Welcome to the Writer's Life: How to Design Your Writing Craft, Writing Business, Writing Practice, and Reading Practice

by Paulette Perhach

Learn how to take your work to the next level with this informative guide on the craft, business, and lifestyle of writing With warmth and humor, Paulette Perhach welcomes you into the writer’s life as someone who has once been on the outside looking in. Like a freshman orientation for writers, this book includes an in-depth exploration of all the elements of being a writer—from your writing practice to your reading practice, from your writing craft to the all-important and often-overlooked business of writing. In Welcome to the Writer’s Life, you will learn how to tap into the powers of crowdsourcing and social media to grow your writing career. Perhach also unpacks the latest research on success, gamification, and lifestyle design, demonstrating how you can use these findings to further improve your writing projects. Complete with exercises, tools, checklists, infographics, and behind-the-scenes tips from working writers of all types, this book offers everything you need to jump-start a successful writing life.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Business, Self Help, Reference, Crafts, Creative

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2018

Reviews

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This... seriously reads like the literary therapy session that every writer needs at SOME point in their process. I was lucky enough to get a free copy at just the right time in my own process and I’ll forever be grateful! Just like going to reading gives you, a writer, perspective on the reality of the trade and, hopefully, inspiration to KEEP WRITING no matter what because even the most successful authors were in your shoes once (which is one piece of advice given in the book; as part of finding your community, go be in the world of writing!), this book is full of the most supportive nuggets of hope that I’d strongly advise anyone who is stuck or feeling particularly pessimistic, to just grab a copy and sit with it for a few days, then get your butt back in the chair and make your art.

[R.M. Archer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Language warning, but there's solid content in here.

[Quintin Zimmermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secretly, all us bibliophiles wish we had the patience and talent to be a renowned writer - spending days immersed in the written word - not just reading, but creating.

Does Welcome to the Writer's Life offer us the chance to fulfil our literary aspirations?

The answer is nebulous yes and no. First of all, according to Paulette Perhach and pretty much everybody she quotes, to become a successful author, you need to write a prodigious amount, which is proceeded by even more rewrites and then substantive cuts which is followed by starting the entire process all over again.

Welcome to the Writer's Life is replete with useful tips and information, which may not get you published, but it is a decent starting point for any aspiring writers.

[Isla McKetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great guide for anyone wanting to get started writing. I've been around a bit longer than that, but I still found Paulette's voice and advice motivating. I was lucky enough to go to her party when this launched and have no idea why I didn't read it until now, but I'm going to an event at Hugo House tonight with my writerly business cards in my purse and I think she'd be proud.

[Sharyn Potiuch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a million books for writers on writing. For me, this has been one of the best investments of my time. This book has helped give my writing dreams a pulse again at a time when, after languishing for years in Never Published Land and considering chucking it for good, it has helped shift my perspective and remind me that I'm an artist. An arteest! And that it hasn't all been wasted time.

So what makes this one stand out? It covers pretty much everything you could possibly want to read about as a writer. It is full of useful practical help, and covered things I hadn't read about in other books on writing. I especially liked the passage titled 'Celebrating the Freedom to be a Writer'. I wish the book also covered pseudonyms, but beyond this omission I really can't fault it. I've used post it notes throughout the book for future reference and will probably read it again. This is one I'll be keeping.

[Anca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the Writer's Life is truly a welcoming guide for anyone who wants to get serious about writing; it's also chockfull of useful reminders for the more experienced. Perhach writes in her introduction, "You can't control whether you're a published writer, a professional writer, or a paid writer, but you can control whether you're a writing writer." This is essential to the writing life: doing the work.

I enjoyed the playfulness of this book too. The suggestion to have an adventure once a week--you can't spend your entire existence reading and writing--reminded me of an essay Gary Shteyngart wrote about how he spends every Sunday roaming New York City and eating his way toward inspiration. I also loved the list of resources on wordplay, 90% of which I'd never used before, and I'm a huge word nerd. Hooray for the writing life!

