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Writer's Tale
350 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1998
7 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Richard Laymon
216 books2,280 followersRichard Laymon was born in Chicago and grew up in California. He earned a BA in English Literature from Willamette University, Oregon and an MA from Loyola University, Los Angeles. He worked as a schoolteacher, a librarian, and a report writer for a law firm, and was the author of more than thirty acclaimed novels.
He also published more than sixty short stories in magazines such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier, and in anthologies including Modern Masters of Horror.
He died from a massive heart attack on February 14, 2001 (Valentine's Day).
Also published under the name Richard Kelly
He also published more than sixty short stories in magazines such as Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, and Cavalier, and in anthologies including Modern Masters of Horror.
He died from a massive heart attack on February 14, 2001 (Valentine's Day).
Also published under the name Richard Kelly
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 26, 2021
This is the quintessential Laymon book. In the first part you'll led by the author through his writing years in diary style. Then in the following parts you'll come to know why millions read horror, what is real horror, his hit lists (favorite stories, novels, movies, authors), his rules of writing, you'll see him turn an incident into a story, learn why a cover makes the difference. Another great section was the description of his novels in his own words. If you read one, none or all his novels, this is the ultimate book on Laymon written by himself. Intriguing to read. Laymon is a phenomenon and highly influential not only in the horror genre. Highly recommended.
December 16, 2015
I found this book as a PDF file online last summer and I read it quite often. This book provides an in depth look into how Laymon wrote and made me appreciate the man and his work even more. Definitely a 5 star read.
October 11, 2015
Richard Laymon wrote A Writer's Tale and Stephen King wrote On Writing, and like the authors and their books they are like chalk and cheese but both have their merits. And like Laymon's novels, his Writer's Tale is a mixed bag, with something for fans and aspiring writers.
After a brief introduction, Laymon gives a chronology with dates and events throughout his writing life, telling the reader that on this date he had a particular manuscript rejected, started whatever novel, or even that he went to tea with Dean Koontz. This is an easily browsed and fascinating insight to the life of a writer from struggling beginnings, through ups and downs and eventual success.
We are then treated to a few poems from his early life, and the first of a number of lists of Laymon's favourite things that crop up throughout A Writer's Tale. These include movies, books, authors and the like. Laymon moves on to describe a casual group of writers that he hung around with called The Pink Tea.
The next section is all about advice on writing and is Laymon's rambling and irreverent take on a variety of subjects related to writing novels. There are plenty of helpful tips and information, along with a few rants and raves (here and elsewhere). This is not a "How to write" manual, more a bunch of casual advice, but there is plenty of useful stuff.
Laymon then tells us what the process of writing a novel entails for him personally, and then what a typical day might involve. Again, this is interesting for fans and would-be writers alike. The next section goes through all of Laymon's novels published at the time of writing, including how he came to write the book, his inspirations and struggles, how it sold, and more. Another interesting section for all.
As A Writer's Tale winds up, Laymon takes the opportunity to talk about his fans and have a final rant about one or two things before summing up his thoughts. The final section of the book is a list of all his published work, with dates publishers, sales, et cetera.
A Writer's Tale is a fascinating insight to The Great Man's life, career and personality. I can't imagine any other book that combines writing advice with such a mine of information about the author. King's On Writing is more formally structured and has more practical writing advice, but Laymon's rambling mish-mash is definitely one for his fans.
After a brief introduction, Laymon gives a chronology with dates and events throughout his writing life, telling the reader that on this date he had a particular manuscript rejected, started whatever novel, or even that he went to tea with Dean Koontz. This is an easily browsed and fascinating insight to the life of a writer from struggling beginnings, through ups and downs and eventual success.
We are then treated to a few poems from his early life, and the first of a number of lists of Laymon's favourite things that crop up throughout A Writer's Tale. These include movies, books, authors and the like. Laymon moves on to describe a casual group of writers that he hung around with called The Pink Tea.
The next section is all about advice on writing and is Laymon's rambling and irreverent take on a variety of subjects related to writing novels. There are plenty of helpful tips and information, along with a few rants and raves (here and elsewhere). This is not a "How to write" manual, more a bunch of casual advice, but there is plenty of useful stuff.
Laymon then tells us what the process of writing a novel entails for him personally, and then what a typical day might involve. Again, this is interesting for fans and would-be writers alike. The next section goes through all of Laymon's novels published at the time of writing, including how he came to write the book, his inspirations and struggles, how it sold, and more. Another interesting section for all.
As A Writer's Tale winds up, Laymon takes the opportunity to talk about his fans and have a final rant about one or two things before summing up his thoughts. The final section of the book is a list of all his published work, with dates publishers, sales, et cetera.
