Francine Prose at Strand
Francine Prose was at Strand to read and discuss her newest, Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Loves Books and For Those Who Want to Write Them. The book demonstrates how careful reading of great writers is an effective way of learning to write, but it also appears to be her long-due tribute to these masters. Though Prose is a prolific author with 14 novels, 4 non-fiction titles, and several children’s books published to date, she does not hold an MFA; “Can Creative Writing Be Taught?” is the question with which she opens her book. She explains that though great line-editing skills can be picked up from a fiction workshop, as can the feeling of a community, a writing class was not where she learned to write; it was from reading books that she polished her craft, and it is this way of learning for which the book provides encouragement and guidance.
More after the jump
