techniques of the selling writer by dwight v swain

He does have one page of how to type up a manuscript (with carbons!) in the appendix, but the other pages are very timely. He wraps up with marketing but without the dated references you’d expect. Then, he discusses writing a beginning, middle, and end (in one chapter!), outlining, and editing. Instead of starting with character, plot, and POV, Professor Swain begins with a more organic approach: feelings, conflict, and strategy. In addition to being easy to read and comprehend, Techniques of a Selling Writer introduces writing concepts in a different order than writers of today. At first, I assumed it was a case of widespread plagiarism, but as I read, I realized the concepts had probably been taught in every MFA class since Professor Swain taught. His examples, rather than being pages of his own writing, are a short sentence or two.Īs I read further and encountered more familiar concepts, I flipped to the copyright page and discovered this book was written by a University of Oklahoma professor in 1965! At over 55 years old, this book was as current as some published last year.

His sentences are short, his paragraphs, too. He makes a point, slices it into smaller parts, and explains those parts with descriptions and brief examples. Professor Swain has a conversational style easy to follow and understand. The writing concepts I’d read about before in other books on writing. As I read the early chapters on feelings and conflict, I found them informative but familiar.

I had this 316-page book with very small print at the bottom of the stack. I only read DIY writing books that someone recommends to me in a workshop, class, or writing group.

Techniques of the selling writer by dwight v swain