What do you think?
Rate this book
Writing Life Stories
This is one of the best books on writing that I have collected. Roorbach includes information along with exercises the reader can perform to learn and later improve his/her own stories. I bought several copies of his book to give to member of a writing group that I belonged to. Good job, Bill. A-12
218 pages, Hardcover
First published June 17, 1998
About the author
Bill Roorbach
27 books204 followersBill Roorbach's newest novel is The Remedy For Love, coming October 2014 from Algonquin Books. Life Among Giants, also from Algonquin, is in development for a multi-year series at HBO, and won the 2014 Maine Literary Award in Fiction. Big Bend: Stories has just be re-released by Georgia in its Flannery O'Connor Award series. Temple Stream is soon to be re-released by Down East Books. Bill is also the author of the romantic memoir SUMMERS WITH JULIET, the novel THE SMALLEST COLOR, the essay collection INTO WOODS. The tenth anniversary edition of his craft book, WRITING LIFE STORIES, is used in writing programs around the world. His short fiction has been published in Harper's, The Atlantic Monthly, Playboy, and dozens of other magazines, journals, and websites, and has been featured on NPR's Selected Shorts, and won an O. Henry Prize. He lives in western Maine where he writes full time.
For more information about Bill Roorbach, see www.billroorbach.com, www.lifeamonggiantsthebook.com, and be sure to enjoy his blog and videos at www.billanddavescocktailhour.com. Follow him on Twitter: @billroorbach.
For more information about Bill Roorbach, see www.billroorbach.com, www.lifeamonggiantsthebook.com, and be sure to enjoy his blog and videos at www.billanddavescocktailhour.com. Follow him on Twitter: @billroorbach.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
July 27, 2011
This book is one of the group that helped me write my book. I found it to be an excellent "class-in-a-book" for those who want to write a personal essay but are not sure how to get started.
When I think of this book, Roorback's advice that first comes to mind is squeezing out all the meaning from each word, sentence, and paragraph. I also heard him saying, as I was going through my editing, "Does this move the story forward."
I'm not sure what grade he would give my book but I found this teacher to be a great mentor for those who do not want to let our stories die with us.
When I think of this book, Roorback's advice that first comes to mind is squeezing out all the meaning from each word, sentence, and paragraph. I also heard him saying, as I was going through my editing, "Does this move the story forward."
I'm not sure what grade he would give my book but I found this teacher to be a great mentor for those who do not want to let our stories die with us.
August 2, 2012
There is a ton of information packed into this book. A ton. It is geared toward nonfiction writers, but even so a fiction writer can bring away a new way of looking at their writing. It did take me quite awhile to get through all the material, mostly because it would make me think about the way I write and I would stop and have to think about what I just read and often make notes.
I'm sure I would have taken a much longer time if I had sat down and followed through with all of the exercises included (and there are a lot of those too), but those I'll save for my second read through this informative book.
I'm sure I would have taken a much longer time if I had sat down and followed through with all of the exercises included (and there are a lot of those too), but those I'll save for my second read through this informative book.
October 11, 2023
I’m nearly halfway through, but I’ve decided to DNF this. It just rambles on too much and I can’t think of anything useful I’ve learnt from it so far. Too much discussion of the people in the author’s writing class and tedious sounding writing exercises I felt no urge to try. Maybe it works for some people, just not me.
January 26, 2012
This is a great classic book for anyone who wants to improve their creative writing, memoirs, and essays. The book is organized around a series of exercises designed to make readers more aware of drama, action, word choice, voice, big ideas, audience, metaphor, and meaning, etc. Each chapter is illustrated with examples from the author's personal writing, reading, and teaching. Topics such as exaggeration, summary, quotations and dialogue are included. One of the author's early articles is reproduced at the end. The book concludes with a bibliography of recommended readings to illustrate concepts presented in the book. This is definitely a book to read and review.
