Book Review: The Way of the Writer

With no apologies to William Saffire for the "Follow the Bouncing Ball" nature of this and all my reviews.

Do you know the difference between a dork, a nerd, and a geek?

If you answered an emphatic “yes,” you are a nerd (for your studious, eager nature) and a geek (for your deep knowledge of a specific area).

But I asked the question, ergo, je suis une dork.

Long, romantic beach walks with craft and philosophy are my nerdy indulgence. I get geeky about drawing connections between art, responsibility, and meaning, and I’m endlessly curious about the dance of words in the grand theater of thought.

And because I’m here blarping about it with absolutely no chill? Je suis toujours une dork.

Labels can be fun, especially with fuzzy ones like those.

But for Dr. Charles Johnson, a polymath who believes in the sanctity and precision of language, terms like “nerd” and “geek” fall short. He deserves better: Genius. Writer. Teacher. Artist. Peerless storyteller.

And generous, because he shares a lot of his genius and years of experience in The Way of the Writer.

In this collection of essays, Johnson explores sticky, beautiful webs of life and art, the responsibility of the author to the greater culture, the nature of storytelling and the discipline it demands, and how these together can, when lightning strikes hard work, transform writer and reader.

I always snort when people in films finish a book and clutch it to their chest. I tend to dismiss that as over-the-top and kind of icky.

But I…I think I get it now. This is a book I want to hold to my heart, to wrap my muscles and bones around. I want to somehow physically intertwine with this book. At the very least, to hold my work up to his expectations and find it worthy.

We all hit those quiet crisis moments in life. What am I doing? Where am I going? I get those a lot, mostly when I’m brain-farting in aisle 9 of the grocery store. But also in a larger sense these days, and regarding many things, including my writing. The bliss of self-awareness and aging, amiright?

I want there to be an *aboutness* to not only my work but my process. My lifestyle. My life, I suppose, if I’m going to be sloppy about the whole thing. Purpose in outcome, though, means purposeful input.

These are not conversations that come up in my life often, especially in aisle 9 of the grocery store. So, in lieu of having a mentor – or at least a chatty package of erudite ramen – at the moment, I scour the world and bookshelves for wisdom.

Here it abounds.

In The Way of the Writer, Johnson fuses his philosophical background with insights on the craft, emphasizing discipline, the societal responsibility of writers, and the symbiosis of art and life. He underscores the importance of mentorship, drawing from his personal experiences, and presents writing as both a dedicated vocation and a reflection of life itself.

It’s a soulful work chock full of anecdotes and classical references alike.

Some readers have commented that Johnson’s work is self-focused. I disagree. His thinking (his writing) draws from deep wells of his world, his careers, and his studies, as we can and should draw from ours. His reflections on the cycle of artist – apprentice, journeyman, mentor, public intellectual, artist (with an eye towards cultural impact) — pull from his own life and allow for richly detailed and invaluable insights.

Reading The Way of the Writer is like auditing a masterclass, yes, but also engaging in a deep tête-à-tête with a gifted storyteller. Johnson would be both a life-changing professor and a charming dinner companion.

Not only has this work secured a place in my personal pantheon of craft books, but I will squeeze this book tightly to my chest. Literally. Metaphorically. Perhaps in aisle 9.

Because that’s the kind of dork I am.