Writing Instruments Books

I've gotten over "writer's block", which was a myth to begin with. I'm writing great lyrics now, and feeling confident in my lyrics.

If you have reservations about buying this book because of the publishing date (1984) you should think again. This book has been revised and updated but some how, some way no credit is given. The author makes reference to songs written in 2006 by John Mayer and others!
As for the value of this book - it is absolutely wonderful. Just reading the first two chapters gave me countless ideas for new song lyrics.
The only thing I would change about this book is that the author gives examples of numerous songs by their titles only, assuming you know the songwriter and the lyrics. That doesn't help if you don't know the song.
And finally, I bought this book "used" but it is in perfectly new condition (saved alot of $$). Most likely due to the error in the publishing date, people think this is an old book. Enjoy!

If your goal is to learn all you ever need to know about lyric writing, then this is the book you must own. I have read many books on this subject, and this book is clearly, the authority on the subject. And because this book brings forth a sound foundation for meter and rhythm, it is perfect for high school and college students that are studying poetry; I should know, by reading this book, I got all A's in my English classes where poetry was taught. And being a songwriter for over 10 years, I can't say enough about what a great help this book has been to all my research in the field of popular music composition. The book is full of examples from newer pop songs, but also gives examples of Tin-Pan Alley songs that are worth noting; upon listening to the Tin-Pan-Alley songs, my taste in music has expanded.

This book proves that Lyricism is a craft that can be taught, not a gift that you either have or have not. In reading it I have already identified which of my lyric ideas are the strongest, which ones need a lot of work, and which ones need to be thrown out all together. Every page of this book gives you more tools to work with to push your lyric writing in the right direction.
Much of the book is written about popular music (but not necessarily "pop" music) with a lot examples from older country songs and theatre songs. However, no matter what style of music you want to write, the same principles apply. If you are looking to write quality lyrics for a band, a singer, or for publication, you MUST read this book.

This is THE book to learn the tools to write excellent lyrics for pop music. It systematically explores techniques and presents successful examples of their use. Yes, it plods like a school textbook, but it is written by a successful teacher who has mastered her craft. Yes, some examples are old, but they still illustrate excellence in action. Some other books are certainly quicker and more entertaining reads, but if your goal is to write the very best lyrics you possibly can, you are only hurting yourself if you do not work carefully through this book, however long it takes. Then do it again, and keep it handy for future reference.

I've been playing guitar forever, and writing songs for years, but like most other writers I get stuck in ruts from time to time. Now, whenever I need some new ideas, whether an entire song, a verse, a chorus, a bridge, or a lift, I just look through this book. Even a basic I-IV-V can be made more interesting by advancing or delaying a change. I also like that he relates the CD examples to particular musical styles, which provides a good template for writing to that style.

As with Rooksby's other books, the material is presented with great clarity and is well edited. A songwriter could do a lot worse than build a library of his books.

I have over last two years developed into a real fan of Rikky's books. This one really surprised me for progressive depth in the structure of each chapter. Each chapter builds on the next. And sandwiched between the 'tips' are these gems of compositions that helps broaden and deepen the constructive elements of songwriting. The book is focused more on chord progression in songs and then the composition of the song's components, verse, chorus, bridge, etc. The great surprise, and I think, and real beauty of the book is the way he uses the CD with the last chapter. He records 12 or so songs, and then in that chapter, he breaks them down in to their component structure, and tells you why he made the choices he did. A really GREAT book. Worth the price!

I have to echo what a previous reviewer said: this is a book of making chord sequences, not for making songs. I suppose it has some value as a reference library of possible chord sequences, but I doubt if you will turn them into "great songs" -- unless of course you already know how to write great songs! The way I see it, chord sequences is the easiest part of songwriting - writing lyrics, finding the rhythm and coming up with great melodies and getting the right "mood" are all the more important, and more difficult, aspects. Of course, others may feel differently.

This book taught me so much about songwriting, it's scary. I'm not a novice, either! It teaches you about chord theory better than any other book I've read.

