Colum McCann, advice on writing

The best advice is what follows Maughan's quote and which says in essence - first, both know and understand established guidelines of grammar/formality/plot and structure or whatever... before choosing to ignore them.

All good stuff, but most of it applies to literary fiction, not commercial adventure fiction. With the latter you do need plots and you do not reinvent the act of writing every time.
While a Philip Roth may write 300 pages before realizing what the book is about and where it really starts, a Lee Child does no such thing. He uses a basic story structure and applies it mercilessly.
And in spite of King's whimsical quote there about plot being a crutch, most of his stuff has pretty clear plots of the TV film and drive in cinema type. In his case especially it rather means: "Do not rely on plot alone. Compensate pulp plots with developed characters and atmosphere."

To me the language is pretentious and overly devoted to the would-be clever phrase. I kept having to skim and skip, put off by the style.

When I could bear to listen to his attempts to wax poetic rather than to speak clearly I found some good advice, and some idiotic advice. Eschew Google for libraries I consider idiotic. BOTH are useful, and the good researcher uses both, takes advantage of the strengths of each.

On the other hand his advice that plot should grow out of character resonates with me. I don't care how propulsive the plot is if I find the people involved disinteresting. The plot, the action, is wasted on me.

Of greater import for me is that the Guardian publishes pieces like this on the arts and on literature. I'd appreciate it if anyone in AW would point me to similar publications which I could reach on the Web. (I'm familiar with the NYTimes efforts but would appreciate more.)

Laer Carroll said:

Of greater import for me is that the Guardian publishes pieces like this on the arts and on literature. I'd appreciate it if anyone in AW would point me to similar publications which I could reach on the Web. (I'm familiar with the NYTimes efforts but would appreciate more.)

Click to expand...

Arts and Letters Daily is often useful and interesting. It's an aggregator.

Neither of the statements quoted in the OP are new, or unknown. You can find them on many sites quoting "writer's advice". Which doesn't make them bad, but just recycled and old.

caw