The Writer's Survival Guide

“In many ways a book of philosophy, it could just as easily be used as a motivational guide for almost any endeavor.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer “With humor and compassion, Rachel Simon tackles the hard times and the good times and the sticky stuck moments that confront writers at every level in their career. This marvelous guide will join the ranks of the well-thumbed volumes that haunt every ink-stained desk—the ones we pull down when it’s time to ask: ‘What do I do now?’ Rachel knows!” —David Haynes, author and Director of Creative Writing, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. “This book is one writer’s thoughtful exposition of the everyday, the nitty-gritty, the real experience of living by putting words on paper.” —Daniel Pinkwater, author and NPR commentator “Rachel Simon’s The Writer’s Survival Guide more than lives up to its title. Simon has managed to pack it with solid technical information and a spiritual sense that is both compelling and humbling. Those who dream of becoming writers will find this book invaluable. Those who are already working at becoming writers will find it reassuring and challenging—a test of their dedication and ambition. Those who are writers—especially those of us who have had some success—will find it a perfectly refreshing reminder or how we got to where we are, and what we have to do to move on.” —David H. Bradley, author “With uncommon wit and intelligence, insight and practicality, Rachel Simon addresses the real issues, the emotional challenges at the root of the creative process. This is a heartening, re-readable, and wholly useful book.” —Margaret Holley, author