“I always thought there were no secrets to writing well, that only hard work, rare talent, and plenty of luck made a writer good. Naming the World proved me wrong—it opens the doors to some of the best writing classes in the country, the best teachers, and the minds of many of the best writers themselves. A fantastic resource for any writer (or writing teacher) looking for inspiration or guidance or support.”
—HEIDI PITLOR, series editor of The Best American Short Stories, and author of The Birthdays
“Forget about getting an MFA! Bret Anthony Johnston has put together the equivalent of a master class in writing by some of the best writers/teachers around. Here are the nuts and here are the bolts for any writer struggling with the essentials of his craft.”
—BETSY LERNER, author of The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers
“Here's a book full of bright doorways into our writing, set out with specificity and reason. Not only is Naming the World a rich compendium of provocative prompts, but as a whole it serves as a timely conversation of the larger aesthetic of well-made fiction, a roomful of caring experts. Mr. Johnston, by assembling these worthy exercises, has done us all a valuable favor.”
—RON CARLSON, director of the Graduate Program in Fiction at the University of California, Irvine, and author of Five Skies
“At last—the book about writing I have been needing for years and that I will now keep on my desk at all times. Witty, warm, intuitive, inspiring, and hopeful, the writers gathered here feel like the best possible company as we all attempt to do this impossible, vital thing called writing.”
—STACEY D'ERASMO, assistant professor of writing at Columbia University, and author ofA Seahorse Year