As I read the first 1998 edition of this book, I found it a little dated and choppy in places. I am curious about how the book has been edited in later editions. Although I found many ideas for new work, the author made me wonder how some of my previous writings could be improved.
As I read the first 1998 edition of this book, I found it a little dated and choppy in places. I am curious about how the book has been edited in later editions. Although I found many ideas for new work, the author made me wonder how some of my previous writings could be improved.
March 17, 2019
One of the first books I've read on the art of writing non fiction. It's a really good manual for writers like myself who wants to venture into writing memoir. It's informative without being fussy, flowery or elaborate. Like Stephen King's "On Writing", it also encourages writers to read, read, and read in order to improve their skills. I will be taking a course this summer on Writing about Teaching- and this is a good segway into writing about those experiences I hope to tackle soon.
September 29, 2016
I picked this book up from my local library hoping it would help me with my personal journals. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for* but it is still a good book. It's very informative as far as actual information about memoirs and helpful with suggestions and exercises. I saved a lot of the exercises listed in this book to go through at a later time.
* if you have a suggestion of a book I should check out please leave me a message.
* if you have a suggestion of a book I should check out please leave me a message.
September 9, 2013
I thought this book might be helpful for writing my family history stories. Thankfully, I borrowed a copy from my library rather than buying it. While the author shares some great tools for remembering stories, I found the book to be extremely boring and difficult to read. I finally gave up and skimmed through the remainder of the book to get it off my desk and back to the library. Seems odd that the author of a "how to write" book should not be able to produce a work that would grab and hold a reader's attention. Maybe it was just me...
April 11, 2014
This is now my new favorite writing book. I'll keep the library copy until my own copy arrives and then carefully go through the 14 pages I folded the corners of and transpose them to my keeper. What amazes me is that there are ONLY 14 pages. In a book chock full of incredibly well-meaning coaching, there is also page after page of great tactics and sterling advice. Writing memoir is the hardest writing I've done and Bill's book softens up the effort and lets me feel that yes, this is what I'm supposed to be doing. And, if I get stuck I will do the exercises. Maybe on my 2nd read... or 3rd.
March 2, 2009
I read all but chapter seven (because 7 wasn't required reading). The book has awesome tips and exercises for becoming a better writer but unless you take it seriously, I doubt it will improve your writing all that much. Nevertheless, I recommend it for people who want to improve their writing for professional or personal reasons. :)
November 19, 2010
My sisters gave me this book after picking it up in a used book sale. They knew I liked this type of how-to book. I expected little; figured it was a cast away. Was I surprised. This author doles out a classical course in writing. If I ever get around to doing any serious writing (another lifetime?) I will definitely refer back to this book.
February 2, 2016
Early on, Roorbach establishes the role of the memoirist as "making the truth believable," and spends the rest of the book presenting hints and thoughtful exercises on how to do just that. The chapters are helpful, and many of the exercises have potential for classroom use, but Roorbach's collected thoughts on metaphor are what bring originality to this book about creative nonfiction.
August 11, 2018
Definitely a book I will return to over and over again.
June 22, 2019
This is the best book I can ever remember reading in a long time. I read it every Chance I got. I will recommend this book to anyone who wants to read and become a memoirist.
June 15, 2024
This book gives a lot of details about the author's writing workshop with his students, examples of their work, and how he advised them to edit and revise their memoirs. It includes a lot of writing prompts and writing exercises that the reader can use as well.
I did not find anything useful in this book. It's too long, too convoluted, and I didn't care about reading the lengthy excerpts from his writing students. I quit reading after page 81. The author just takes forever to get to the point. He went off on this rabbit trail about traditional essays that was excessively boring.
The writing is also crass in some places. There are a lot of vulgar jokes and innuendos, not only in the excerpts from the students but also from the author themselves. It's so out of place for this type of book and served no purpose.
I did not find anything useful in this book. It's too long, too convoluted, and I didn't care about reading the lengthy excerpts from his writing students. I quit reading after page 81. The author just takes forever to get to the point. He went off on this rabbit trail about traditional essays that was excessively boring.
