Wise Words from an Author and His Editor

by Lois Flowers

This is not a writing blog, but every once in a while, I come across a book about the subject that meets me right where I am. Which means, of course, that I have to share bits and pieces of it with you.

This time, it’s a book called Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction—Stories and Advice from a Lifetime of Writing and Editing. It was cowritten by Tracy Kidder, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1982 for The Soul of a New Machine, and Richard Todd, his long-time editor.

I don’t always care for books with two authors, but this one works. Each author addresses the subject of writing and editing from his unique perspective, and their thoughts about their long-time collaboration also are insightful.

If you’ve consumed your fair share of writing books, Good Prose is more along the lines of William Zinsser (On Writing Well) than Anne Lamott (Bird by Bird). Reading it reminded me of my beloved college journalism professor, Fred Lollar, who was as old-school of an editor-type as they come.

I’ll return to my usual blog fare next week, but for now, here are a few of my favorite quotes from this helpful book.

Concise advice from a chapter called “The Problem of Style”:

“Often one of the most helpful things an editor can say to a writer is, ‘Make this two sentences.’ ”

A refreshing perspective on “voice” (also known as “the writer’s presence on the page”):

“The term ‘voice’ appears constantly in criticism today. … Certainly it has become discomfiting to hear writers speak about their own voices. You cannot, must not, try to design and create a voice. The creation of voice is the providential result of the writer’s constant self-defining and self-refining inner dialogue. When it happens, let someone else tell you, and be grateful.”

Kidder’s thoughts on rewriting (or, “the writer’s special privilege”):

“We rarely get the chance in life that rewriting offers, to revise our pasts, to take back what we’ve said and say it better before others hear it.”

And on not letting bossiness creep into our writing:

“ ‘Taking the spin off’ can be the solution not only to a melodramatic sentence, but to a problem of tone that infects a whole manuscript. … Taking the spin off can be translated roughly as: Don’t try to tell the reader how to feel.”

In the final chapter, Kidder recounts how he began learning the art of “killing his darlings,” a writerly phrase for deleting favorite lines that don’t fit in a book or article. At one point during the editing of The Soul of a New Machine, he and Todd spread the manuscript all over the carpet in Todd’s office so the editor could review the book as a whole.

“Now and then,” Kidder writes, “Todd picked a couple pages off the floor for closer scrutiny, and said of some passage I had long admired, knowing it was grand and indispensable, ‘You could do without this.’ That was when I began to learn a skill which for me needs constant relearning, how to fall out of love with my own words. And, much harder of course, how to let go of some perfectly lovable words that nonetheless are at odds with the whole.”

I’ll conclude with this bit of wisdom (which applies to so much more than writing books and blog posts, I think):

“If you can’t imagine yourself saying something aloud, then you probably shouldn’t write it. That is not the same as saying, ‘Write the way you talk.’ If we all did that, civilization would be in even worse shape than it is. This is closer: Write the way you talk on your best day. Write the way you would like to talk.”

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Which, if any, of these thoughts resonate with you? What’s the best piece of writing (or speaking) advice you ever received? Please share in the comments.

Lois

We rarely get the chance in life that rewriting offers, to revise our pasts, to take back what we’ve said and say it better before others hear it. ~ Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd in Good Prose Share on X If you can’t imagine yourself saying something aloud, then you probably shouldn’t write it. ... Write the way you talk on your best day. Write the way you would like to talk. ~ Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd in Good Prose Share on X

P.S. I’m linking up this week with #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.

Leave a Comment

24 comments

Donna B Reidland August 1, 2022 - 2:18 pm

This sounds like a very helpful book. Thanks for sharing your review.

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Lois Flowers August 1, 2022 - 3:58 pm

You’re welcome, Donna. 🙂

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Bethany McIlrath July 10, 2022 - 6:15 pm

Oo, this sounds good! I’m reading On Writing Well and Bird by Bird slowly right now. I have to say, the quotes from this alone are more helpful to me than Bird by Bird has been! I really like the quote about the privilege of rewriting. Thanks for sharing this!

