Reviews of Cultivating Words
"The preface to Cultivating Words includes the statement: "Gardeners are
among the most generous people on earth." Paula is referring, of course, to the
way gardeners share their plants and expertise with each other. It's true. And
this little book tells
how to take that natural generosity and spread it even further. Her
directions are absolutely friendly and to the point. At first I thought she
wasn't very well organized, but then I realized that that was part of the charm.
"This isn't The Chicago Manual of Style. This is a chatty book about garden
writing, getting it published, selling your ideas to editors, and other subjects
that could be downright boring if not done with Paula's flair for the right
word. Often she uses her own work when it gives the best example, but she
also goes to the classics: Edward Abbey, Laurence Durrell, Jamaica Kincaid,
Verlyn Klinkenborg, and John McPhee among others.
"Her examples are really the secret joy of this book. Every time she
addresses a new topic – short articles, feature stories, revising, writing
queries (to get an idea accepted), or editing – she uses real examples from real
writers. Including herself. It's fun just to read all the possibilities. I
actually found the whole thing quite entertaining and informative – even if I'm
not planning to write anything. But maybe I will change my mind now that I've
read this book."
[Editor's note: Panich highly recommends two books you may find inspiring:
Jane Cole, retired librarian, DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN, Phoenix, Arizona
in The
Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, Inc. Newsletter.
Number 105. May 2007. (PDF)
(The Lloyd Library and Museum, a privately-. funded independent research
library, holds,. identifies, acquires, preserves ... )
Dan Hinkley, writer, plant explorer,
and cofounder of
Heronswood Nursery says . . .
"Identifying the constructs and mechanics of good writing is much like
learning another language to, at last, understand your primary. This is a
superb read and reference for those who write as well as those who read.
Together, it is Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Zinsser's On
Writing Well, watered, fertilized and put on the windowsill. "
Who Should Buy This Book?
Botanical Artists...
"If there ever was a text that might encourage a botanical artist
to try his or her hand at writing, Cultivating Words is it.
Chapter titles alone lead one to connect relationships within the
two realms of painting and writing. Thoughts on how Gardening is
Like Writing (think how it is like painting); Coaxing Subjects and
Characters to Life; Pruning and Patience; Leafing out in Public;
Practice and Discipline and Time. Many of her guidelines apply to
art prepared for publication – Know what the editor wants; Know your
audience; Simplify the presentation.
"Lessons on discipline, the importance of keeping journals, tips
on traveling with the aim of writing (and painting?) are invaluable,
as are her resources for learning and citing botanical nomenclature
and finding markets for publication. Advice on sentence structure
and paragraph format are well told, but the strength of the book
lies in her encouragement of finding and expressing one’s voice.
"The book is filled with examples of Paula’s writing, enlivened
with discussions of how and why she wrote as she did. She is both
wise and generous. Snippets from other writers such as Diane
Ackerman, Verlyn Klinkenborg and Susan Orleans are analyzed with an
ear for what makes each exceptional. Emphasis is on writing for
newspaper columns and magazine features, but the scope is broader
than that.
"Whether one has been asked to submit a plant description for an
exhibit catalog, seeks to publish an illustrated travel journal, or
dreams of publishing a tome showcasing ones botanical portraits,
there is guidance here."
- Bobbi Angell, for the newsletter of the
American Society of Botanical Artists , December, 2005
Anyone Writing About Plants...
"Cultivating Words, by Paula Panich supplies marvelous guidance
to anyone who wants to write about plants and gardens, showing how
to bring life, clarity and a distinctive tone to any article, as
well as the mechanics of good writing and getting published -- very
detailed and useful to professional authors as well as to the
novice."
- Thomas Powell, Avant Gardener, November 2005
|
