Rating: 
Summary: For storytellers, too
Review: As an emerging storyteller of personal stories, I found this book invaluable. Much of his "memories into memoirs", and "life into literature" sensibility translates well into the storytelling format, as well.Bill Roorbach's clarity on development of character and scene are wonderfully appropriate to a storytelling craft where the tellers are hoping that the audience will be with them in re-creating, in each person's mind, the necessary backdrop for the appropriate enjoyment of the story. I even bought a separate blank book (journal) for recording the various exercises he urges upon the reader. I only wish that I could have had the benefit of feedback on my exercises, such as that which the students received from the author and other students in his classes. Anyone serious, or hoping to become serious, about writing memoirs will be well served by acquainting herself (or himself) with the exercises in this work. BUT---Do take the time and effort to do the exericises!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book By a Great Teacher
Review: As one of Bill Roorbach's former students, I can assure readers that his is, indeed, a fantasic teacher of literature and creative writing; Writing Life Stories is true to Bill's teaching style and spirit. WLS offers aspiring writers of all experience levels the practical lessons and exercises that will help to uncover the depth and beauty in the life stories of everyday people.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring, funny and genuinely useful to writers
Review: Bill Roorbach accomplishes something difficult in this book; he gives the reader the feeling she is actually IN his workshop, learning among other writers. His exercises are surprisingly interesting, and unintimidating. They led me to some unexpected places with my writing. He also has a terrific sense of humor and a down to earth wisdom about writing and life. The bibliography at the end, of creative non-fiction works, is a treasure. The book is indispensible for any serious writers.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring, funny and genuinely useful to writers
Review: Bill Roorbach accomplishes something difficult in this book; he gives the reader the feeling she is actually IN his workshop, learning among other writers. His exercises are surprisingly interesting, and unintimidating. They led me to some unexpected places with my writing. He also has a terrific sense of humor and a down to earth wisdom about writing and life. The bibliography at the end, of creative non-fiction works, is a treasure. The book is indispensible for any serious writers.
Rating:
Summary: Helpful, specific instruction and funny too
Review: Bill Roorbach is a terrific teacher. WRITING LIFE STORIES is a clear, step-by-step writing class with excellent exercises, covering all the elements of good writing, including characters, description, details, metaphor, and some basic considerations about doing research. It offers suggestions for overcoming hesitation about writing personal material as well as explanations of typical beginning writing errors, which are often made by experienced, published writers. The examples from people who participated in his memoir classes are encouraging and touching. Roorbach knows how hard it is to write about those parts of our lives that are most embarrassing, those family secrets we were warned not to tell to anyone. He says, "Are we going to write the sanitized versions with which we and our families face the world, or are we going to write the truth? Are we going to flinch when the subtle stuff arrives in the course of writing? Or are we going to stare it down? Probably, if you're like me, you're going to flinch. At least in the first drafts. And those places where you do so will be the places that hold your essay back, the places where your essay is dying to teach you something." This book is organized and indexed (thank you!) and the author reminds us of the importance of regular reading. A list of suggested titles to inspire and challenge you is at the end of the book. Sprinkled with humor and wit, WRITING LIFE STORIES is an excellent addition to any writer's library and makes a wonderful text for any basic writing class, including fiction. Buy this book and do the course on your own, letting your words flow before you allow your inner editor to review the work critically. ~~Joan Mazza, author of DREAM BACK YOUR LIFE; DREAMING YOUR REAL SELF; WHO'S CRAZY ANYWAY; THINGS THAT TICK ME OFF; and EXPLORING YOUR SEXUAL SELF (May 2001) in The Guided Journal Series with Writer's Digest Books.
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Summary: Thanks !!
Review: Bill Roorbach, through this book, has been my early morningcompanion for a month now. .... If you have in mind to write your memoirs,you must have this book. Physically it is a short, easily read lessonplan, but intellectually and spiritually it is massive. Some of theexercises you can complete in 10 minutes, some may take months- or alifetime. Roorbach has found the way to "get you going"instead of sitting there in front of the monitor with a blank screenstaring back. How does he do it? He is a great teacher; he providesclassmates for you through examples from his real-time classes; hegives you permission to write really bad stuff- one of the exercisesis to write yourself an all-purpose disclaimer; he gives you startingpoints which in turn give you wings. Even the accomplished (as inpublished) author would benefit from having this book on his shelf toturn to in a writing crisis. ....