This book should be called "How to turn chords into chord progressions" because that's pretty much all there is. As a reference book it's pretty decent, but working through the whole book is a tedious process. Also there is no index in the back which makes it har do look up specific subjects.
As a whole, this book promises more than it delivers.

A great deal for the price. The nibs are of good quality, nice starter selection and the material included is some of the best that I have bought. I bought several fountain pens, dip pens and different inks to keep me busy during the long winter and this is probably the best purchase I made. Out of 4 different calligraphy sets that I have purchased in the past, this one is by far the best deal for the price. Enough material to keep me busy for a very long time.

This book and calligraphy tool set was a great start to my new interest in the art of calligraphy. I wish there were more font examples, but the book was a great value!

Product received this date [01-AUG-2007]with white tool tray empty. My last straw with amazon.com -- Please cancel my account.

Has everything you need to get started. The person who inspired me to get this was highly credentialed in calligraphic art and she was satisfied and approving when I explained to her the contents. The guides are visually explicit and make you want to get started right away. Highly recommended by me.

i have recently found out about Manuscript Products for calligraphy. They are far more superior then anything you can find in the States. they are made in england and the nibs are of the highest quality while being priced very economically. I was very happy to see they were the manufacture behind readers digest, so i knew before even looking at the book i had a superior product.

And it is superior, anyone who likes calligraphy will love this. it is NOT a truly basic, but anyone who is not familiar will have no problems working on the kit. It is a whole calligraphy set. not just making Prettily letters with a flat nib.

If you lament the decline of handwriting, //Script & Scribble// provides thoughtful validity to your concerns. But it's also a celebration of the artistry and intellect in handwriting. Florey covers the evolution of handwriting from the Sumerians to the ubiquitous urban graffiti. She includes the historical development of writing implements from the ancient stylus to the ballpoint pen. She takes what some consider a boring topic on an ailing craft and makes it respectable, creative, and lighthearted. To get the most from this book, you need at least a mild interest in history, art, or trivia. I found it fascinating, but then, I would sit enthralled through a Ben Stein lecture on the history of almost anything.

Right or wrong, there was a time when people were judged harshly by their handwriting. Many believed the mind was trained through the discipline of the hand. Florey shares the styles and beliefs of handwriting masters whose patience and creativity were esteemed. But as civilization advanced, the tension between flashy and functional writing increased. I agree with Florey that receiving a handwritten note is a pleasure; for handwriting is near the heart. I am also grateful for the book's demonstrations that helped improve my handwriting.

Reviewed by
Grady Jones

When I was in kindergarten I remember wandering up to the desk of my teacher, Miss Cindy (we never knew her last name), and beholding her rapidly jotting down a note in cryptic, connected shapes. "Why are you writing sloppy?", I asked confusedly, mystified at what may as well have been Egyptian hieroglyphics from my childish vantage point.

Miss Cindy raised her eyes and indulgently replied: "It's not sloppy, it's cursive writing". Unconvinced, I told my mother that afternoon how Miss Cindy couldn't make her letters and instead slashed strange scrawlies all over her paper. Mom smiled and told me it was real writing for grownups. I promptly forgot all about it as I prepared to play with my toys, secretly convinced yet again that adults were more then slightly bonkers.

Then it was my turn to learn cursive. It was third grade and Sister Regina Eileen patiently watched twenty-some students laboriously drawing circles on practice pads. Up, down, up down--the monotony, I recall, was stupefying. The Palmer Method was rigorously applied, and while I could barely move past basic arithmetic in the afternoon, penmanship class in the morning found me a most willing and capable student. And I felt so very sophisticated: I was writing like grown-ups while block letters remained the province of little kids like my sister. I won a Palmer Method Award for the best penmanship when I was in fifth grade and am still proud of it; mostly because my overachieving sibling, who won veritably every other academic honor in both grade- and high school, never had one bestowed on her (tee hee--love ya, Heather!)

