Introduction

Four years ago I bought Writer’s Mind: Crafting Fiction by Richard Cohen © 1995. I was immediately impressed by the quality of information about writing and writers, and saw ways to improve my reading of literature by better understanding the writing experience. Cohen follows each chapter with hands-on questions for writers learning to write and an extensive list of literature to read to compliment the chapter, which he called the “Writer’s Bookshelf.” This is an ambitious project. The nearly 100 books on my list from the Writer’s Bookshelf constitute over 40,000 pages.

Some of the books on the bookshelf I recognized as classic, college level literature. Others were among the most memorable and significant books that I had read. Many I had never heard of, but Cohen seemed to know what he was talking about in the text, and I appreciated his insights into the books he listed; so, I thought I’d trust his judgment and give it a go with all the books on his list.

I intend to read Writer’s Mind by chapter. At the end of each chapter, I will read the works on the “Writer’s Bookshelf,” keeping in mind the questions posed by the author of Writer’s Mind to better understand the work and the writing techniques and methods. For now, I’m stopping at chapter 17, skipping chapters 18, 19, 20, and 21, which seem focused on publishing and the logistics of having a career in writing. On this blog I will respond to the questions posed by Cohen based on the books that deal with the craft of fiction through examples of fiction.

I expect to learn more about the writing process, to improve my own writing, and to deepen my appreciation of literature and the writer's experience. I will also be exposed to a variety of difficult literature that I might have not been willing to tackle before. I’m especially interested in the unique works that Cohen has placed on the Writer’s Bookshelf, such as John Ruskin’s Modern Painters. Finally, I’ll be introduced to modern writers I hadn’t discovered, such as Ann Beattie and Iris Murdock.

Let's get going; I've got a lot of reading to do!