Writing as a Way of Life: A Book About Art, Craft, and Devotion

by Brian Morton

In Writing as a Way of A Book About Art, Craft, and Devotion, novelist and memoirist Brian Morton (Starting Out in the Evening) provides writers with a guidebook for finding the psychic equipment they'll need to remain committed to their craft over the long haul. Drawing on a rich and varied career as a writer and teacher, Morton gives writers at every level of experience a masterclass in how to deepen their tenacity and resilience.


Weaving together stories from the lives of literary masters like Virginia Woolf, Henry James, and Anton Chekhov and lessons gleaned from a surprising array of artists and thinkers including Joni Mitchell, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Miss Manners, Morton reveals writing to be a calling akin to meditation or prayer. Filled with practical, actionable tips for developing and sustaining a habit of writing that will last a lifetime, Morton has written a generous, funny, humane, and friendly guide for anyone who writes and anyone who wants to write.

204 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2025

About the author

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BRIAN MORTON is the author of four previous novels, including Starting Out in the Evening, which was a Salon favorite book of the year and was made into an acclaimed feature film, and A Window Across the River, which was a Book Club selection on the Today show. He is the director of the MFA program at Sarah Lawrence and teaches at New York University and the Bennington Writing Seminars.

Reviews

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever with admiration.

[Colleen Alles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful meditation on what it takes to keep going as a writer! Thank you for this lovely book.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trust your stuff.