Arthur Plotnik’s Spunk and Bite. There are a thousand little nuggets inside that will help your writing positively sizzle!

Tagged anne bernays, arthur plotnik, books about writing, confession, creative writing, diane lockward, dorianne laux, Flannery O'Connor, francine prose, fred white, how-to books, in a flash, john dufresne, john gardner, kelli russell agodon, kim addonizio, martha silano, melanie faith, mystery and manners, pamela painter, poetry, poetry guides, poetry home repair manual, reading like a writer, spunk and bite, susan shapiro, ted kooser, the art of fiction, the byline bible, the crafty poet, the daily poet, the daily reader, the daily writer, the little that tells a truth, the poet's companion, Vladmir Nabokov, what if, writing, writing flash fred white, writing guidesLeave a comment

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Articles & Interviews

  • Courier Tribune – New Poetry Collection by Asheboro Resident Released, Aug. 20, 2019
  • Interview, The Gyroscope Review, April 4, 2020
  • Southern Neighbor, March 27, 2018
  • WOW Interview, July 15, 2018

Books

  • Naked and Hungry
  • Waiting for the Wood Thrush

Essays & Stories

  • A Tale of Two Tumbles, 1st Place, Carolina Woman 2020
  • All-Inclusive Vacation for Pessimists, Brilliant Flash Fiction, 2015
  • Amateur, Main Street Rag, Winner of the Doris Betts Fiction Prize, 2001
  • Dear Derinda, 1st Place, Women on Writing, Summer 2018
  • Golden Delicious, County Lines Literary Magazine, 2019
  • How to Chop An Onion Without Crying, Women on Writing, 1st Place, Quarterly Nonfiction Contest
  • I Know What She's Thinking, Runner-Up, WOW Quarterly Nonfiction Contest, 2018
  • Lunar Eclipse, July 5-6, 1982, Mental Papercuts
  • Marry Me, Cairn, 2003
  • Missing the Dixie Superette, Raleigh News and Observer, 2001
  • Once in a Blue Moon, Thomas Wolfe Review, 2014
  • Running with the Bulls, Hardball Times, 2018
  • Saturday Night, The Ginger Collect, 2018
  • Tamarisk, Eureka Literary Magazine, Nominated for a Pushcart Prize, 1999
  • The Collection: Flash Fiction for Flash Memory (3 stories), 2018
  • To-Do List of a First-Time Teleworker, First Place, Carolina Woman Writing Contest, 2017
  • Watercolor Memories, Romantic Homes, 1999

Poetry

  • A Widow on Chester Street, Pinesong, 2016
  • How To See A Ghost, Indy Week, 2014
  • Interview, The Gyroscope Review, April 4, 2020
  • Orchard #9, Coffin Bell, Vol. 2, Issue 1, January 2019
  • Pulling up the Wild Blackberry Bushes, O. Henry Magazine, July 2019

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