Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watmath.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!jagardner
From: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Writing about writing
Message-ID: <14439@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-May-85 09:57:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: watmath.14439
Posted: Tue May 14 09:57:30 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 15-May-85 00:31:47 EDT
References: <125@lzwi.UUCP> <182@hyper.UUCP> <137@lzwi.UUCP>
Reply-To: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 43

[...]

I'd like to nominate a few more books that say interesting things
about writing:

Harlan Ellison et al, Partners in Wonder:
    This is a collection of short stories that were written as
    collaborations between Ellison and various other SF writers.
    To introduce each, Ellison explains the circumstances of how
    they were written.  Not a lot about writing in itself, but a
    good many nice details on the writing _profession_: making
    sales, rewriting, etc.

Samuel R. Delany, Distant Stars:
    I have long been an admirer of Delany's prose style.  In the
    introduction to this book, he gives his three rules of writing
    (two of which are borrowed from other writers, but who cares?).
    Note: I have only seen this book as a "quality paperback" (one
    of the big ones that costs more) -- I imagine it would be
    expensive to buy, but the one I read was from the library.

Ursula K. LeGuin, Children of the Night (?):
    (Not quite sure of the title)  This is an entire book of essays
    and SF criticism.  A gold mine!

All these books are in our local public library.  I doubt if any would
be available in any conventional book store (and if you know a book store
that would carry them, you're very lucky).  Just by the by, I often wonder
why people on the net almost never mention libraries.  In net.sf-lovers,
net.books, and several other groups, I've seen people sending messages
saying "where can I get hold of book X" where X is something that has been
discussed recently.  When I see an interesting book mentioned, I go straight
to the library.  I figure our local library is batting about 75% which is
very, very good considering the specialized nature of some of the books
under discussion.  Those in larger cities (Waterloo only has a population
of 55,000) should have even better luck with libraries.  For example,
I am filled with envy at the luck of Torontonians who have access to an
entire library filled with SF (The Spaced-out Library, founded by Judith
Merrill who donated a huge number of books to get the place started).

				Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo