Telling Lies For Fun & Profit

by Lawrence Block, Introduction by Sue Grafton

William Morrow, February, 1994.
Paperback, 256 pages.
ISBN: 0688132286

Telling Lies For Fun & Profit by Lawrence Block, Introduction by Sue Grafton

For the aspiring writer, nothing is more intimidating than figuring out how to begin one's career. You may know that you want to be a writer, but how do you figure out what to write? How do you start? And once you start, how do you keep going, when the going gets tough? Luckily for writers, Lawrence Block, bestselling author of more than fifty novels, is willing to share his secrets. Block, a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master and a multiple winner of the Edgar, Shamus, and Maltese Falcon awards, is the author of the Matthew Scudder novels, and the New York Times bestseller Hit Man. This book is an edited collection of Block's popular writing columns from Writer's Digest magazine. Block covers everything from choosing what to write, how to write, how to overcome writer's block, how to write a great opening and just about every other aspect of the life of a published writer.

This classic writing book is just as timely and useful today as it was when it was last published in 1994. The print version is a must-have for any beginning writer. Now Block has released the title as an audio book, which has nine hours of playing time. The tapes are read by Block himself, who has a pleasant reading voice, and a deadpan delivery of his enormously witty and entertaining prose. Listening to the tapes is just like having Lawrence Block sitting down next to you, giving you encouragement and regaling you with writing war stories which are bound to inspire you to crank out that mystery novel you just know you've got waiting inside you. Highly recommended.

Telling Lies For Fun & Profit is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the August, 2001 of The Internet Writing Journal.