[Dez Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books on the topic of writing as a lifestyle that I have read so far. A lot of the tips are more helpful to beginners but there's also a great amount of advice and motivational portions that are useful to writers at any stage of their career.

I borrowed this book from my local library but I think it holds enough value that I definitely plan on purchasing a copy for myself.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a newbie writer this book will help you create your path and if you’ve been writing for years it’ll put some pep back into your step.

Reviewed on my blog: https://chriswolak.com/2019/05/17/rev...

[Rosemary Rey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great reference book for people considering their contribution to the craft. New writers and intermediate writers who need a refresher on the business can use this book as a resource. I appreciated some of the book suggestions because I'm always looking for recommendations. The book was well organized. The author's witty personality showed through in this book, keeping me interested in reading until the end.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Nick Falkowski-Sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

WELCOME TO THE WRITER'S LIFE is a much-needed guide on how to build the habits demanded of successful writers, because unfortunately, your novel can't write itself. Filled with activities to help writers of all levels stay organized and to keep writing, Perhach's book shifts its focus away from the craft of writing and focuses on the how that puts pen to paper.

Full disclosure: a year ago, before this book was published, Perhach became my writing mentor through the Hugo House in Seattle. I studied under her through the fall, pumpkin latte just to the right of my laptop. After having gone through what became WELCOME TO THE WRITER'S LIFE, I expected the book to echo what Perhach had already taught me. Thankfully, I was wrong. WELCOME TO THE WRITER'S LIFE built upon the foundations of my writing practice and renewed my passion for keeping up the writer's habits.

What surprised me most about Perhach's lessons, and what may surprise writers looking for how to write their villain's perfect, tragic backstory, is that WELCOME TO THE WRITER'S LIFE is not that book. "Shouldn't I send her more writing samples?" I thought every week. Craft, however, emerges from a consistent reading and writing practice that WELCOME TO THE WRITER'S LIFE teaches you how to begin and maintain.

Consider this quote from Octavia Butler, taken from her essay on writing, Furor Scribendi: "First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence in practice." This emphasis on habit pumps the blood in the heart of WELCOME TO THE WRITER'S LIFE: without dedication and organization, there is no finished work. Reading, writing, organizing, and even building your social media presence to let the world know " I'm a writer!" is how aspiring writers remove the "aspiring" from their bios. Where do you think this Goodreads account came from?

This is not to say Perhach won't make you write. Oh no no nooo. Perhach shares testimonials from other writers, and then gives you homework. Ranging from diary entries, checklists, and putting your draft away for a month to dust it off and read it with fresh eyes, Perhach forces you to write to yourself about why being a writer matters and how you're going to succeed.

[Olivia Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find most how-to-write books kind of daunting and a little discouraging by the end. Some tell you that you need to have an innate gift to write and others go on and on about how writing must become your one and only pursuit in order to make your dreams come true.

Perhach definitely isn't telling you that making a career out of writing is easy. Quite on the contrary- it's something that takes a lot of time, a lot of effort, and a little bit of luck. That being said, I found Welcome to the Writer's Life to be one of the most motivational writing books I've read.

I left it feeling like anyone could be a writer. You just have to get over that initial fear of failure and self consciousness. It's a process certainly, but it's doable and everyone has to go through it.

Writer's Life covers a lot of ground- from how to work on structuring your writing, editing it, how to read like a writer, and how to go about getting published. There's a wealth of really cool exercises that I'm looking forward to trying, plus an online component where you can find character sheets and other forms to aid your writing. You don't even need to buy the book to access them!

If you like to write, whether it be poetry, prose, fiction, or nonfiction, and you want to improve your craft then this is a book you should pick up. I think it will be a great resource to tons of writers of all kinds.