A Writer's Tale is a fascinating insight to The Great Man's life, career and personality. I can't imagine any other book that combines writing advice with such a mine of information about the author. King's On Writing is more formally structured and has more practical writing advice, but Laymon's rambling mish-mash is definitely one for his fans.
December 31, 2014
What an amazing book. I felt so sad reading it knowing Richard isn't with us anymore ... He sounded like such a genuine, humble guy. Never realised the struggles he had with US publishers. Some great insight not only into the books he wrote but into the writing world. Thank you Richard. I feel so privileged to read this.
July 26, 2020
No, I am not lucky enough to own a copy of this insanely rare book. I found a PDF online. I usually never do that, as I really believe in owning physical copies of books when possible. That said, I downloaded the PDF to my phone and read the entire thing in three days. If you are a longtime Richard Laymon fan, as I am, this book will be a complete joy to read. I wasn't into his early poetry and other areas of the book, but overall, it is an excellent book about being a working, midlist writer. As a huge fan of Laymon's, and having read most of his books, the real gem of the book was his book by book analysis of everything he's published. An excellent book about writing and being a writer, highest recommendation for Laymon fans.
July 7, 2013
I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this unique book. I sincerely hope it is reissued at some time in the future. This book is half biography and half criticism of the publishing industry.
The biography part is excellent. Laymon takes the opportunity to write briefly about everything he has published, from his novels and short stories, to his childrens books, romance novels, and the one western. Inevitably, after reading this book, you will have some obscure works to seek out.
The publishing criticism sections are just as good. Laymon delves into how he go so famous in the UK and was practically an unknown in the US. He does not pull any punches and definitely names names. The tough part about this section is that Laymon is now more well known in the US. He never lived to see the success Leisure would give him stateside.
A great work by one of my favorite authors.
The biography part is excellent. Laymon takes the opportunity to write briefly about everything he has published, from his novels and short stories, to his childrens books, romance novels, and the one western. Inevitably, after reading this book, you will have some obscure works to seek out.
The publishing criticism sections are just as good. Laymon delves into how he go so famous in the UK and was practically an unknown in the US. He does not pull any punches and definitely names names. The tough part about this section is that Laymon is now more well known in the US. He never lived to see the success Leisure would give him stateside.
A great work by one of my favorite authors.
October 26, 2009
Part memoir, part writing tips, part overview of the genre, this is worthwhile read and very much recommended.
June 15, 2020
Great insight into how Laymon approaches the craft of writing and storytelling. I loved this!!
December 31, 2020
Needed to refresh my memory.
March 2, 2023
If you can get your hands on this, do it. So interesting to hear the earnest feelings of a moderately successful fiction writer. He’s very straightforward and doesn’t pull any punches in his opinions. Some of the essays and opinion pieces he wrote early in his career are pretty refreshing in their candor. But also, his advice and encouragement to anyone interested in writing in any capacity are both realistic and accessible. Makes me appreciate this author even more!
February 5, 2023
Absolutely outstanding! So interesting to read about a lesser known author's life. This book is nearly impossible to find, I was only able to get a copy through interlibrary loan. I was shocked to find that it is a limited print signed copy!
April 4, 2014
This book is great for die-hard Laymon fans.
But for everyone else...not so much.
Speaking personally, I've only read one other Laymon book (COME OUT TONIGHT), and it was just OK.
Nothing special.
Laymon's books feel like they were written in a hurry. (Turns out that's exactly the case.)
His tendency to overuse one sentence paragraphs gets on my nerves after a while.
Especially, when it comes to non-fiction.
Dude, seriously.
You don't have to emphasize everything.
Also, not being a "gore-hound," I think his depictions of graphic violence a bit too over-the-top.
Then there's all the raping going on...
Like I said, I'm probably not what you'd consider "a fan."
Still, it's always interesting to get an inside look at the manner in which a successful author goes about his business.
Laymon wrote something like six novels before finally getting published. The man was nothing if not persistent.
A WRITER'S TALE includes a detailed overview of Laymon's career, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at each of the numerous novels and short story collections he'd completed by the time this book was written.
There are also about fifty pages worth of writing advice, most of it pretty basic but some of which I found helpful.
Laymon also includes several pieces he wrote back in high school (these I skipped), as well as a few magazine articles I didn't find particularly impressive.
The low point of the book is when Laymon goes into great detail about the secret little writers' club he was a part of. Since I didn't recognize any of the other regular members' names, this section was of no interest to me.
On the other hand, the best part of A WRITER'S TALE is Laymon's accounts of grappling with his agents and publishers. I find the business aspects of Laymon's career fascinating, especially since, not being a Laymon fan (at least, not yet), I sort of understand both sides of the equation.
But for everyone else...not so much.
Speaking personally, I've only read one other Laymon book (COME OUT TONIGHT), and it was just OK.
