Talking to Writers
The Craft of Fiction
1st Edition
Published on 13. November 2025
400 pages
979-8-8818-6798-0 (ISBN)
Description
Am I a writer? Where should I get ideas? Is my writing any good? How did my favorite authors make it big? The act of writing is a daunting task for many people, and becoming a "writer" means so much more than putting pen to paper.
Dean Nelson embraces the questions that plague writers by turning to some of the best-known authors of our time. With encouragement, advice, and refreshing honesty, writers discuss their own beginnings, struggles, and victories in a manner that will make readers say, "I can do that."
In Talking to Writers: The Craft of Fiction, readers will hear from Ray Bradbury about why everyone should write, Alice Walker about writing with courage, Nick Hornby about creating dialogue, Anthony Doerr about getting ideas, and Amy Tan about discipline. Among the many other featured writers are Joyce Carol Oates, Jane Smiley, Don Winslow, Amor Towles, Billy Collins, and more.
Bringing together interviews from 30 years of the annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea, Nelson reveals writers' motives, connects the dots to their past, and acknowledges their struggles. Often beginning with, "I've never said this publicly before...", these treasured authors' revelations give aspiring writers of every level the courage and support necessary to live the writing life.
Dean Nelson embraces the questions that plague writers by turning to some of the best-known authors of our time. With encouragement, advice, and refreshing honesty, writers discuss their own beginnings, struggles, and victories in a manner that will make readers say, "I can do that."
In Talking to Writers: The Craft of Fiction, readers will hear from Ray Bradbury about why everyone should write, Alice Walker about writing with courage, Nick Hornby about creating dialogue, Anthony Doerr about getting ideas, and Amy Tan about discipline. Among the many other featured writers are Joyce Carol Oates, Jane Smiley, Don Winslow, Amor Towles, Billy Collins, and more.
Bringing together interviews from 30 years of the annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea, Nelson reveals writers' motives, connects the dots to their past, and acknowledges their struggles. Often beginning with, "I've never said this publicly before...", these treasured authors' revelations give aspiring writers of every level the courage and support necessary to live the writing life.
More details
Edition
1. Auflage
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Illustrations
9 bw illus
ISBN-13
979-8-8818-6798-0 (9798881867980)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
approx. 01/2026
Bloomsbury Academic
€51.00
Not yet published
Person
Dean Nelson is the founder and host of the annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea, which will be in its 30th year in 2025. He has interviewed many of the world's greatest writers, including Amy Tan, Alice Walker, Anne Lamott, Ray Bradbury, Anthony Doerr, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Don Winslow, Deepak Chopra, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, N. Scott Momaday and dozens more. A nearly complete list can be seen here: https://www.uctv.tv/writers/ These are the voices that are in this book.
He is also the founder and director of the journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, and a practicing journalist. He has taught writing and journalism for 40 years. He has won several national and regional awards for his journalism.
His work with the Writer's Symposium by the Sea has been recognized with awards from the San Diego Writer's Festival, the San Diego Public Library, and various local civic groups.
He is also the founder and director of the journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, and a practicing journalist. He has taught writing and journalism for 40 years. He has won several national and regional awards for his journalism.
His work with the Writer's Symposium by the Sea has been recognized with awards from the San Diego Writer's Festival, the San Diego Public Library, and various local civic groups.
Content
Introduction
1. A Reason to Write Fiction
2. Awakening to the Art
3. Subject Matter
4. The Voices Outside Your Head
5. Emerging Path
6. Growing, Changing, Improving
7. Worldview, Pessimism and Optimism
8. When the World Says No
9. More Than Words on a Page
10. When Enthusiasm Fades
11. Consider the reader
12. What You Believe
13. The Importance of Reading
14. Words of Wisdom
Index
About the Author
1. A Reason to Write Fiction
2. Awakening to the Art
3. Subject Matter
4. The Voices Outside Your Head
5. Emerging Path
6. Growing, Changing, Improving
7. Worldview, Pessimism and Optimism
8. When the World Says No
9. More Than Words on a Page
10. When Enthusiasm Fades
11. Consider the reader
12. What You Believe
13. The Importance of Reading
14. Words of Wisdom
Index
About the Author
