I've been searching for the Robert Heinlein article/letter titled "On the writing of speculative fiction," ever since
Elizabeth Twist referenced it in
her post earlier this week. It's better known as "Heinlein's rules of writing." All I can find of it on the internet are the rules themselves and that it's supposedly from a 1947 private letter to Heinlein's agent Blassingame. I've contacted my father to see if it's in
Grumbles from the Grave![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=speak0ed-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1569562512)
, which I remember skimming for a report in high school and recall having Heinlein's letters in it. Hopefully I'll find it soon because I want to see the whole of the essay.
![The Secret History of Fantasy](http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=1892391996&tag=speak0ed-20)
I also sent for and received
The
Monsters and the Critics![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=speak0ed-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=026110263X)
, a book of Tolkien essays on Ursala Le Guin's recommendation. no, Le Guin and I are not chummy -- but oh how I wish we'd discussed it over coffee! -- I have a long list of "seminal work to read" courtesy of Le Guin's essay in
Secret History of Fantasy![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=speak0ed-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1892391996)
![](http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=speak0ed-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1892391996)
edited by Peter S. Beagle (and still available in book stores). And the copy of
Monsters and the Critics I bought arrived by Royal Air Mail -- apropos, I think. In there is "On Faerie-Stories," his famous
what is fantasy essay.
And ... I'll be up half the night finishing a short story for deadline.
I love having these weekly MFA thesis deadlines, but they also set a tough pace. Yep.
Still lovehate deadlines. And I'm on another one. Right now. Okay, universe, time to deliver.