Nothing special.
Laymon's books feel like they were written in a hurry. (Turns out that's exactly the case.)
His tendency to overuse one sentence paragraphs gets on my nerves after a while.
Especially, when it comes to non-fiction.
Dude, seriously.
You don't have to emphasize everything.
Also, not being a "gore-hound," I think his depictions of graphic violence a bit too over-the-top.
Then there's all the raping going on...
Like I said, I'm probably not what you'd consider "a fan."
Still, it's always interesting to get an inside look at the manner in which a successful author goes about his business.
Laymon wrote something like six novels before finally getting published. The man was nothing if not persistent.
A WRITER'S TALE includes a detailed overview of Laymon's career, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at each of the numerous novels and short story collections he'd completed by the time this book was written.
There are also about fifty pages worth of writing advice, most of it pretty basic but some of which I found helpful.
Laymon also includes several pieces he wrote back in high school (these I skipped), as well as a few magazine articles I didn't find particularly impressive.
The low point of the book is when Laymon goes into great detail about the secret little writers' club he was a part of. Since I didn't recognize any of the other regular members' names, this section was of no interest to me.
On the other hand, the best part of A WRITER'S TALE is Laymon's accounts of grappling with his agents and publishers. I find the business aspects of Laymon's career fascinating, especially since, not being a Laymon fan (at least, not yet), I sort of understand both sides of the equation.
July 12, 2018
A truly great read for anybody aspiring to be a writer. This book is more for would-be writers than anybody as it has countless tips and insights on the surprisingly cutthroat business. Laymon walks you through the ups and downs of his writing career as he recounts his rise to semi-fame, his battles with crooked agents, biased publishers and career crippling censorship as well as the many friendships he made along the way and basically everything he knows about writing. The book itself is nearly impossible to find but there are sites where it can be read for free if you look hard enough. By the time you finish the book, not only will you feel like you know Richard Laymon personally, you'll also be ready to dive into the world of publishing with some of the most crucial information a would-be author could know.
July 18, 2014
This is a masterpiece. It's the type of book you want to re-read every year because there are so many nuggets of wisdom that you'll want to revisit. In some ways, this book is the exact opposite of his novels - it's not throw-away escapism, but rather a form of valuable personal development.
I'm not an author, not do I aspire to be, but Laymon's advice can benefit any type of creative endeavor. In addition to his overall views on writing, publishing and war stories from his early career, you'll get a detailed breakdown on most of his work. It's really interesting to learn about the motivations behind different novels and what was going on in his life during the composition.
I can't say enough good things about this book. Beg, borrow or steal, but read it.
I'm not an author, not do I aspire to be, but Laymon's advice can benefit any type of creative endeavor. In addition to his overall views on writing, publishing and war stories from his early career, you'll get a detailed breakdown on most of his work. It's really interesting to learn about the motivations behind different novels and what was going on in his life during the composition.
I can't say enough good things about this book. Beg, borrow or steal, but read it.
January 20, 2016
I have mixed feelings on Richard Laymon. Some of his novels (mostly the early ones) are great sleazy fun, while some of the later ones are godawful. Regardless of how you feel about his work, A Writer's Tale is a worthwhile read. There is some fluff (lists of favorite writers, books, etc.) but there is also a detailed account of the life of a midlist writer and some practical advice for aspiring writers. For fans there is also a long section in which Mr. Laymon goes in-depth on each of his books (up until 1998). Obviously fans will get more out of this, but anyone interested in writing can enjoy it as well.
June 14, 2011
One part autobiography and one part field guide- this is the most inspirational book on writing that I have ever read. Laymon is honest and funny as he encourages the readers to get out there and pursue their dreams.
October 3, 2021
Laymon is quite the character, and if you can put aside any issues you have with his work and the right-wing, anti-feminist vibes that creep into this book, this is possibility one of the best books about being a published writer ever written. It’s such an interesting insight into the daily existence of being a comfortable, never-quite-content, mid-list author. And his lack of self-awareness (or apparently any self-preservation instincts) means he attacks the publishing trade head on, and much of what he has to say is really insightful. The bits on his process are also excellent, and whatever your views on his books (I grew out of them a long, long time ago), the guy worked hard and knew what he was doing where writing to a market was concerned.
I just wish someone would re-release this as I’ve been subsisting off an old PDF for years and read it often.
I just wish someone would re-release this as I’ve been subsisting off an old PDF for years and read it often.
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June 16, 2024Well why is this out of print? I want it! But I only obtained a copy because of a wonderful service called Interlibrary Loan, and there's a catch, because I can only borrow this title once! Cemetery Dance? Kelly Laymon? Puh-leeeeez put this back into print!
March 1, 2014
I love it and I own a copy!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews