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Joyce Carol Oates
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The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art Paperback – September 14, 2004

by Joyce Carol Oates (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 100 ratings
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A tribute to the brilliant craftsmanship of one of our most distinguished writers, providing valuable insight into her inspiration and her method

Joyce Carol Oates is widely regarded as one of America's greatest contemporary literary figures. Having written in a number of genres -- prose, poetry, personal and critical essays, as well as plays -- she is an artist ideally suited to answer essential questions about what makes a story striking, a novel come alive, a writer an artist as well as a craftsman.

In The Faith of a Writer, Oates discusses the subjects most important to the narrative craft, touching on topics such as inspiration, memory, self-criticism, and "the unique power of the unconscious." On a more personal note, she speaks of childhood inspirations, offers advice to young writers, and discusses the wildly varying states of mind of a writer at work. Oates also pays homage to those she calls her "significant predecessors" and discusses the importance of reading in the life of a writer.

Oates claims, "Inspiration and energy and even genius are rarely enough to make 'art': for prose fiction is also a craft, and craft must be learned, whether by accident or design." In fourteen succinct chapters, The Faith of a Writer provides valuable lessons on how language, ideas, and experience are assembled to create art.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Ecco
  4. Publication date
    September 14, 2004
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.44 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0060565543
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0060565541
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joyce Carol Oates is a recipient of the National Medal of Humanities, the National Book Critics Circle Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Book Award, and the 2019 Jerusalem Prize, and has been several times nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. She has written some of the most enduring fiction of our time, including the national bestsellers We Were the Mulvaneys; Blonde, which was nominated for the National Book Award; and the New York Times bestseller The Falls, which won the 2005 Prix Femina. She is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University and has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ecco; Reprint edition (September 14, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060565543
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060565541
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.44 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 100 ratings

About the author

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Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates

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Joyce Carol Oates is the author of more than 70 books, including novels, short story collections, poetry volumes, plays, essays, and criticism, including the national bestsellers We Were the Mulvaneys and Blonde. Among her many honors are the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction and the National Book Award. Oates is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University, and has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
100 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Christine Anderson-Dewis
5.0 out of 5 stars A process to create a life's work
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2024
Verified Purchase
Written by Joyce Carol Oates about the processes she uses to write her books. It's hard to just sit down and write, you need to utilize life experiences, have a command of the English language and be able to grab the attention of an audience to want to read what you have written.
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Paula Cappa Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Practically a Bible for Writers
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2014
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This book is about the art of writing. Oates tells us that 'writing is not a race ... the satisfaction is in the effort.' She presents what is important to the narrative craft and so much here is like a good meal. She writes a whole chapter here on failure: are artists (writers) secretly in love with failure? I especially liked her examples on how to read as a writer, and, her thoughts on the destructive self-criticism that so many writers struggle with. If you are a writer who desires to understand more about yourself, this is a book that will open the windows to understand why you write.
8 people found this helpful
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Marianne
5.0 out of 5 stars Inside the Mind of a Genius Writer
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2007
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This amazing, awesome little book was totally NOT what I was expecting. Like a previous writer said, it was more of a memoir, but a memoir of her writing history, her early inspiration (Edgar Allen Poe/Lewis Carroll) and her early schooling.

You could have knocked me over with a feather when I discovered she read and has been influenced Poe. I won't give away why he left such an impression on her at such an early age (eight!), but suffice it to say, it was enlightening and made me think about the books that formed my early thinking. (Besides the comic books I loved!)

If you're a fan/reader of Oates or a writer or wannabe writer, then you will definitely be encouraged and challenged by this tiny tome. It's an unexpected treasure that I highly recommend.
12 people found this helpful
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Buyer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2022
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Bought a heavily used version, but was in near perfect condition
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LENA BRUSELID
4.0 out of 5 stars It's a good book for young aspiring writers
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2014
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It's a good book for young aspiring writers. It's also a kind of literary guide to particularly American writers as Oates uses classical and well-known writers as examples. Sometimes it gets a bit too brief and too often. In sentence after sentence she names dozens of writers so it becomes a sort of namedropping as it's only occasionally that she expands on their writing to illustrate a particular issue.
One person found this helpful
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Montanan
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book and was more than surprised by how ...
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2014
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As a widely-published, but largely self-taught writer, I collect and study books on the craft. My library is fairly extensive. I loved this book and was more than surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It is one I will enjoy reading again and again.
2 people found this helpful
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Trineman
5.0 out of 5 stars Joyce Does It Right
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2013
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JCO does her thing ... in this case offering her experiences about how to become an engaged writer; what it means to put your visions into language. No one does it better. Straight forward. Insightful. Inspiring.
One person found this helpful
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Barbara-Helen Hill
4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully helpful.
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2016
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I'm finding it wonderful and so helpful. I have not finished it yet because I read it on my iPhone when I'm waiting - in line, or for appointments. If I had it to do over again I'd buy a paper copy.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Edinburghlass
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful, Intelligent and Insightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 18, 2022
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I really enjoyed reading We Were The Mulvaney's and when I heard that JCO had written this book I wanted to read it. As expected the book is insightful, thoughtful and full of advice. I have added more of her books to my TBR list.
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dickinson
5.0 out of 5 stars 【ハードカバー】The Faith of a Writer
Reviewed in Japan on December 6, 2003
Verified Purchase
　
　この作品は三つの要素から成っています。
１．著者自身の作家としての心得。
２．作家になりたい人への心得。
３．大作家たちの実例。
　著者が好きな方なら言わずもがな。
　オーツを知らない方でも、作家になりたい方はぜひ読んでみてください。現代アメリカを代表する作家が、実例を示しながら「書くということ」「作家ということ」について詳しく記しているので、非常に勉強になると思います。
　作家になる気のない方でも、大作家たちの小説作法や執筆方法といったエピソードが楽しめます。
　例えば詩人のシルヴィア・プラスは、少女時代に日記を付けていたそうですが、その日記の内容というのが
「まずは売り込み先。どこにしよう。次にテーマ。考えよう。／最初は『サタデー・イブニング・ポスト』だ。ブルーになる前にがんばろう。／詩は『ニューヨーカー』、小説は『レディース・ジャーナル』、『１７』のことも研究しなきゃ。／こうした雑誌で世に出るまでは、わたしは奴隷、奴隷。」
　意外でした。
　ヘンリー・ジェイムズはネタを仕入れにまめに社交界に顔を出していたそうです。ただし噂話を半分しか聞かないで帰ってしまう。残りはインスピレーションのために取っておくのだとか。
　ほかにもエミリー・ディキンスン、ヘミングウェイ、ヴァージニア・ウルフ、ジョイス、ルイス・キャロル、ホイットマン、チェーホフ等、そうそうたるメンバーの意外なエピソードが楽しめたり、創作作法を学べたりできます。
　なかなか充実した一冊でした。
4 people found this helpful
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AvidReader
4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2015
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Hard going at times but persevere and you will find some fascinating insights into the world of the writer and writing.
One person found this helpful
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Gerald Moses R.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2017
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Quick devilry. Great book!
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Mr Wood
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2017
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not damaged arrived quickly
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