Or "On the nature of writing". Or something like that.

I figured it was time to stop just bitching about the things in my writing I'm not happy about and actually start doing something about it. It's too late in the semester to sign up for a writing class at the local community college, but it's never too late to read about writing, so I've started.

A while back I picked up a copy of "Characters and Viewpoint" by Orson Scott Card (on the recommendation of The Pecman, who wrote the stories "Groovy kind of love" and "Jagged angel" -- I don't have links handy but they're both on nifty) and poked through it some. Last night I picked up a copy of "Description & Setting" by Ron Rozelle. (Along with a copy of Applied Cryptography -- must've looked a little odd to the cashier, and I can't wait to have to explain it to the IRS since they're both legitimate business expenses) It was in the same series as the OSC book, so I figured it was a good bet.

So far... yep, looks like it. Plus there's a certain amusing symmetry to writing about reading about writing. (Which leaves people reading about me writing about reading about writing, and we all go 'round oroboros-like. Or get confused. Possibly both)

Regardless, it's been worthwhile, even the bits and pieces I've dug into. I can't say whether these books in particular would be good for anyone who wants to get better as a writer, they've certainly been good for me, and I can recommend books in general for folks that're serious about getting better.

Who knows, at this rate I'll probably end up joining some writer's group or other by the end of the summer. That could certainly make group read-throughs.... interesting.