I'm taking a few writing courses this summer at the local Community College. One of them is a six week “short story marathon” where we will write four complete short stories, ready for publication. That should get the juices flowing.

The required reading for the course is Carolyn See's book, Making a Literary Life, so I went ahead and bought it. I was going to look it over before the class starts, in a couple of weeks, but once I opened it I couldn't put it down. This should be required reading for all writers.

Ms. See takes her readers through her own Literary Life, step by step, generously imparting the priceless wisdom she has gained. We are taken by the hand and led through our first manuscript, our first trip to New York, our first printing, and even given tips on having fun with the tax man.
The cornerstone of this Literary Life is “a thousand words a day, five days a week, for the rest of your life”. So you can see the tie in to the “short story marathon”. She goes on to bring everything about a writer's life journey into fine focus. This is not just a book on how to write, or how to get published, but on how to live life as a writer.

The subtitle of the book is “Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers” and it genuinely goes beyond being helpful to writers. Indeed, any artist - or for that matter any sensitive, creative human being – would benefit from the lifestyle she espouses. It is truly a lifestyle, not just a “get published” formula.

The precious pearls of wisdom offered in this book are life changing, encouraging, empowering, and uplifting. Ms. See began her career as a single mother of two with no money and little prospect for success. She persevered and became a multi-published, award winning author, and a professor at UCLA.

I heartily recommend Making a Literary Life to every writer, would be writer, or anyone who knows a writer. I'm not alone...

“Imagine this: You have been introduced to an established, respectable writer, and she likes you – a lot. So much, in fact, that she spends hours an hours giving you advice about writing and living a writer's life... What's more, you get to absorb all this sage advice while having a really good time... Sound good? Then go out and buy Making a Literary Life.”
--The Times (Trenton, NJ)