. . . often funny and entertaining.
--Publishers Weekly "I own every writing book ever written, and Linda Sivertsen has done the near-impossible: given writing itself a personality . . . Her stories are cinematic, hilarious, heartfelt, and pitch-perfect--with energy and punch, so often lacking in nonfiction."
--Terry McMillan, #1 New York Times bestselling author From the host of the Beautiful Writers Podcast comes a heartwarming, how-I-made-tale from a working writer you've never heard of, and inspiration and advice from the legends you love. This book gives aspiring writers and seasoned literary veterans a look into the lives of iconic authors and answers the burning question, "How did they do it?!" As a young writer in Los Angeles, Linda Sivertsen was hungry to be more like her literary idols. Fame and fortune seemed to happen so easily--and so fast--for them. But how exactly did these bestselling authors bust through all the obstacles and deliver, day after day, year after year, book after book? When her questions remained unanswered by multiple how-to guides, despite how her writing career was now thriving, Linda decided to go straight to the source: her favorite storytellers across numerous genres. So, Linda co-created the Beautiful Writers Podcast, where she began interviewing authors for the secrets behind their careers--and, without realizing it, began building a platform of eager listeners who wanted to learn from their shared idols. With more than two million downloads, Linda's podcast has since become a bright beacon of inspiration for writers at all stages of their journeys. Now, in Beautiful Writers: A Journey of Big Dreams and Messy Manuscripts--with Tricks of the Trade from Bestselling Authors, Linda shares--and expands on--the best of advice and storytelling from the podcast and follow-up interviews with literary greats, including:
Terry McMillanCheryl StrayedTom HanksVan JonesJenny LawsonSteven PressfieldElizabeth GilbertAnne LamottMary KarrSeth GodinAbby WambachMartha BeckMarie ForleoLee ChildPatricia CornwellDean KoontzMaria ShriverDr. Jane GoodallSabaa TahirTomi AdeyemiAnn PatchettDani ShapiroDanielle LaPorteTosca LeeJoy HarjoDeepak Chopra
Wrapped around the page-turning, magical, and wonderfully relatable account of the highs and lows of her own career writing bestselling, award-winning books for herself and others, these stories from the trenches are packed with suspense, laugh-out-loud humor, and raw honesty. The