All writers need readers. Real readers, people who actually read your efforts without the pressures of family or friendship. People who actually might even someday pay to read the ideas and thoughts you, a writer, puts into print. And not just those who condescendingly pat you on the back and say “That is really good stuff, you should send it in someplace.” I've found the best readers are those who actually write themselves and understand both the joy and the pathos of putting their souls out in the world for everyone to see.
Seriously, without readers, why write? Other than the safely tucked away confessional letters that will never be sent and a few other soul-cleansing, cathartic, autobiographical pieces meant to clean out cobwebs and barriers from the writer's own carefully tucked away abyss of dark memories, most writing is done for pure joy and entertainment. But am I doing it right? How do I write so no one laughs or even worse, ignores my writing? How do the experts do it?
Personally, I have no clue. I simply know what I like to read. I hate tedious, pompous writing that insults my intelligence, how meager it may be. I have read so many guide books on writing that I have simply become an expert on the guide books themselves. Unfortunately, many of them aren't worth the time to read. Especially the free e-books; as a rule they are badly written nonsense. I've deleted some I didn't bother to finish. I was deep into one book when I came across a misspelled word that should have been caught by any word processor, much less an editor. The word? Grammar.
What better place to compile a list of good references than a group of people who love to write? The members of the Sarasota Writers Group sent in their respective recommendations of books and guidelines for writers so I could compile a list of material. The list will be presented on Wednesday, April 16th. See if your favorite made the cut.
George
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