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The Writer And The Word Processor was the world's first book to describe and explain word-processing for both professional and aspiring authors.
Published by Coronet in 1984, the book was sold world-wide and featured interviews with Iris Murdoch, Fay Weldon, Kingsley Amis, Dorothy Dunnet, Frederick Forsyth, Tom Sharpe, Ralph Steadman and many others. The master story-teller Len Deighton - a pioneer of word-processing since the 1960s - was generous enough to provide both an interview and a foreword.
Excerpt from The Writer And The Word Processor (1984):
"With a computer each part of the writing process can be considered separately. One of the most frustrating parts of writing is trying to find the right opening sentence or paragraph and success of failure in this has a tremendous effect on what follows. Joseph Heller bases all his work on what flows from an opening sentence and Gore Vidal says that the opening sentence is 'all important.'
"Now the computer allows the writing to postpone the moment when the opening sentence has to be perfect: ideas can flow forth in the knowledge that the writer can go back to the start of the piece at any time and tinker with the opening. If the construction cannot be made right at one session, the knowledge that it can be worked again at the next (without the necessity of re-drafting) is very comforting.
"Editing becomes an endless pleasure when the computer takes on the chore of creating clean copy. This freedom is something that writers can savour afresh every working day: the joy of being able to consider the construction of every sentence, the use of individual words and the chronology of plot of thought development. No matter how diligent, the writer who produces words manually cannot have the same opportunity to hone and polish."
But not all of the interviewees agreed with Ray Hammond's point of view:
Iris Murdoch:
"I do not go near a word processor, or even a typewriter. I cannot imagine how thinking can take place on these awkward machines. There is no substitute for ink and I do not even like biros - but that is another question. For real thinking, as in philosophy or writing a poem or novel, one must use a notebook or paper which can be turned over, a pen which scratches out, opposite pages on which variants can be placed and so on.'
Kingsley Amis: "My experience with the word processor turned out to be entirely negative, and straight away too. So far I have found that my mind, my typewriter and the Oxford Dictionary to be entirely adequate for my needs. The only thing which will improve my writing is more talent, which as we know comes only from God."
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Len Deighton
What reviewers said about The Writer And The Word Processor.
This book makes it clear that the process of writing is about to change - and for ever. The Guardian.
The Writer And The Word Processor should be on every author's desk The Author .
This is a well written guide that will be of use to every type of writer. Books and Booksmen .
Order The Writer And The Word Processor from Amazon.co.uk.
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