Every Trick in the Book

In Every Trick in the Book, author and professor of literary writing at the University of Hildesheim Hanns-Josef Ortheil sketches out a dazzling and inspiring panorama of his more than 30 years of teaching creative writing, describing some of his unconventional and refreshingly contemporary methods.

Taking the infamous blank page as his point of departure, Ortheil deploys accessible and engaging writing exercises to invite readers on a sweeping journey through the lands of storytelling – from the first ideas and drafts to ironing out the finer details of the narrative. Through its countless references to other works and authors, this book also offers a discussion of a wide range of literary forms and practices.

In surprising ways, Ortheil's teaching incorporates some of the guiding principles of other art forms such as music, painting, photography or film into the process of planning and drafting a work of literature. But perhaps the most remarkable feature of this book is the way Ortheil recounts his relationship with talented writers – both young and old alike – who have decided to focus their efforts on literature. Providing plenty of food for thought for those who hope to embark on this creative process themselves.

»A welcome introduction to the techniques and tricks of literary and journalistic writing, a contemporary introductory course in aesthetics, an artful book about the art of writing.« Michael Braun, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger

»Hanns-Josef Ortheil is a subtle and sensitive storyteller, who approaches himself with a distanced and self-deprecating tone, elegantly dovetailing the past with the present. « Welt der Frauen