Joyce Carol Oates is one of America's greatest contemporary literary figures. Having written nearly 100 books in every conceivable genre, she is a writer clearly able to answer the profound questions about what makes a story good, a novel successful, a writer an artist.
In The Faith of a Writer, Oates discusses the subjects most important to the narrative craft, and which every writer should know, touching on topics such as inspiration, memory, self-criticism, and `the unique power of the unconscious'. On a more personal note, the book answers some of the questions Oates has been frequently asked over the course of her career, such as `Why is your writing so violent?' and `How do you manage to write so much?' Oates also pays homage what she calls her `significant predecessors', and makes a strong case for the importance of reading in the life of a writer.
Oates claims, `Inspiration and energy and even genius are rarely enough to make “art”: for prose fiction is also a craft, and craft must be learned, whether by accident or design.' In its 14 chapters, The Faith of a Writer provides valuable lessons on how language and ideas are assembled to create art.