For those who seriously aspire to be a literary writer, take pause by reading the prodigious Canadian novelist Sheila Heti's critique of
The Cobra and the Key, her fellow Canadian writer Sam Shelstad’s grandiosely satirical book in manual form on the very subject of writing itself.
In her lighthearted critique of Shelstad’s book in the October 25, 2024 issue of
The Paris Review online, Sheila Heti says that Sam is so literal as a teacher that he "takes the conventions of how to write successful fiction on such faith, that when he tries to relay these tips to his reader, the advice ends up sounding as absurd as it actually is."
IMAGE CREDIT: Drawing by Stephanie Brody Lederman, from Heroic Couplet (The Hustle), a portfolio that appeared in The Paris Review issue no. 75 (Spring 1979).
Overall, Sheila Heti concludes, "Somehow everything is balanced so lightly, wittily, and warmly in this book: the absurdity of teaching writing, the vanity of the writer, and the very touching and human conviction that even if we have no idea what we’re talking about, that doesn’t mean we aren’t the best person to help."
Read Sheila Heti's "On Writing Advice and the People Who Give It" in The Paris Review online now!
