Book review

I've been reading John Scalzi's book on writing, "Don't think you're fooling anyone when you take your laptop to the coffee shop". I like it, though I have read much of it already on his website. He has a lucid and direct writing style that I find very readable, even addictive. Which is a bad thing right now because I have my own writing to do, and I am past deadline.

I really like the book and I am glad I didn't buy it. Reading books about writing is, IMHO, the worst form of cat-vacuuming. I asked the public library to buy this book, so he and Subterranean got a sale. I don't have to find a place to put it, and I don't have to keep track of which of my friends has it. I have to read it quickly, because at least 3 other people are waiting for it. I can find anything I really need to re-read online more quickly than I can sometimes find a given book in this house. Anyway, I've read large chunks of it online at his website: www.scalzi.com/whatever.

If you write, and haven't looked at Whatever, I strongly recommend it. (Or even if you don't - he writes about everything!) You might want to read this book as well, rather than having to read so much online. It's not about how to write, is about the profession of writing. Why you shouldn't lie in cover letters. Why you should keep your day job. Stuff like that.

And I am sorry to say that it's probably out of print. I just checked the Subterranean Press site, and it's no longer listed.

Back to my writing, the stuff I get paid for, eventually.