In 1889, the editor of the San Francisco Examiner, having accepted an article from Rudyard Kipling, informed the author that he should not bother ...
read full description
reviews
Oct 07, 2007
John
rated it: 
One of the best books on writing I've run across. Lots of examples of (now) famous authors' tactics for dealing with discouraging periods and rejection. Drives home the point that "success" is largely a matter of perserverance and determination, which can't be emphasized strongly enough for those who beat themselves up over "lack of talent" etc. Mention of all the writers who considered one or two thousand words/day - about 5 pages of most modern books - a decent goal sure ma
Oct 27, 2009
Elissa
rated it:
This book arrived, a gift from donut, in that awful place in the middle of a first draft when you feel lost and discouraged, and on top of that I was so swamped with lifestuff I couldn't figure out wtf I was doing trying to write fiction on top of it all, especially when I feel like my chances of getting published are approximately equivalent to the chances of winning the lottery without buying a ticket. Anyway, donut advised keeping the book near my writing area to flip through in moments of an
More...
Apr 26, 2010
Michael
rated it: 
As my book circulates among some NYC editors, I decided to re-read this, and it was incredibly rewarding—maybe more so now that I've been working with what the author calls the "pub people." Keyes understands the plight of any serious writer—the need to learn to deal with rejection, to understand that frustration and disappointment are not just inevitable, but that they are an integral part of the process, even for the most successful. Highly recommended.
Nov 23, 2008
Patrick
rated it:
Not as good as The Courage to Write, yet still excellent. I like Keyes' writing style and enjoy his penchant for anecdote.
Jan 05, 2012
Renee
rated it: 
Great for its many examples of the difficulties well-known writers have faced. I didn't read every word of it and skipped a couple sections altogether because they didn't apply to me, but what I did read was definitely worth the time.
Nov 06, 2011
Cyneva
rated it:
As a writer, I find myself drawn to reading books about the writing process and the struggles that virtually all writers go through - the endless internal battles and external forces that sometimes threaten to overrun our progress or even our love of writing in general. Books like this give me the motivation to continue - especially when you see that even the more accomplished writers throughout history (and today) deal with the same thing. This is a great read.
Aug 22, 2008
Joshunda
rated it:
I loved this book and I still keep it close by. I gave a copy to a fellow writer who was feeling a bit down and he returned the favor by giving me a copy as a gift just when I was starting to get discouraged. Of course, it's always easier to read about writing in lieu of the actual tough writing part, but this book is a great inspiration for getting back on the horse after frustration or disappointment.
Feb 02, 2012
Jan 18, 2012
Jan 01, 2012
Dec 22, 2011
Dec 07, 2011
Nov 06, 2011
Oct 06, 2011
Oct 05, 2011
Sep 26, 2011
Sep 08, 2011
Aug 17, 2011
Aug 09, 2011
Aug 04, 2011
Aug 03, 2011
Jul 25, 2011
Jun 10, 2011
May 31, 2011
May 20, 2011
Feb 21, 2011
Feb 19, 2011
Feb 17, 2011
