“There is no field where one who is in earnest about learning to do good work can make such enormous strides in so short a time.”

Whilst this was published in the 1930s, I actually feel this book would be of huge benefit to anyone new to writing and unsure of where to start or someone who has been claiming for years they’d write something one day but always put off the work.

This is not a ‘how to’ book in terms of craftsmanship, it’s about the personality and habits to become a writer.

Dorothea is that beloved teacher. The one that encourages you, that never tells you you’re not good enough, but will be honest with you, if you ask it of her.

It’s full of great advice, quotes, and useful exercises but the lessons delivered revolve around the individual building confidence as well as a commitment to themselves and their desire to write. The hardest thing she says, but something I will definitely come back to, is (when talking about an agreement with yourself to do a freewrite, such as morning pages):
“if you fail repeatedly at this exercise, give up writing. Your resistance is actually greater than your desire to write, and you may as well find some other outlet.”