Write Within Yourself: An Author's Companion

by William Kenower

Write Within Yourself is not a guide, but a companion. A guide will tell you where to go. As a writer, only you can know that. A good companion, however, can remind you that forgetting where you want to go is different from not knowing where you want to go. Author William Kenower believes that what it takes to write the book you most want to write is also what it takes to lead the life you most want to live. This collection of essays serves as a companion for those times when you need inspiration. Write Within Yourself will help you stay connected to the writer and the life within you. "Write Within Yourself" is not another how-to-write book, thank God, but something much more crucial to a why we write book. This is a book to keep nearby for whenever your writer-spirit needs feeding." - Deb Calett, author of Honey, Baby, Sweetheart "Like Brenda Ueland's classic If You Want To Write, this is a book you'll want to keep on your nightstand or desk, always available, ready to inspire you." -Erica Bauermeister, bestselling author of The School Of Essential Ingredients "These essays and stories can't help but land in the heart of the reader." Laura Munson, author of This is Not the Story You Think It Is

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

172 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2013

About the author

William Kenower is the author of Fearless Writing: How to Create Boldly and Write With Confidence, and Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion, the Editor-in-Chief of Author magazine, and a sought-after speaker and teacher. In addition to his books he’s been published in The New York Times and Edible Seattle, and has been a featured blogger for the Huffington Post. His video interviews with hundreds of writers from Nora Ephron, to Amy Tan, to William Gibson are widely considered the best of their kind on the Internet. He also hosts the online radio program Author2Author where every week he and a different guest discuss the books we write and the lives we lead.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, quiet and reassuring collection of essays by the editor-in-chief of Author magazine. I have dog-eared many pages, planning to return to Bill's wise and gentle words in the dark hours, when I most need courage to continue.

If you have the opportunity to hear Bill live, grab it. He's a fantastic, engaging and hilarious public speaker. Inspiring and pragmatic--not an easy combination to sustain.

So do not think about writing beautifully, think only about writing clearly and about what you care the most. Let the words take the shape of whatever your clarity demands, and then let it go.

Acceptance is an understanding that to create, no matter what you wan, you must begin by working with what you have, with where you are. Everyone is an artists, and our materials are all about us. To use them, you must see them, and to see them, you must accept that they exist.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A softly philosophical book about writing and living.

Each brief piece is a little gem.

My favorite moments:

"The world does not want you to fail. The world is forever supplying you with the information you need to do exactly what you want. Whether you accept this information or not is up to yo. But do not fear the information. It is always friendly. The only thing to fear is your judgment of that information."

"Simply thinking the thought, 'I don't know what I want,' ... cuts you off immediately from everything that will ever bring your pleasure. ... That you are not hearing [your] desire is a measure of the noise in your mind, not the curiosity of your soul."

"'I know what I want, but I am incapable of having it.' This is the song of the Broken You."

"Go only forward; that is the direction of life."


"Everyone is an artist, and our materials are all about us. To use them, you must see them, and to see them, you must accept that they exist."

"[Work] is the word we invented when we decided happiness should be quarantined lest it distract us from the business of not dying."

Thomas Pynchon: "Nature does not know extinction. It knows only transformation."

"How often has life itself resisted all labels but *living*?"

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I often read other reviewers comments on a book before I write my own. I’m not so much concerned about what they thought of the book, but rather how they felt; how the reading experience was for them. For this book, other reviewers quoted inspiring and reassuring phrases from Kenower’s writing and I thought, “yes, they felt as I did.” Write Within Yourself isn’t going to set any literary worlds on fire. It’s not deathless prose. There are some little essays where I rushed through the page and a quarter they filled because I was indifferent about the life lesson Kenower learned while working as a waiter at a steakhouse. But more often than not, I lingered in an essay because Kenower was saying something so true, so obviously true, so profoundly true, and saying it so simply that I had to stop and let the words settle.

[Emma Sea · Rating 2 out of 5]

did not grab me

[Jennifer Louden · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some essays in this book that are brilliantly insightful into the creative mind and the role of agency and following one's desires. But sadly, many more left me shaking my head because the idea expressed felt so weak or slight or I disagreed with his point. Not a great read for me.

[Ktbird · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ideas felt not wholly formed to me, but I appreciate the effort and the author's sharing of his soul - that is vulnerable.

[Mary E Trimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Kenower’s Write Within Yourself: An Author’s Companion is a precious little gem. As a writer, I find it inspiring, but you don’t have to be a writer to gain helpful, insightful self-knowledge.

The book is comprised of short essays, pieces aimed at the heart, mind and spirit. William Kenower shares of himself in a way that opens the door for the reader to better understand the treasure that lie within. The book isn’t intended as a guide, but a companion. It’s a book you’ll want to keep handy so that you can take a few minutes to remind yourself where you want to go, and how to sift through information you need.

Kenower shares stories of his own life in a way that I could apply to my own experiences. Many of life’s incidences become fodder we can write about, and even change the ending to suit ourselves.

The book sparkles with fresh wisdom. At first I tried to devour the book as I do with much of my reading. But then I realized I would gain more insight by rationing it out, only reading two or at the most three essays in one sitting. By doling the stories out slowly, I could more readily absorb its lessons of passion and creativity.

I love this little book. Its 179 pages are crammed with life skills, wry humor, and wisdom applicable to every day living. It is indeed a companion, a little friend for writers, but also for those seeking to know themselves a little better..

To learn more about the author and his work, visit www.WilliamKenower.com.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Bill Kenower shares his philosophy on writing, the writer's life, and life in general with a collection of funny, poignant, and inspirational essays, which touch on the subjects of fear, happiness, and love. Bill writes about his life experiences, reflects on what he sees, and shares his perceptions about subjects like writer's block, how life lessons can be applied to writing (or how writing lessons can be applied to life) and, more importantly, doing what you love.

This companion guide for writers is not a "how to write" book but a "why we write" book and would make a great addition to any library.

[Michele Cacano · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of stories from the life of a writer, where we learn that in wanting to become, we become.

We're all in search of meaning. Kenower seems to live with the eyes of awareness watching over him; always searching, analyzing, philosophizing, and writing his way into the world, cementing his place in a roiling sea of impossible anchorage.

I think I gathered a good bit from this book, and enjoyed reading it.

[Sharon Hughson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bite-sized portions of insight into what lies behind a writer's psyche. Behind not beneath. Some of these essays contained turns of phrase that begged to be made into memes. Watch for them on my own author page in the future.
Not as inspiring as hearing him speak at the writing conference, but still food for thought.

[Margot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short personal essays, or even just musings. They meander through a variety of topics. Some as brilliant as gems. Others not really my cup of tea. Although not a page-turner, per se, I think this book would be perfect for to keep by one's desk--to pick up at the beginning or in the midst of a writing session--for contemplation, inspiration, or motivation.

[D.G. Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author shares his own wisdoms of life and writing in short succinct essays. A good book for writers to keep handy to perhaps open to a page for some inspirational thoughts.