Less wanting, More done

一


How To Write A Lot是一本如何更有效率地进行学术写作的指导书，语言风趣幽默，一路读下去，你会不自觉地嘴角上翘。


这本教人如何更好写作的书，本身就是写作的典范，简洁，明快，态度明确，语言生动幽默。


不过这书不是教人如何写一篇好的文章，有这方面的需求的人可以去看作者推荐的两本书，The element of style和On writing well


The element of style堪称英文写作的经典，上个星期我迫不及待地买来看完，很可惜，书确实是好书，对自己而言，却是吃之无味的鸡肋。原因就是，自己很少写作，连中文也很少写，对于“如何写好一篇文章”的方法很少能应用到，造成恶性循环。



这本书最适合的读者应该是那些在“写作”这件事上十分重视而迟迟不去动笔，在焦虑不安的泥塘中挣扎着的人。


这本书我将它列为，每个想下定决心提高自己的写作能力，成为一个高产的写手的必读丛书之一


二

本书分为七大章节，第一章是前言，和作者对写作这事的看法


第二章是我们普遍对写作的四个心理障碍


第三，四章是教你如何设定写作目标和首先次序


第五章是简要的写如何去写好一篇文章（详细可以看《风格的要素》）


第六，七章是怎样在杂志上出版论文和出书


最后结束语，关于写作，关于生活（非常精彩，是全书的总结和升华）


三


如果要从《How to write a lot》中提炼出一句话，也即是write a lot唯一的秘诀：分配时间去写作，每天坚持，养成习惯。


像作者说的那样，“写作并不要求特别的天赋和才能，你甚至没必要“想去写作”，你唯一要做的是习惯动笔，而前提是，你需要重复。而最后，习惯的力量会促使你重新坐到椅子上，开始新一轮的写作”


最后作者总结，


“你想写得多或少都是可以的，虽然这本书告诉了你怎样去write a lot，但是不要认为你就应该write a lot.


事实上，生活上有很多事：周末花时间陪家人，和朋友出去喝一杯，教小猫上厕所，陪狗狗散步，都很重要，写作只是生活中的一部分，最重要的还是要， Enjoy Life”


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下面是一些“嘴角不自觉上翘”的一些段落，作为分享：

搞笑七步曲：

1.This book says nothing about anyone's insecure feeling of "avoiddance" and "defensiveness";go to your local bookstore's selp-help section for that.
　　
　　

2,Don't quit before you start.If you don't plan to make a schedule,gently close this book, clean it so it looks brand new,and give it as a gift to a friend who wants to be a better writer.
　　


3."Don't disturb" sign on my door,but people interpreted it as "His door is closed, but he wants me to know he is in there.I'll knock"（哈哈。。）
　　
　　


4.You will be afraid to talk with friends in your department about writing out of the fear that they'll think,"you are not one of us anymore"---and they will be right.
　　
　　

5.Start a student-only writing group, and keep it a secret from your advisor------he or she might want to join.
　　


6.If that method doesn't work, consider using the psychological's time-honored method of motivating behavior with electric shocks.
　　


7. A more accurate title for this book would be" HOW TO WRITE MORE PRODUCTIVELY DURING THE NORMAL WORK WEEK WITH LESS ANXIEY AND GUILT" but no one would buy that book.


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一些精彩的描写：

（分配时间是重中之重）If you want to do something, the first step is to assign some time from your life to it. Remember! Deliberate training breeds skill(P6).
So time is the first ingredient. No time, no practice, no skill, no productivity, no quality, no accomplishment! For the whole chain, all we need to do is to put down a time slot, signing "for writing


（远离诱惑）The best kind of self control is to avoid situations that require self-control.”
Somehow this statement reminds me of my dh. This is how he handled sexual tempation. I used to adore it and it imaginably carved a big mark on my yes to this marriage.
But I have never thought it the other way. Indeed the same attitude can be used on anything where the battle with ourselves happens

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so, my book review is over；

Thanks for reading it.

I enjou reading this book and writing this book review,but it's time for me to write something else, and it's time for you to write something too.


"When i think of the good thing still to be written i am glad," wrote William Saroyan," for there is no end to them, and i know myself shall write some of them"



Keep writing.



2012.2.13


By Hammer