The Kite and the String: How to Write with Spontaneity and Control--and Live to Tell the Tale

Penguin Books 2017, 1st printing. Bright, clean & tight copy, unread, in Fine condition. "A targeted and insightful guide to the stages of creating stories and books, with wise lessons on navigating the writing life. [] Good writing is not the result of simply following instructions. As award-winning author Alice Mattison makes clear, it comes from expressing feelings boldly and freely and then looking critically at what we've done. In place of rules, she advises spontaneity, discipline, and a wise attitude toward the work--neither despairing nor defensive, but clear-eyed, courageous, and discerning. [] Throughout THE KITE AND THE STRING, Mattison attends to the difficulties of protecting writing time, preserving solitude, and setting the right goals for publication. She also addresses the key stages of the process and the attitudes we must adopt to navigate them successfully. An inspiring call for creative risk-taking, this thoughtful guide will make an indispensable addition to the shelves of writers at all levels." [publisher copy] "A book-length master class."--The Atlantic. "A much-needed reminder to relax control, to commit the space and time, then sit back and let the string unspool."--The Rumpus. "The essays in THE KITE AND THE STRING are brilliant, funny, and wise--everything that readers of Alice Mattison's fine work have come to expect--and they will send you running to your desk with new insight and inspiration. Every page is a keeper."--Jill McCorkle. "In this superb book about writing and her own surprising beginnings as a writer, Alice Mattison shows us how to create the vivid dream of successful fiction. If you want to be a writer, read this book."--Susan Cheever. Fine paperback w/brilliant corners (tiny chip on lower back spine) & crisp edges, a square & tight binding w/no creases in spine, unmarked & quite presentable.…