Script and Scribble: The Rise and Fall of Handwriting by Kitty Burns Florey details the history of how the art and craft of penmanship came about and its current status of rapid decline. Burns Florey was a parochial schoolchild herself, having been instructed in Palmer ways by Sister Victorine. However, Palmer Method was the most utilized instructional tool for cursive script across America's educational frontiers for decades. The volume does more than detail Palmer Method. The very history of writing tools, from cuneiform and hieroglyphics to quills and ink are thoroughly yet engagingly addressed. Graphology, the pseudo-science of examining personal script and learning about the psyche of the writer therein, is also covered. Palmer's immediate predecessor, Spencerian script, was something I could not have identified before reading Script and Scribble. For an example of it, consult any can of a certain soft drink--the Coca-Cola trademark is written in Spencerian script.

Not much is made of the Zaner-Bloser school of handwriting, which I'd only heard of recently. A direct descendant of Palmer, it's more truncated and, frankly, much less appealing visually (even if it supposedly easier to learn). I scoff at it. Palmer is the only way to go.

Along with Ms. Burns-Florey, I decry the inattention penmanship receives in our day, particularly where pupils of elementary school are concerned. Penmanship is the most personal tool anyone possesses as a means of communication. Our hand is as unique and special as our voice. I personally enjoy calligraphy (the art of formal script) and am thankful my parents gave me a Sheaffer fountain pen set for my birthday when I was thirteen. Keyboarding is a wonderful tool; I am typing this entry up on a computer keyboard this very moment. I can scarcely imagine not having access to word processors or email. I receive dozens of handwritten requests for genealogy every year which I strain to decipher while silently pleading with the writers of said missives to discover the wonders of Microsoft Word.

However, there's an incomparable grace and elegance to a carefully scripted greeting, and I hope more of us pause to reflect on our handwriting habits (or lack thereof) upon considering Script and Scribble.

Anyone interested in handwriting and its tools will love this book! There are very readable histories of everything to do with them, as the author says, "a stroll through handwriting history," and her personal involvement.

As an avid fountain pen collector, this book immediately drew me in. The art of writing by hand is fast becoming a thing of the past -- forget about the virtues of fine penmanship, much less the craft of making fine pens instead of mass produced plastic things with colored goop in them. People yammer endlessly on cell phones, text in code, pound away at keyboards -- or eliminate the handwork entirely and dictate in dull monotone at their 'voice recognition software.' Writing, both the physical act of creating script and the art of stringing words together in complete sentences, is fast becoming a thing of the past. I expected this book would be a thoughtful essay on this topic.

This book does include a brief history of the development of writing and an interesting discussion of the various teaching methods and penmanship styles of the 18th through 20th centuries. There are some witty observations about the effect of the personal computer on our lives, especially on our (un)willingness and (in)ability to put pen to paper on a day to day basis. There is a discussion of the quirky "graphology" movement. All entertaining, if not extremely enlightening.

But the book also suffers from some serious flaws.

First, sad and sorry production values. As others have noted, there are some glaring glitches like text printed on top of graphics, footnotes misnumbered, typos, the absence of an index. One also would think that a book extolling the virtues of fine handwriting would also be a finely made book. This one is printed on cheap paper and has that "fresh out of a software package" look.

Second, some very thin content. The discussion of the history and current status of the fountain pen is superficial at best and inaccurate at worst. Sure, the fountain pen is not exactly mainstream. But there has been a modern resurgence of interest in fine writing instruments, both vintage and current production. This book devotes two pages to the development of the fountain pen, including an extended anecdote about an ad for the Sheaffer Snorkel on the "I Love Lucy" show. The author devotes just over one page to ink, which concludes with the observation that ink is "an artifact of another world," available only at art supply stores for use by artists and calligraphers. The author seems blissfully ignorant of the resurgence of interest in fountain pens and the revival of many of the classic pen manufacturers.

The title of the review sums up my impression of the book. Much to admire, much that disappoints.