[Jennifer Gibbons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became familiar with Paulette Perhach's writing when she wrote the now famous Bleep It Fund (I'm changing it for family audiences) essay for Billfold. I knew whatever book she would write, I would read it. What made it even better: her first book is a writing book.
It's a lovely starter's kit on what to expect in the writing world these days. Perhach shares how serving in the Peace Corps made her become a writer. She then shares how she got work done while working a 9to5 job, and how we can do it as well. It also has plenty of quotes from writers Jess Walters and others that provide a balm on bad writing days. Step by step, she shows how it's possible to write every day, write every day, write every day. It's a blessing of a book.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy.

[Nadia Norin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is very helpful especially for aspiring writers who don't know where to start or how to start. There are inspirational and motivational sections throughout the book that would boost the readers confidence in trying out. This book is definitely very helpful to everyone.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between her own experience and in-depth research, Perhach offers a great guide for both the novice and experienced writer looking to level up his or her game!

[Mills College Library]

808.02023 P439 2018

[Chrystopher’s Archive · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Review probably to come)

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.instagram.com/p/B97pMkQDYWZ/

“Welcome to the writer’s life” de Paulette Perhach foi publicado pela Sasquatch Books e, infelizmente, ainda não tem uma edição em português.⁣
⁣
Paulette criou um manual de boas-vindas para novos escritores, que com uma linguagem simples e divertida, vai mostrar os bastidores da produção de um livro, desmistificando a aura de glamour ao revelar um árduo trabalho que exige muita dedicação e paciência.⁣
⁣
Dividido em 6 capítulos — How to start, Your writing practice, Your reading practice, Your writing craft, Your writing business e Your writing life — cada um vai tratar de um assunto específico, com depoimentos de autores experientes e propostas de exercícios práticos que ajudam o jovem escritor a entender como algumas ferramentas funcionam na prática. ⁣
⁣
No site do livro — welcometothewriterslife.com/ —, é possível encontrar as indicações de leituras complementares, bem como fichas de personagens, check-lists de edição e submissão.⁣
⁣
Alguns pontos interessantes:⁣
⁣
O trabalho do autor não está apenas na escrita, ele deve dividir-se entre: escrever, ler grandes obras, ler de tudo, enviar seu trabalho para avaliação, marketing/networking/mídias sociais, aventurar-se e conversar com outros autores.⁣
⁣
5 estágios da escrita:⁣
1- Captura de ideias⁣
2- Trabalhar essas ideias⁣
3- Escrever o primeiro rascunho⁣
4- Refinar os rascunhos favoritos⁣
5- Reescrita, a maior parte do trabalho⁣
⁣
Organização do tempo e metas, como editar texto, lapidar o rascunho, o que procurar quando se está lendo a obra de outros autores, elementos do plot — exposição, incidente inicial, começo da ação, crise, clímax, desaceleração da ação e desfecho —, como manter atenção dos leitores, construção de personagens, diálogo, pontos de vista, como ganhar dinheiro com seus textos, são alguns dos temas abordados durante a leitura.⁣
⁣
Apesar de apresentar vários conceitos técnicos, a leitura flui rapidamente e em vários momentos me perguntei: “E se eu fizer esse exercício de escrita?”, mas não realizei nenhum. Ainda.⁣
⁣
Leitura mais que indicada para leitores curiosos sobre o ofício da escrita, para autores iniciantes ou para aqueles que pensam em um dia se aventurar pelo mundo das letras.

[Stan James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am continuing on my unofficial second career as not a writer, but one who reads every book about writing instead. Then writes about them.

Welcome to the Writer's Life succeeds on a couple of fronts. First, author Paulette Perhach has an entertaining voice and regularly drops funny little zingers in with her advice without ever making it feel like she's trying really hard to make you laugh.

Second, the book tackles a few things that a lot of new writer books don't cover or cover minimally. There are plenty of books that will cover the classic plot structures, character development and other things you need to know in order to tell a convincing story--whether it be through fiction or non-fiction. Perhach covers the other stuff in a writer's life, relating her and the experiences of other writers in finding ways to nurture and grow your writing habits, covering everything from what to read (and how important reading is) to meditation to clear your mental decks (she claims to never suffer writer's block because of her daily 15-minute meditation sessions), as well as touching on the business side of writing, along with thoughts on pursuing an MFA (spoiler: she doesn't think it's necessary).