The writing is also crass in some places. There are a lot of vulgar jokes and innuendos, not only in the excerpts from the students but also from the author themselves. It's so out of place for this type of book and served no purpose.
June 27, 2024
I started this because it was part of a list of books about Maine. But it is not about Maine at all. I’ve read other books about memoir and autobiographical writing. So I put it down to pick up a novel which is on my reading list. Rohrbach’s book is good if you want to learn about writing your memoirs or autobiography. Had I not read other books on the same subject I’m sure I wouldn’t have put it down. It’s just a matter of priorities. I don’t have as much time to read because it’s yardwork, gardening and volunteer season.
January 10, 2018
This is an excellent book offering great guidance on how to write a memoir. It talks about creating a writing schedule, mapping out timelines and story lines, keeping an idea notebook, writing a list of headlines for your life. It helped me to get started on the daunting task of beginning the memoir journey. I will keep this book around as a reference tool to use throughout my writing endeavors.
September 9, 2018
I'm already planning to purchase this one to read again, and again. So much writing help, and even more importantly, a lot of encouragement is found in the pages of this very personable book.
You feel like you are a part of the author's very close-knit classroom and you almost want to succeed just to win his favor, not only because you have been trying to write for so long.
Highly recommend for memoir and essay writers new and established. Now, to find more works by Bill!
You feel like you are a part of the author's very close-knit classroom and you almost want to succeed just to win his favor, not only because you have been trying to write for so long.
Highly recommend for memoir and essay writers new and established. Now, to find more works by Bill!
October 14, 2022
It feels weird to rate a nonfiction book about writing creative nonfiction 5 stars, it deserves it!
This book is a must / need if you’re interested at all in creative nonfiction writing or writing about your life! It has so many great anecdotes and exercises in each chapter that are easy to digest yet difficult enough to keep you thinking.
- Read for a creative nonfiction class in college -
This book is a must / need if you’re interested at all in creative nonfiction writing or writing about your life! It has so many great anecdotes and exercises in each chapter that are easy to digest yet difficult enough to keep you thinking.
- Read for a creative nonfiction class in college -
January 8, 2024
Another good guide on writing creative non fiction and life stories. Plenty of good examples from a wealth of experience. I expect it would make a good course text as the writer clearly developed it from course materials. It wasn't a course text for me though - just a bit of extra reading. It rehearsed information that I had found in my course texts and I think was just as useful.
July 27, 2017
This may be the best book I've ever read on writing non-fiction. I love it and recommend it to anyone interested in writing stories from life. It includes exercises and examples so that it could serve as your own individual course in writing.
October 2, 2017
*read for school
A pretty decent guide on writing creative nonfiction, but nothing absolutely amazing. Gave me helpful tips, and generic tips. All in all, not a bad guide, but not necessarily something you need.
A pretty decent guide on writing creative nonfiction, but nothing absolutely amazing. Gave me helpful tips, and generic tips. All in all, not a bad guide, but not necessarily something you need.
March 15, 2019
This was a decent book for help writing memoir or personal essays. However, the exercises seemed time-consuming and I skipped most of them. I'd rather put that time into writing a piece for publication.
July 8, 2020
Excellent read for anyone looking to learn how to find and write the stories of their life. Each chapter teaches the ins and outs of writing memoirs. The chapters include exercises that give the writer practice in the concepts just learned.
November 15, 2017
Thorough, this book is a great one for writers to keep on their shelf. Has examples and exercises to read/do and is one of the most recommended books on memoir writing.
May 31, 2018
Another first read, need to come back and do exercises.
July 28, 2018
Excellent resource. Highly recommemd if you are a writer or thinking about being one.
August 13, 2019
What Bill said!
December 10, 2020
Easy to read. Great writing prompts. A little outdated.
April 7, 2021
great writing advice for creative nonfiction
May 26, 2021
Funny, interesting, and actually really helpful! Glad I read this book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews