"Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction" by Tracy Kidder & Richard Todd / Wednesday, March 20, 2013 / Reviewed by Clay Stafford
Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction” by Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd provide a rare treat for nonfiction writers. Here is the chronicle of two men who have spent the last forty years of their lives trying to get the words right. As they say, these are stories and advice from a lifetime of writing and editing. It is not enough to write the facts, but to write them in an interesting, fair, and honest way in which someone might want to read them. From their own experiences, Todd and Kidder address three major forms: narratives, essays, and memoirs, all applicable to our Killer Nashville family. Their discussion for narratives includes notes on story, points of view, characters, and structure – things most authors reserve only for the fiction craft. They explore ways to present engaging facts without exaggeration, to write with a style that grips readers, to know when to break the rules. They discuss making a living as a nonfiction writer from their own experiences and those of their colleagues. They tour the all-important relationship between the writer and the mentoring editor. They write of successes and failures through their own experiences, sharing their veteran advice with a new generation of writers seeking guidance. The resumes of both men are impeccable. Richard Todd has been an editor, author, graduate writing professor, and mentor to young writers most of his life. Tracy Kidder is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, and more. Both have walked the walk and are more than qualified to talk the talk. If there is a biography in you, an article, or a true crime story you wish to tell, I encourage you to explore this book before you write the first word. It will open your eyes to the possibilities of your own exploration and temper you as you tell your own honest and captivating story.
– Clay Stafford, author and founder of Killer Nashville
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