It took me awhile to read through the book and though I enjoyed it, I found myself wondering why, and I believe it's two things: I found the quotes from other writers largely unnecessary (fewer would have been fine) and there are sections where even Perhach's writing style can't lift the subject matter from feeling just a little dull. But I have read a lot of books on writing, so it's just as likely that I am becoming a bit weary of the topic of writing itself.

Still, I think this is a good intro to the craft of writing for a new writer and have no problem recommending it alongside other more "nuts and bolts" book on the writing process itself.

[Chris Boutté · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the best books I’ve ever read for writers. Paulette has this amazing blend of practical advice with some tough love. I wish I could just have this book in my rotation on a daily basis because, throughout the entire book, I was motivated to write. Paulette gives the reader a realistic look at what it takes to be a writer without sugar-coating what the writer’s life is like. This book helped me get over my issue of being butthurt when my freelance pitches are shut down or not responded to because Paulette reminds you regularly that the two things that make a great writer is to write a lot and read a lot. Since reading this book, I’ve been writing more than ever. She also provides tips and tools to get rid of distractions and develop a routine, and she also provides some great book recommendations. I’ll definitely be reading this book again, and I may even read it a couple of times each year for motivation.

[Travis Timmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, a life changer of a book. Perhach writes so well (and resourcefully!) about the parts of writing that seem to get overlooked in other books--starting out and the "gap years," your reading, the writing community, time management, and checklists. But especially about what the "writer's life" means and looks like. I took extensive notes and reorganized my daily life around writing.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Paulette!

[David Haggett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Perhach, drawing from her own experiences of the writer's life, presents a practical guide to developing your own writing craft, writing practice, reading practice, and writing business. Having ready several how-to guides, I found Ms. Perhach to be a better guide to both the ideal of being a writer and the reality of crafting a writing life.

Borrowed from a sister library through the Missouri Evergreen consortium. Buying my own personal copy (since I found myself "snapping" many pages for later reflection). :-)

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Between the wanna be author guide, with advice and all, and the motivational book. I was less interested in the motivational part, but the guide/advice part of the book was good enough. Some advices were a bit to obvious and easy, but if you're interested in writing and no so sure how to organize or start it all, this might help you a bit!

[Stacy Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is indeed "freshman orientation" to life as a writer. It is both an inspiring and practical read for newbie writers who are still working on giving themselves permission to call themselves writers. I love how candid Paulette Perhach is with everything from her own struggles to her organizational strategies. As a result, she helps with both the outer and inner chaos of writers' lives. Her tone is encouraging and indeed welcoming, helping us to feel less alone.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! It’s a wonderful resource for anyone interested in being a writer. Paulette really breaks down the various aspects of a “writer’s life” in a way that feels welcoming and accessible. I borrowed it from my library but will definitely be buying my own copy to have on hand for reference!

[Sayantani Dasgupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid, helpful, matter of fact advice. Full of neat exercises. Useful for all writers whether you’re just starting out or you’ve got experience. I’ve been especially helped by the advice on how to organize one’s writing files and documents.

[Alissa McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was EXACTLY what I needed. I loved her encouragement and insights and have already felt renewed and less alone in the writing world. This book is fantastic.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely one of the most helpful books on writing I’ve ever read. It has so many helpful tips and a great tone that makes it easy and fun to read. I’ve already put some of her suggestions into practice and can’t wait to try more!

[January Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good book. Read it and take what your find useful from it. I was expecting more humor, but maybe that was just me.

[Kathleen Celmins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is SUCH a great guide to writing, and a glimpse into the life of a "real" writer. Paulette's writing style is endlessly approachable, and while she makes writing (and editing) sound like a lot of work, that's because it is. Get this if you're even thinking about selling your writing.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, cutting edge, I will definitely be teaching with this.