THE HAPPY WRITER - Marissa Meyer

It's hard not to want to read a book about writing.  Especially a happy one! And author Marissa Meyer gets us with just that title.

Meyer, the author of a a couple different fantasy YA series lays out a plan for writers to achieve a happiness in their writing routine. It's part 'how-to' and part 'self-help zen'.

I've read a LOT of books on writing and I've rarely read anything new (Chuck Wendig comes closest with Gentle Writing Advice). The truth is, there are no secrets. There are no shortcuts.

Of course this particular book isn't about how to write.  It's about how to find more joy in your writing  - and thereby become more prolific which will ultimately equate to more success, and so it IS a how-to for writers. It's just approached in a unique manner.

Like all such books, there are plenty of nuggets of wisdom to take to heart ("this story was worth starting. That means it’s worth finishing"), and I also appreciated the recognition for what strikes many ("The fear of failure will often immobilize a perfectionist") and:

It doesn’t help that we’ll toil away at our craft - writing and rewriting and attempting multiple different stories and manuscripts - for years, possibly even decades, without receiving any sort of validation. We have no concrete evidence that we’re improving or that our work matters. Of course we’re bound to doubt ourselves from time to time.

Meyer's writing is light and friendly and you get the impression she really does want to help, which makes this book very likeable. 

I enjoyed reading through this. I took a few notes, highlighted many passages to review at another time, and reflected on things I read most of the time. Still, I can't say it's a must-read.  In part because I've become a little jaded with how to write books. Fresh approach or not, they're pretty much all the same.

Looking for a good book? The Happy Writer by Marissa Meyer is a lively how-to book for budding writers. With advice a-plenty and some guides to try, this could be helpful.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

* * * * * *

The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond

author: Marissa Meyer

publisher: Feiwel & Friends

ISBN: 9781250362377

paperback, 416 pages

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