It's not often a book on writing that I jam into my head sticks, but Stein on Writing by Sol Stein is one of those that was so packed with *actual* useful advice that this is one of those almost biblical tomes on the craft that I keep recommending. Interestingly enough, I find my own method of approaching layered writing already is pretty much in line with how Stein teaches, so it wasn't as if I got something completely new. More like a refresher, really, and a reminder that I'm on the right path. (Which means I in all likelihood won't be the next BookTok sensation.)

Stein peppers his advice with anecdotes and tongue-in-cheek humour, and though he's clearly a beast from another era, much of what he says is still relevant today – except for the last chapter where he's busy plugging his writing software. I don't hear people talking about that anymore. Therein lies a cautionary tale for anyone pinning their hopes on big tech. Things are changing so fast that any book on the craft of writing is going to have to tread carefully to remain relevant.

Ah, heck, who'm I kidding? I don't use ChatGPT so I'm already irrelevant.

There's a part of me that feels that by and large the industry has shifted quite far from where Stein was at as editor, and it's also quite clear judging by his tone that he was... and I'll say it quite gently... full of himself. I don't think I would have enjoyed having him as my editor. Then again, I don't think he would have touched my writing with the soggy end of a barge pole considering what I write.

But that's not to say I can't learn from him – and he does offer up some nuggets if you can put up with the dross. And even reading the dross is entertaining. As a cultural object, this book definitely offers an interesting time capsule, and the one method that he did give in this book that I thought was worth its weight in rhodium was what he terms his 'triage' method of revising – something I've taken on board and teach to all my padawans. (You can ask me about it the next time I do a writers' workshop.)

Anyhow, this book is solid. It's an entertaining 'how to' that has some good points to make. If you can put up with Mr Stein himself. I suspect in real life his must have been insufferable. But he's quite dead, so I can say this without fear of reprisal.