Reviews
Fearless Confessions is a must. I love the way Sue William Silverman exposes the process she used in creating her much acclaimed Love Sick -its struggles, exposures, and empowerment-to teach. A masterful nonfiction writer, Silverman uses her story to guide readers through their own process: how to grasp the use of the senses, mimetic detail, scene, and much more. Her discussion of the Voice of Innocence and the Voice of Experience is sure to become a classic. This book is truly indispensable."--Suzanne Paola, coauthor of Tell It Slant: Writing and Shaping Creative Nonfiction, Fearless Confessions is a must. I love the way Sue William Silverman exposes the process she used in creating her much acclaimed Love Sick -its struggles, exposures, and empowerment-to teach. A masterful nonfiction writer, Silverman uses her story to guide readers through their own process: how to grasp the use of the senses, mimetic detail, scene, and much more. Her discussion of the Voice of Innocence and the Voice of Experience is sure to become a classic. This book is truly indispensable., "Fearless Confessionsis a must. I love the way Sue William Silverman exposes the process she used in creating her much acclaimedLove Sick-its struggles, exposures, and empowerment-to teach. A masterful nonfiction writer, Silverman uses her story to guide readers through their own process: how to grasp the use of the senses, mimetic detail, scene, and much more. Her discussion of the Voice of Innocence and the Voice of Experience is sure to become a classic. This book is truly indispensable."--Suzanne Paola, coauthor ofTell It Slant: Writing and Shaping Creative Nonfiction, "I dutifully recommend Lamott's Bird by Bird , Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones and King's On Writing to my students each term, but I find that I'm particularly excited to inform them of Silverman's new book. Her writing has a tone that's both accessible to readers and uncompromising in its rigorous investigation of what makes for compelling memoir."-- The Writer Magazine, " Fearless Confessions demonstrates the range of Silverman's voice, which is conversational and engaging throughout, never lapsing into the dry instruction-manual voice that could have endangered this book . . . Fearless Confessions provides a guide not only to students, emerging writers, and faculty members who teach memoir writing but also to more established writers interested in exploring the genre. Writers will find lessons and examples that they can use, from the first words of their stories-Silverman's 'first bite'-and onward."-- Prairie Schooner, "Sue William Silverman has yet again written a book that needs to be written, in this case an indispensable guide to the writing of memoir, especially those we might deem 'confessional.' The confessional has long held a vaunted though sometimes controversial place in Western literature, and Silverman not only redeems the value of confession artistically but quite pragmatically gives the novice a means of giving voice to what was previously jumbled and ineffable."--Robin Hemley, author of Do-Over!, Fearless Confessions is such a dynamic guide to memoir writing it has inspired me to completely refine and retool the memoir I'm working on. Sue William Silverman, a faculty advisor at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, is an amazing master of the language. Her prose is as enjoyable as it is instructive. This should be an essential textbook of any creative writing course. She gives examples of memoir pieces and analyzes each one, showing how they work, why they're powerful, and even why some fail to impress., "If you are writing a memoir, readFearless Confessions. There are some things that can't be taught in a book, but Sue William Silverman teaches you everything that can be! The author of two stunning memoirs herself, she breaks down the complex weaving of a story into discrete elements, such as detail, voice, and plot, with clear, useful guidance on each aspect. Invaluable!"--Ellen Bass, author ofThe Human Line, "I've wanted a book like this for the courses I teach on memoir and am looking forward to putting it to good use. Silverman's Fearless Confessions is a valuable guide not only for students and teachers but also for those outside the academy who are interested in writing memoir but are uncertain of how to begin."--Janet Mason Ellerby, author of Following the Tambourine Man: A Birthmother's Memoir, "I dutifully recommend Lamott'sBird by Bird, Goldberg'sWriting Down the Bonesand King'sOn Writingto my students each term, but I find that I'm particularly excited to inform them of Silverman's new book. Her writing has a tone that's both accessible to readers and uncompromising in its rigorous investigation of what makes for compelling memoir."--The Writer Magazine, Fearless Confessions is a must. Silverman's discussion of the Voice of Innocence and the Voice of Experience is sure to become a classic. This book is truly indispensable. - Suzanne Paola, author of Tell It Slant: Writing and Shaping Creative Nonfiction ""I have long adored Sue Silverman's writing and her generous spirit, which comes through amply in this volume. What I especially appreciate is her unwillingness to compromise. To her, as to all good writers, this is above all an artistic endeavor, though writing can certainly have therapeutic value as well. But this how-to book should not be confused with a self-help book. Above all, it's about the art."" - Robin Hemley, Director, Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa, "Fearless Confessionsis such a dynamic guide to memoir writing it has inspired me to completely refine and retool the memoir I'm working on. Sue William Silverman, a faculty advisor at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, is an amazing master of the language. Her prose is as enjoyable as it is instructive. This should be an essential textbook of any creative writing course. She gives examples of memoir pieces and analyzes each one, showing how they work, why they're powerful, and even why some fail to impress."--15 Minutes Magazine, "Sue William Silverman has yet again written a book that needs to be written, in this case an indispensable guide to the writing of memoir, especially those we might deem 'confessional.' The confessional has long held a vaunted though sometimes controversial place in Western literature, and Silverman not only redeems the value of confession artistically but quite pragmatically gives the novice a means of giving voice to what was previously jumbled and ineffable."--Robin Hemley, author ofDo-Over!, " Fearless Confessions is such a dynamic guide to memoir writing it has inspired me to completely refine and retool the memoir I'm working on. Sue William Silverman, a faculty advisor at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, is an amazing master of the language. Her prose is as enjoyable as it is instructive. This should be an essential textbook of any creative writing course. She gives examples of memoir pieces and analyzes each one, showing how they work, why they're powerful, and even why some fail to impress."-- 15 Minutes Magazine, "I've wanted a book like this for the courses I teach on memoir and am looking forward to putting it to good use. Silverman'sFearless Confessionsis a valuable guide not only for students and teachers but also for those outside the academy who are interested in writing memoir but are uncertain of how to begin."--Janet Mason Ellerby, author ofFollowing the Tambourine Man: A Birthmother's Memoir, "If you are writing a memoir, read Fearless Confessions . There are some things that can't be taught in a book, but Sue William Silverman teaches you everything that can be! The author of two stunning memoirs herself, she breaks down the complex weaving of a story into discrete elements, such as detail, voice, and plot, with clear, useful guidance on each aspect. Invaluable!"--Ellen Bass, author of The Human Line