I thought I would be getting a screed on script and scribble but instead I got a galloping history of writing, printing, pens, cursive styles, fonts, etc.-- all of great interest to me. The only tragedy of the book lies in its sloppy production by the designer who laid out the book for the publisher. Sad mismatch of footnotes, placement of captions, etc. Deplorable in another age. No wonder she laments the loss of handwriting! And publishing arts in general. They need Final Eyes (www.finaleyes.net). Well worth reading. The writer still has credibility; only the publisher is lacking.

Script and Scribble: The Rise and Fall of Handwriting

This book is very enjoyable. If you can't own every pen, you can still have a great time looking at the craftmanship of things gone by.

This is by far the best book on the subject for the size. It has great pictures (all colored), concise information, and very informative price guides. It covers lots of different pens from major companies, such as Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, Wahl-Eversharp, Conklin. It also has some useful information on some obscured old US pen companies (all gone now). I don't understand why people are so excited about the big book "Fountain Pens of the World" by Lambrou. It does have more company information and time-line of products and covers more international companies, but that big book has no price guide at all, and is about 8 times more expensive than this little book. In terms of the coverage of the types of pens in major US companies, the big Lambrou book is quite much inferior to this little book. I just love this little one. But admittedly, you need to have more than one books to do some cross-reference.

A small and handy book. There are brief history of the pen companies and short description on pen collecting. The illustrations are nicely done, though the descriptions accompanying them sometimes too short. Good book for beginners. But for serious collcetors, better off with the big version by the same authors.

An outstanding effort. The photographs are superb. Written in an easy language, makes it enjoyable to read to both novice and connoisseur collectors. However, the authors didn't mention some important pens (eg: Parker #14, Parker Duofold mandarin yellow, Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli). ( My book is the Revised & Expanded 3rd edition, 2000).

This is a valuable and handy pocket (briefcase, etc.) guide to take on a pen expedition. It's a bit big for anything but a large overcoat pocket but is handy when carried in a case. It is mostly a guide to the identification of some of the pens to be found at pen shows and elsewhere. There are brief histories of 18 fountain pen manufacturers but they are short to rudimentary. There is a short but to the point and valuable guide to how to grade a pen.

The rest of the book is devoted to colored photos of various fountain pens. The pictures are very good and the selection of pens shown is very good. The values shown are, like all prices shown in such books, progressively out of date. They are good though to give a relative value for pens.

This is an excellent book for its purpose - to help identify, grade and price used fountain pens. It does its specified purpose well. It's not meant to be an encyclopedia. Such a book would have to be a many volumn set.

Ever hit the "play" button on your stereo and wondered what's behind that dirty thing you push every morning? Well, if you're a rookie record producer and those questions haunt your every morning then this book will be a revelation for you. Content is rich, impressive and the information is accurate, all presented in full details with step by step guides. Dealing mostly with the promotional aspect Fred Koller's book is a must for people just starting out their own company and are disoriented by the complicate details of the trade.

As a songwriter pitching my own songs I have read some books on the subject. This book made me set my hopes low as the Author mainly have been working out of Nashville for the most of his songwriting career; wich spans decades.
What a pleasant surprise. This book is written so straightforward and it applies in a very global way, broadening the Nashville horizon to any corner of the world. This book is a must read either your are trying to pitch your songs from a project studio in Africa or on the north pole.
It's simply brilliant, allthough some part of it has slipped past the updates, it doesnt make it less interesting. Not at all.
This book boosts my wish to produce and pitch more often and it really gives a feeling of self esteem in the process.
Put shortly; a must-have. You would regret not having this one on the shelf. Nuf said.

book worth the price and more. I highly recommend this book to gain greater insights in the Music business or any business. It was a great buy along with a couple of manuals purchased from Musicbrains.net entitled the Indie label Kit on Amazon, Music business 101, future of music and Guide to releasing an independent record by Tim Sweeney.

Songwriters have benefitted from the prior editions of this classic: this third edition updates information, expanding and revising chapters and revealing today's new tools needed to get songs recorded. From understanding the business needs of agents and producers to targeting producers with special styles, How To Pitch And Promote Your Songs is an invaluable guide to the basics.