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Lois Flowers July 12, 2022 - 10:25 am

I’m with you, Bethany, when it comes to writing book preferences! The rewriting quote really resonated with me too. 🙂

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Lauren Renee Sparks July 8, 2022 - 4:26 pm

Thank you for the recommendation. Adding it to my list.

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:33 pm

You’re welcome, Lauren. 🙂

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Aritha July 8, 2022 - 8:32 am

Oooh, thank you Lois,

I am a Dutch writer and one citat is so good for me now: “If you can’t imagine yourself saying something aloud, then you probably shouldn’t write it.”

Thanks.

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:33 pm

That’s a good one for me right now too, Aritha. 🙂

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Lisa Blair July 7, 2022 - 1:30 pm

I appreciate this book recommendation, Lois, and all the inspiring quotes.

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:32 pm

I’m glad you were inspired, Lisa.

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Emily July 6, 2022 - 10:04 am

Love the idea of writing how I would talk on my best day! I read somewhere once that the best way to edit is by reading your work aloud. I find this helps. Great post!

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:27 pm

Thanks, Emily! I read my work aloud too, and I also encourage my daughters to do so. It definitely helps point out when something is clunky or doesn’t sound “like us.”

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Joanne Viola July 6, 2022 - 9:53 am

That last quote is gold! I pray the words I write are one and the same with what I would say out loud. May our lives be consistent and consistently reflect the One for whom we live.

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:34 pm

Amen, Joanne! ❤️

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Jan July 6, 2022 - 9:23 am

Write the way you speak-excellent advice, and the only way I know how to write…
Good tips here-thx!

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:25 pm

It’s the only way I know to write too, Jan. 🙂

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Ashley Rowland | HISsparrowBlog July 6, 2022 - 8:56 am

I really liked the quote about voice. When you dive into the writing world, you hear about voice all the time. You wonder how to mold it, but it’s not really something you can mold yourself. Sometimes I think in trying to mold your own voice, you stall your own progress in growing as a writer and sometimes break the rules recklessly in the name of looking for your voice. Wonderful advice.

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:24 pm

I think you’re right, Ashley. Achieving a certain “sound” doesn’t do a whole lot of good if we’re not saying anything, or saying it badly. When I’m helping my girls with their school papers, I always encourage them to read them out loud and see if it sounds like them. Their writing is always better when it does, I think.

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Lisa notes July 6, 2022 - 6:27 am

I enjoy reading books about writing (and books about reading) so I’m looking this one up now. (And I don’t typically like books with two authors either, but sometimes it does work well.) Lots of good advice here. Thanks for curating these quotes for us, Lois!

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:19 pm

You’re welcome, Lisa. If you end up reading the book, I’d love to know what you think of it. 🙂

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Donna July 5, 2022 - 3:35 pm

Lois, I enjoy when you share bits and pieces of writing info-not a formally trained writer, I soak up everything I can find. I love Zinsser’s works. I’m going to pick this book up, so much of what you shared resonated with me as I find my way in the writing world. But the one thing that most grabs my attention is the comment about “voice”. I have yet to hear it so well described!

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:18 pm

I loved that part too, Donna. “Voice” isn’t something we can manufacture, is it? It comes with purpose, confidence and practice, I think. May God continue to bless you as you “make your way in the writing world.” 🙂

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Barbara Harper July 5, 2022 - 1:19 pm

I’ve not heard of these authors, but their advice sounds good. It’s hard to know which words are clever and just right and which are “darlings” that need to be deleted. Which I guess is why we need other eyes on our writing to give us feedback.

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Lois Flowers July 8, 2022 - 7:14 pm

I hear you, Barbara. I tend to get attached to ALL the words, which makes it especially hard when I have to cut large chunks. Feedback definitely helps, though … if it makes someone else’s eyes glaze over—with boredom or confusion—it needs to go for sure!

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