Les Edgerton

Lest you think I love everything I read, I frickin' hated this book. Written in a smarmy, sarcastic tone, it purports to be written to kids so they can learn how to cope with the variety of Little League coaches they may encounter. Rather than give practical advice, he does his best to "Dennis Miller" his way through all the possible scenarios a kid may face, which really boil down to two situations: The coach is coaching so he can make his son a star, or The coach is coaching because his dreams of playing in The Show were dashed, and he's determined to rectify that vicariously with you!

The book is one long tedious insult to everyone who loves baseball and anyone who has experienced an agenda-less coach who is there to enjoy the game and help the kids. And yeah, I took this book personally...that's what the author wanted. My response? You're outta here.
… (altro)

To a writer, something that they call “voice” simply provides a line of life. It’s the most essential part of getting a reader interested in reading more – and getting an editor interested in publishing the author. Edgerton’s method of developing voice is simply learning to be yourself while writing. This professional writing teacher teaches us his writing process – by studying how others write and then by listening to how he thinks.

He seems to spend a lot of his time teaching students inclined towards literature how to write. In this book, he often refers to the transgression of trying to imitate other authors instead of writing your own thoughts. He also talks of the transgression of the “Critic-Nag Dude” who criticizes one’s natural writing style. This internal critic tends to over-polish writing and is the stuff of piling rewrite upon rewrite.

As for himself, Edgerton’s writing voice is fairly loose and folksy. He does not have an overly academic or even succinct style. As is common today, he is pretty conversational. I’m not sure he has a ton to say to those, like myself, who have a more academic and analytical voice. Nonetheless, the central message of disregarding one’s own harsh thoughts ought to be accepted by everyone. Too many people spend their time in life trying to imitate others.

Edgerton also addresses writers of both fiction and non-fiction. Fiction writers must be authentic to themselves while imitating the voices of their characters. Their characters, however, are ultimately a creation of their soul. Non-fiction writers must learn to engender curiosity, wonder, and interest in the reader. The best way to do that is to be so with the subject matter at hand.

This book provides a relaxed read for those interested in the craft of writing. Instead of a technical work on how to enhance voice, reading it more reflects a therapy session – not on how to live but on how to cultivate authenticity, transparency, and honesty in writing. Those looking to unlock the mysteries of success and the universe will probably be disappointed. Those looking to improve a few things in their writing, however, will find many gems hidden in the grass.… (altro)

I bought this book because author Chris Strayln said, in an Amazon review, that it revolutionized the way he wrote beginnings. So I got a sample of Strayln's book, This Time You Lose, and it was about the most exciting beginning I've ever read.

Well, Hooked didn't quite live up to that recommendation. My review meter alternated between 2 and 4 stars while I was reading.

In summary, he's got a few great ideas, but he goes over them and over them. He could have gotten his points across in about 40 pages.

He also keeps giving examples, and talking about how great they are. Some are, some aren't. For example, from "What's Not to Enjoy":

"A few days before Thanksgiving I get a terrific recipe from the Turkey Hotline Lady while Dyna and I make love."

He then says "What a superb opening! Who could possibly resist reading on?"

Me. I could resist. He gushes about a lot of these, and often tries to fit the opening to his ideas even if the match isn't that close.

Finally, the writing was often bad. Here's an example from page 207:

"The truth is, many books are getting lost in the mix, and this is largely due to the fact that there are still writers churning out a product written in a style and with a structure my son Mike would most likely describe as being 'So five minutes ago.'"

This is from a book on how to write. "The truth is" "Largely due to the fact that." Sheesh.

Most beginning writers could change this to:

"Many books fail because of their antiquated style and structure."

But, as I said, there are good ideas, and I made changes to my opening based on his suggestions. Those changes improved my book. Just be prepared for a long slog.

… (altro)