Koller is a working Nashville songwriter who also sits on the board of the Nashville Songwriter's Association International (NSAI), which does a terrific job of mentoring capable young songwriters and giving them an entry point into the Nashville writers' community. The title pretty well describes the book, and Koller is an author equal to his task. On another point, as Writer's Digest pulls back from its ten years of leadership in the field of music business books (mid-80's to mid- 90's), I'm glad to see former Writer's Digest authors such as Koller and Paul Zollo finding good second homes. In the case of Fred Koller, our thanks go to Allworth Press in New York, a division of Billboard Books. Ron Simpson, School of Music, Brigham Young University. Author of MASTERING THE MUSIC BUSINESS.

Andreas Lambrou has once again produced an authoritative text on fountain pens. It is relatively comprehensive and has spectacluar photographs and line drawings. This is an excellent guide to learn the history of fountain pens and to identify fountain pens. While there can be no doubt that Mr. Lambrou cares very much about fountain pens, this does not come through in his prose style. Writing is straightforward and clear, but does not connect fountain pens to social history, industrial design, or the just plain joy of writing. Inclusion of several pages on the work of Classic Pens, Mr. Lambrou's own firm, which are of limited interest is a questionable decision.

After writing Fountain Pens of the World (ISBN 0302006680) Andy reprises his position as the preeminent authority of an endangered writing instrument. The chronological and authoritative description of every major manufacturer is interlaced with some of the most beautiful and actual size photography of pens you'll ever see.

This volume is a work of art and effort of a true aficionado, the most comprehensive history of Sheaffer Pens you'll ever see is inside this book, the choice to break the history of Parker into the USA and UK versions is the mark of a purist.

Beautiful heavy stock paper ensures this volume will endure in your collection for decades.

Andy Lambrou's reputation is well deserved, and this is another work of art from the master.

This and other Lambrou books have been described as invaluable references for the collector. I agree, for the most part. The photos and line drawings in this volume are excellent and the text gives detailed history of each manufacturer's models and variations within models. What is missing is a value guide for the pens listed. I'm sure the most serious collectors find such information unnecesary, but I believe that newer or more casual collectors would find pricing benchmarks useful as they muddle through eBay and other auction sites.

For the novice and experienced collector both, this book is Andy's finest yet. By dividing out the US and UK manufacturers, this book provides even greater detail and scale images, as well as historical reference of vintage and modern pens from all of the significant pen makers of the last 100 years. The images (both photos and line images) are the best available to-date, and an invaluable reference to the serious collector.

It is a big book with lots of information. Not a book for casual collectors. However it is "a must have" book for serious collectors. The first few chapters are especially very useful as they describe essential aspects of collecting pens and things to look for. They also tell the history and evolution of fountain pens. The history of the big pen companies are quite detail and of course there are lots and lots of beautiful photographs of the pens.

Simply put, this book is an essential item for any serious fountain pen enthusiast or collector. To the best my knowledge, only Andreas Lambrou's Fountain Pens of the World compares (or even surpasses it, actually) in scope and depth, and Lambrou's book is twice the price.

Nor is this book limited to the seasoned expert; I first read it as an utter novice and found it delightfully accessible (the plentiful color photos go a long way here.) The only caveat is that - as mentioned by another reviewer - the suggested prices seem very high; it might be a mistake for a neophyte to base purchasing decisions on the listings in this book.

Pass up that aero-filler 51 or that unrestored blurrily-photographed vac major, for the time being, and pick up a copy of this book instead. In the long run, it's a far better investment if you are truly interested in vintage fountain pens.

I purchased this book for my husband for fathers day and he loved it. There were so many pictures. We could not wait to see if any of his collection was in the book. If you are a pen collector, this is definately the book to have.

Andre'a

This is a very good book for the serious collector. The price may seem high but for the wealth of information it provides it is a bargain. This is a new addition with the principle difference over the last addition being updated prices...some of which seem out of line high. Good illustrations. Not every color of a particular model may be represented but they do pretty well trying. Overall, I highly recommend it especially for the new collector.

This book has served as a Bible for me. Although it lacks pictures and long stories, it has the ACTUAL pages written by Jimi. Too bad I lost it.