Rating:
Summary: For storytellers, too
Review: I got a copy of Bill Roorbach's Writing Life Stories in August, but wasn't able to start reading it until this week because my grandmother got a hold of it and wouldn't give it back. Now, three-fourths of the way through the book, I am surprised I got the book back at all. I've been reading it on the subway, at the car wash, on the curb before class. It's that amazing. I read and enjoyed this book as a reader just along for the good writing, a teacher of writing looking for new ideas for my classes, and a student working on an MFA in writing. I know I'll be returning to it again and again because of the tone, the exercises and the theories about writing. Indeed, Roorbach's tone throughout the book made me feel like I was sitting in his writing class, surrounded by some of the students he discusses in the book, procrastinating on one of his assignments, and listening to him tell a story about his own writing. At times I even laughed out loud; "Say out loud, 'This is my office!'" Roorbach writes in one section concerning the importance of claiming a space in which to write. His exercises are practical, purposeful, and fun to do; I was partial to "New Leaf," which involves packing up all your old writing, and putting it far, far away and creating for yourself a new beginning, whereas my grandmother loved Roorbach's "Map Making" exercise. And there's Roorbach's "Generic Disclaimer," which I found very helpful-- but I'm giving it away. Read it for yourself. And when you're done, start reading some of the many books he suggests in the extensive reading list in Appendix 2.
Rating:
Summary: Lively,encouraging advice for writers of all levels
Review: I got a copy of Bill Roorbach's Writing Life Stories in August, but wasn't able to start reading it until this week because my grandmother got a hold of it and wouldn't give it back. Now, three-fourths of the way through the book, I am surprised I got the book back at all. I've been reading it on the subway, at the car wash, on the curb before class. It's that amazing. I read and enjoyed this book as a reader just along for the good writing, a teacher of writing looking for new ideas for my classes, and a student working on an MFA in writing. I know I'll be returning to it again and again because of the tone, the exercises and the theories about writing. Indeed, Roorbach's tone throughout the book made me feel like I was sitting in his writing class, surrounded by some of the students he discusses in the book, procrastinating on one of his assignments, and listening to him tell a story about his own writing. At times I even laughed out loud; "Say out loud, 'This is my office!'" Roorbach writes in one section concerning the importance of claiming a space in which to write. His exercises are practical, purposeful, and fun to do; I was partial to "New Leaf," which involves packing up all your old writing, and putting it far, far away and creating for yourself a new beginning, whereas my grandmother loved Roorbach's "Map Making" exercise. And there's Roorbach's "Generic Disclaimer," which I found very helpful-- but I'm giving it away. Read it for yourself. And when you're done, start reading some of the many books he suggests in the extensive reading list in Appendix 2.
Rating:
Summary: very comfortable introduction to writing personal essays
Review: I have found this book tremendously useful when teaching the personal essay, especially since Roorbach combines a laid-back conversational demeanor (akin to, but more grounded than Anne Lamott's in "Bird by Bird") with subtle authority on the real work of writing. The type of nonfiction he guides readers through here is more personal and literary than 'new/literary journalism'; one of the handful of students who appear as characters is a retired journalist, and Roorbach uses him to illustrate, among other things, the differences between the two approaches to 'real life.' This genre calls upon writers to sharpen their narrative, to leap and make connections like poets, to be honest and sensitive like journalists, and to be thoughtful and articulate, sagelike. This is a lot to ask of students who assume (most of them--I've asked) that writing about oneself is easier than writing about Nietzsche, or globalization, when really it's at least as hard, and in ways they've not usually been asked to try. I've taught with and without this book, and the Roorbach definitely helps keep panic to a minimum (theirs and mine). I have to admit I've made a bit of a nuisance of myself to the folks teaching other sections of personal essay; they ask, "what's that book you like again?" And I'm always thrilled to remind them.
Rating:
Summary: very comfortable introduction to writing personal essays
Review: I have found this book tremendously useful when teaching the personal essay, especially since Roorbach combines a laid-back conversational demeanor (akin to, but more grounded than Anne Lamott's in "Bird by Bird") with subtle authority on the real work of writing. The type of nonfiction he guides readers through here is more personal and literary than 'new/literary journalism'; one of the handful of students who appear as characters is a retired journalist, and Roorbach uses him to illustrate, among other things, the differences between the two approaches to 'real life.' This genre calls upon writers to sharpen their narrative, to leap and make connections like poets, to be honest and sensitive like journalists, and to be thoughtful and articulate, sagelike. This is a lot to ask of students who assume (most of them--I've asked) that writing about oneself is easier than writing about Nietzsche, or globalization, when really it's at least as hard, and in ways they've not usually been asked to try. I've taught with and without this book, and the Roorbach definitely helps keep panic to a minimum (theirs and mine). I have to admit I've made a bit of a nuisance of myself to the folks teaching other sections of personal essay; they ask, "what's that book you like again?" And I'm always thrilled to remind them.
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