On Writers and Writing
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Narrated by:
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Margaret Atwood
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By:
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Margaret Atwood
About this listen
What is the role of the writer? Prophet? High priest of art? Court jester? Or witness to the real world?
Looking back on her own childhood and writing career, Margaret Atwood examines the metaphors which writers of fiction and poetry have used to explain - or excuse! - their activities, looking at what costumes they have assumed, what roles they have chosen to play. In her final chapter she takes up the challenge of the title: if a writer is to be seen as "gifted", who is doing the giving and what are the terms of the gift? Atwood's wide reference to other writers, living and dead, is balanced by anecdotes from her own experiences, both in Canada and elsewhere. The lightness of her touch is offset by a seriousness about the purpose and the pleasures of writing, and by a deep familiarity with the myths and traditions of western literature.
Margaret Atwood was born in 1939 in Ottawa and grew up in northern Quebec, Ontario, and Toronto. She received her undergraduate degree from Victoria College at the University of Toronto and her master's degree from Radcliffe College. Throughout her 30 years of writing, Atwood has received numerous awards and honorary degrees. Hew novel The Blind Assassin won the 2000 Booker Prize for Fiction. She is the author of more than 25 volumes of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction and is perhaps best known for her novels, which include Alias Grace (1996), The Robber Bride (1994), Cat's Eye (1988), The Handmaid's Tale (1983), Surfacing (1972) and The Edible Woman (1970). Acclaimed for her talent for portraying both personal lives and worldly problems of universal concern, Atwood's work has been published in more than 35 languages, including Japanese, Turkish, Finnish, Korean, Icelandic, and Estonian.
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National Novel Writing Month—or NaNoWriMo—is the one time every year you can be totally obsessed with your novel, live knee-deep inside your own stories, and no one can say anything about it! It is, in short, a creative writer's dream (or nightmare, depending on how well you write under pressure). From fantastical epics to realistic shorts to flash-fiction, we each have our own wonderful story to tell. This carefully selected list of the best audiobooks on writing will help you access your inner writer and get your story on the page.
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- By TerriSweeta on 12-04-24
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The Art of War
- By: Sun Tzu
- Narrated by: Aidan Gillen
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.
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The actual book The Art of War, not a commentary
- By Nemo71 on 12-31-19
By: Sun Tzu
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Mr. and Mrs. Christmas
- By: Michelle Stimpson
- Narrated by: Marcella Cox, Ian Hackney
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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There's no place like home for the holidays ... especially for Lesley Carver. Life in the big city just wasn't her jam and now she's back in Hickory Falls, working at the family diner and helping her mom after she took a tumble. Lesley longs to build a life here, working at the cafe, selling her handmade ornaments and ... er, apparently reviving her high school crush on her best friend’s older brother. Only one problem, her mom wants her to leave Hickory Falls far behind.
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Loved the book!
- By Amazon Customer on 11-15-24
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Holiday Hideaway
- A Short Story
- By: Mary Kay Andrews
- Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
- Length: 1 hr and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.
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I ain’t afraid of no ghosts
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 10-31-24
By: Mary Kay Andrews
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Dead Med
- By: Freida McFadden
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso, Scott Merriman
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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When Heather McKinley dreamed of becoming a doctor, she imagined curing sick kids and sporting pink stethoscopes. She never anticipated the sleepless nights, grueling exams, and endless labs. And she certainly never knew that her medical school earned the nickname Dead Med thanks to the tragic history of students overdosing on illegal drugs. But Heather would never consider doing anything like that. That is, until her longtime boyfriend dumps her, she finds herself failing anatomy, and her world starts to crumble.
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Hmm
- By Morgan Meaux on 08-22-24
By: Freida McFadden
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Brain Damage
- By: Freida McFadden
- Narrated by: Megan Tusing
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now, she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her...before he finishes the job he started.
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Who Else Laughed, Cried, and Shuddered?
- By Jennifer Chichester on 09-16-22
By: Freida McFadden
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Dracula [Audible Edition]
- By: Bram Stoker
- Narrated by: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, and others
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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The modern audience hasn't had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker's original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we've tried something different. By returning to Stoker's original storytelling structure - a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters - with an all-star cast of narrators, we've sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power.
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IS THAT NOT SO?
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 11-05-15
By: Bram Stoker
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Say No More
- By: Caroline Overington
- Narrated by: Anna Skellern
- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
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Who is Audrey Hoedemaker? It's a question her sister Maureen has heard more times than she can count, and she doesn't know what the short answer would be. Little sister, troubled teen, backpacker, musical theatre coach, con artist, childcare worker. Murderer. A tragic, traumatic childhood casts a long shadow on the Hoedemaker sisters. Maureen has worked hard to move beyond the violence of the past and build a good, honest life for herself. Audrey, however, just can't seem to do the same, careening from one state of chaos to another.
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Great Characterization
- By dovermoyer on 12-14-24
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"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a land mine. The land mine is me. After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the pieces back together. Now, it's your turn. Jump!" Zest. Gusto. Curiosity. These are the qualities every writer must have, as well as a spirit of adventure. In this exuberant book, the incomparable Ray Bradbury shares the wisdom, experience, and excitement of a lifetime of writing. Here are practical tips on the art of writing from a master of the craft - everything from finding original ideas to developing your own voice and style.
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Evocative fuel for any Muse!
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Not my favorite
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Excellent
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No one comes out of a movie talking about structure. What audiences love and remember about a movie are great scenes. Marlon Brando in the back seat in On the Waterfront giving his "I could'a been a contender" speech. Meg Ryan's fake orgasm in Katz's Deli in When Harry Met Sally with the climactic punch line: "I'll have what she's having." In Superbad, Jonah Hill professing "I love you" to his friend Michael Cera by touching his nose with a "boop".
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Abridged and censored- not the full book!
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Myrna, Leonie, and Chrissy meet every Thursday to sample fine cheeses, to reminisce about their former lives as professors, and lately, to muse about murder. Decades ago, a vicious cabal of male poets contrived—quite publicly and successfully—to undermine the writing career, confidence, and health of their dear friend Fern. Now, after Fern has taken a turn for the worse, her three old friends decide that it’s finally time to strike back—in secret, of course, since Fern is far too gentle to approve of a vendetta.
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Let outlines help you write a better book! Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer's arsenal.
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Doesn't explain how to outline
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Stein on Writing
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Stein on Writing provides immediately useful advice for writers of fiction and nonfiction, whether newcomers or accomplished professionals. As Sol Stein, renowned editor, author, and instructor, explains, "This is not a book of theory. It is a book of usable solutions, how to fix writing that is flawed, how to improve writing that is good, how to create interesting writing in the first place."
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Excellent advice and examples for better writing.
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The Language of the Night
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- By: Ursula K. Le Guin
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- Unabridged
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Le Guin’s sharp and witty voice is on full display in this collection of twenty-four essays, revised by the author a decade after its initial publication in 1979. The collection covers a wide range of topics and Le Guin’s origins as a writer, her advocacy for science fiction and fantasy as mediums for true literary exploration, the writing of her own major works such as A Wizard of Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness, and her role as a public intellectual and educator.
What listeners say about On Writers and Writing
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-24-21
pensive Margaret Atwood
I really liked hearing the book read by Margaret Atwood herself. At times she put in almost too much detail, but overall it was very rewarding.
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- Anna Battle
- 09-10-21
One of the Greats
I read a lot of craft books (books on writing), and this one surprised me with Atwood's simple honesty and gruff charisma. She is very candid, well read, and mixes her thoughts on writing with a multitude of relatable anecdotes. If you write or are a fan of her work, definitely pick this one up. Her narration is also wonderful - it is very special when an author voices their own work.
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8 people found this helpful
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- Sarge
- 08-02-21
I could have continued listening.
I could have continued listening but time ran out. I always appreciate it when the author reads their own work. Atwood’s insight is so precise and her references to other works not only brings the listener a broad spectrum of creative viewpoints but illustrates the broad foundation of literature that she draws from. The closing interview was audio shock after swimming lazily to the flow of Atwood’s voice. It took me a while to come around but I did eventually. I enjoyed my time.
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- Placeholder
- 11-03-22
A writer who honestly likes writing
Unlike some listeners who say they would have preferred to read this book, I was very happy to listen. I like her no-fanfare voice and Canadian accent as well as her marvelous sense of humour and irony which is accentuated through her voice. The content is a major review of literature ancient and modern and much of it that I had not read, I now will read. I am thankful she was not brought up on TV.
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- Koala koala
- 02-01-24
Atwood Great, Audible Also There
The book was as lovely and informative and thoughtful as any Atwood book, but I was absolutely astounded to hear in the interview and Audible credits that the book I’ve so enjoyed was not, in fact, ON WRITERS AND WRITING, but NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DEAD. Shock! Awe! Double checking the title, comparing the TOC of the print of this book which I also have and have read. As it turns out, Audible lied to me. This is ON WRITERS. Alas, I cannot rate on production quality, otherwise this would get one star in that category.
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- Ryan Clark
- 11-12-22
A Gift to Chew Not Imbibe
Reading @therealmargaretatwood’s #OnWritersAndWriting could have threatened the knowing that I am writer though I’m not writing, but I remained largely unscathed. It also could have inspired or grounded the knowing, but I’m not certain it did that either. There were times I hit “huh, I never thought of it that way,” and I am always seeking that out and seldom finding it, so goodie, but I found myself largely just getting through the audiobook. My #adhd tendencies drifted me away from being able to focus more than usual, in part, because it was an intellectual feat to stay on track.
It’s not the kind of book with steps and bullet points and tips and tricks. It’s more of an essay, an attempt, to metatextually embody what is writing, the writer, and the others too. And it does.
Don’t get me wrong. Atwood is brilliant and this work is true to her brilliance. It is inspiring and revealing.
But it’s heavy lifting.
It’s riddled with scholarly references of stories, tales, and works I was largely not familiar with. They may have been minimally obscure works I would have encountered had I been in a situation to go to grad school for literature. She explained them well enough without being condescending, it was very honorable to this ignorant reader. I could still follow and get the gist. But it was work.
I think I would prefer to consume this as a handbook. A little at a time, at my own pace, as needed. It would need be a physical copy. And it would likely sit on my desk for accessibility when the mood struck. I’m certain I would like a paragraph or page at a time more than the unrestrained flow of narration.
And the narration. Atwood was 81 the day this was released. It’s a gift we got to hear this work in her own voice. Yes it’s gravely, more so at times than others. It has the dignified monotone of the high brow, scholarly reciter of their own work. That can be intimidating or grounding or annoying or inspiring. I found it to be a gift.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Ella
- 03-12-22
amazing book
amazing book, I need to reread some of my old books with a new perspective/light
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2 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-27-23
Thought provoking and informative!
As I am New to jump on the bandwagon. This book was so refreshing I wish it was longer lol
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- SJSmith
- 03-20-21
For writers and readers alike
This little memoir was enormously helpful and insightful. I struggled with Ms. Atwood's vocal frying, but I still think it was important to hear it in her voice.
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- James Adams
- 03-22-21
A soft-spoken brilliance
What a delightful experience to hear calm brilliance, wit and musings from what must be a Canadian national treasure. Required reading I’m sure for anyone remotely inspired to putting creative pen to paper, this book is a beautiful meditation on the relationship of the written word (thus its Writer) to the readers of said word. Count me, late again, a new fan of Ms. Atwood and her ilk: the un-young and too un-sung.
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