"Do not ignore the sun for the sun is the truth shining to be seen," Jimi Hendrix said. Which from our point of view is Jimi Hendrix expressing his religion, saying that you should not ignore god for he is the truth shining to be seen. The words above are a quote from the book "Jimi Hendrix The Lost Writings." Notes Compiled by Bill Nitopi. After Jimi Hendrix died September 18, 1970 his house was ransacked, and almost everything was stolen. Alot of the lost writing were relocated, bought on the black market or recovered in auction houses. They were all brought together to form this book. Even though his handwriting wasn't the best, it is for the most part legible. In this book you can really understand what he was thinking almost until the day he died. It has notes of his feelings during his music career. The notes taken on his feelings talk about things like how a concert went, his feelings about abortion, and even on the wars that were going on. There were also a few stories he had written, along with songs that were published and not published. In this book there are pictures of what Jimi Hendrix was doing on and off the stage. If you are a musician who has trouble writing lyrics this book will give you tons of ideas for songs though there is no plot to this book just notes Jimi had written. So, all in all, if you are a poet or a song writer you may want to pusue this book if not you are better reading a biography.

This book features long lost artwork. writing and lyrics by the man himself: Jimi Hendrix. It is an impressive collection of different pieces of this legendary artist's short but brilliant life. Jimi's handwritten lyrics and artwork take you to a place that only a select few have seen and known about, until now. This book is like reading a bible on Hendrix and his life. It's so personal and revealing that you feel like you're almost inside the man's head!!! It is that personal. It is also intensely moving and hilarious at times.(particularly the lyrics to Astro Man!!) It is profusely illustrated with pictures of Hendrix and quotes and drawings. It is very impressive. If you can find this book, BUY IT!!!

I love this book although I am sure many others will hate it. Itis a book for singer songwriters by singer songwriters. To me it had everything you would want in a book if you play guitar and write songs, simple ideas and insiteful comments make this book a must have.

For a long-time fan of Ani DiFranco, Dave Matthews, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon, this book was a treasure chest of knowledge for me. I delighted in reading about how the artists I love create the music that touches me. A great investment for music lovers.

ROCK TROUBADOURS: Conversations On The Art And Craft Of Songwriting by Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers I love what I do. I get to review fantastic books like this one. :-) Here they are - some of the songwriters I have most admired throughout my lifetime, all talking about what makes them want to write, how they write, where their writing comes from... It's amazing stuff. Paul Simon, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Jerry Garcia and David Grisman, the Indigo Girls, Chris Whitley, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, Ben Harper, the Barenaked Ladies and Ani DiFranco. Hell - the first three alone would be worth the price of the book.

Jeffrey's opening words to each interview are insightful commentaries on where the songwriter has been and where they may be heading. Though the interviews themselves may have happened several years earlier, those commentaries bring the reader to the present so that everything can be put into perspective. And his questions get right to the meat of the matter. These are personal interviews that dig into the why's and the wherefore's. What are the differences between then and now? How has their songwriting changed from the early years? How do they perceive the "industry" as a whole? How do they arrive at their inspiration? How do their

instruments of choice influence their songwriting? That's only a sample. These are the questions I would love to ask if I were in a room with any of these wonderful artists - only I would be too tongue tied. Thankfully, Jeffrey does the work for all of us.

In each interview, there is a section called "What They Play" where the instruments the songwriters use are explained in detail - their preferences, what they used in the past and what they use in the studio compared to what they use in live performance. There is also a selected discography for each songwriter.

I enjoyed every moment of reading this book. Not only did it answer a lot of my own questions concerning these songwriters, but it also inspired me. Deep down, these songwriters, legends though they may be to me (yes, even the Barenaked Ladies - whom I adore and who have a true knack for not taking themselves too seriously), are still human beings with the same problems of time, insecurities, and daily difficulties that I face myself. They have managed to overcome them and create some of the very best music of the 20th century and beyond. Reading about them gives me hope that I can do the same. I highly recommend you pick this one up...