- Published: 15 July 2017
- ISBN: 9780143111634
- Imprint: Penguin
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 256
- RRP: $35.00
The Kite and the String
How to Write with Spontaneity and Control--and Live to Tell the Tale











- Published: 15 July 2017
- ISBN: 9780143111634
- Imprint: Penguin
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 256
- RRP: $35.00
Praise for The Kite and the String
"A book-length master class." --The Atlantic
"Mattison is so canny and experienced that her insights are hugely relevant for all of us who write. Indeed, this book goes right next to James Wood's How Fiction Works on the shelf by the desk." --Sven Birkerts, author of The Gutenberg Elegies and The Art of Time in Memoir
"In this superb book about writing and her own surprising beginnings as a writer, Alice Mattison shows us how to create the vivid dream of successful fiction. If you want to be a writer, read this book." --Susan Cheever, author of Drinking in America
"An essential guide . . . a gold mine for writers across a spectrum of experience levels. Mattison's conspiratorial 'we the writers' tone is charming and lively, and her breadth of knowledge makes her an effective and instructive authority. Perfect for aspiring writers or those trying to make it over a bump in the road." --Booklist (starred review)