6 ratings | 4 reviews | avg rating:5.00

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Sheila Bender

Goodreads Author

Born

in Richmond, VA, The United States

Website

https://www.writingitreal.com/

Genre

Nonfiction, Memoir, Poetry

Member Since

April 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomwritingitreal

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Sheila Bender is the founder of Writingitreal.com. She teaches online and in-person offering classes and writing consults by Zoom as well.

Her passion is to facilitate those who write from personal experience. Visit her at WritingItReal.com and look for her classes as well at Il Chiostro, Women on Writing, and the International Association for Journal Writing.

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Sheila Bender’s books

Average rating: 3.62 · 363 ratings · 61 reviews · 23 distinct works • Similar authors

	Keeping a Journal You Love 3.33 avg rating — 123 ratings — published 2001 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Year in the Life: Journaling for Self-Discovery 3.20 avg rating — 60 ratings — published 2000 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Writing Personal Essays: How to Shape Your Life Experiences for the Page 3.54 avg rating — 41 ratings — published 1995 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Since Then: Poems and Short Prose 4.94 avg rating — 18 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Writing Personal Poetry: Creating Poems from Your Life Experiences really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 1999 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Creative Writing DeMYSTiFied 3.86 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Writer's Journal 3.61 avg rating — 18 ratings — published 1996 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Writing in a New Convertible With the Top Down: A Unique Guide for Writers by Sheila Bender (Goodreads Author), Christi Killien 3.75 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 1992 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Write, Write, Write: 7 Dynamite Instructional Articles for Those Who Want to Write Prose from Personal Experience 4.36 avg rating — 11 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A New Theology: Turning To Poetry In A Time Of Grief 4.70 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2009 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Sheila Bender…

Sheila is Currently Reading

Sheila Bender is currently reading

How to Starve Cancer ...without starving yourself: The Discovery of a Metabolic Cocktail That Could Transform the Lives of Millions

by Jane McLelland

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Feb 04, 2026 12:35PM

Sheila Bender is currently reading

Grief Like Yours: A Story Collection of Life After Loss

by Adam Berg

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Jan 10, 2026 04:01PM

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In Her Eyes

by Sarah Alderson (Goodreads Author)

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Jul 07, 2025 10:53PM

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Sheila’s Recent Updates

Sheila Bender is currently reading How to Starve Cancer ...without starving yourself: The Discovery of a Metabolic Cocktail That Could Transform the Lives of Millions by Jane McLelland	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 04, 2026 12:35PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of How to Starve Cancer ...without starving yourself by Jane McLelland. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — How to Starve Cancer ...without starving yourself by Jane McLelland <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sheila Bender is currently reading Grief Like Yours: A Story Collection of Life After Loss by Adam Berg	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 10, 2026 04:01PM · like
Sheila Bender is currently reading In Her Eyes by Sarah Alderson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 07, 2025 10:53PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of In Her Eyes by Sarah Alderson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — In Her Eyes by Sarah Alderson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sheila Bender is currently reading The Road to Tender Hearts: A Novel by Annie Hartnett (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 24, 2025 04:45AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sheila Bender rated a book it was amazing Yutka And the Voyage of the Parita by Marcia Breece (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Yutka's story as a young Jewish woman in Poland when Hitler rose to power is a story of leaving her mother, father, siblings, nieces, and nephews for the land of Israel before it was an independent state. It is heartening, heartbreaking and harrowing ...more
Sep 06, 2024 11:15AM · like · see review
Sheila Bender has read Finding This Place: One Woman's Journey Beyond Restriction by Marcia Breece (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 02, 2024 07:49PM · like
Sheila Bender rated a book it was amazing Wine and Cereal: An Irreverent Look at Sixtyish and Single by Susan Luzader	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This book makes me smile. Aging and suddenly divorced, Susan Luzador is a wizard at using the daily to make others laugh as she laughs (sometimes behind tears, I am sure) at how it feels to date after divorce at her age, attend yoga classes with wome ...more
Sep 01, 2024 09:32PM · like · see review
Sheila Bender finished reading Breasts: The Owner's Manual: Every Woman's Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk, Making Treatment Choices, and Optimizing Outcomes by Kristi Funk	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 10, 2024 01:57AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Breasts by Kristi Funk. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Breasts by Kristi Funk <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sheila Bender is currently reading Breasts: The Owner's Manual: Every Woman's Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk, Making Treatment Choices, and Optimizing Outcomes by Kristi Funk	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 04, 2024 05:46PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Breasts by Kristi Funk. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Breasts by Kristi Funk <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Sheila Bender is currently reading The Linchpin Writer: Crafting Your Novel's Key Moments by John Matthew Fox (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 09, 2024 04:25PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Linchpin Writer by John Matthew Fox. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Linchpin Writer by John Matthew Fox <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Sheila's books…

Sheila’s Quotes

“You will lose someone you can’t live without,and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.”
― Anne Lamott

tags: grief, loss, recovery

4009 likes

Sheila’s Friend Comments

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message 1: by Gusto

Sep 26, 2012 08:42AM

Sheila,

Thanks for approving us as friends.

I’m Gusto Dave Jackson, publicist for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and I wouldn’t be worth my salt if I didn’t tout our blog and organization. Chiseled in Rock http://chiseledinrock.blogspot.com features side-splitting satire and some flash fiction for intellectual readers.

Today on the Rock: more humor from the series Grammar Absurdities.

RMFW has several bestselling authors. You have an open invitation to the Rock for contests, entertainment, and an insight to the world of writing! Let’s follow each others’ blogs!

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Sheila Bender’s Followers (8)

Sheila’s Bookshelves

Sheila’s Friends (257)

Sheila Bender

Goodreads Author

Combine EditionsSheila Bender’s books

Sheila is Currently Reading

rssSheila’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — How to Starve Cancer ...without starving yourself by Jane McLelland

See a Problem?

Preview — In Her Eyes by Sarah Alderson

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Preview — The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett

See a Problem?

Preview — Breasts by Kristi Funk

See a Problem?

Preview — Breasts by Kristi Funk

See a Problem?

Preview — The Linchpin Writer by John Matthew Fox

Sheila’s Quotes

Sheila’s Friend Comments

Combine Editions
Sheila Bender’s books

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