The Successful Author Mindset: A Handbook for Surviving the Writer's Journey

Books for Writers #4

by Joanna Penn

Being a writer is not just about typing.

It's also about surviving the roller-coaster of the creative journey.

Self-doubt, fear of failure, the need for validation, perfectionism, writer's block, comparisonitis, overwhelm, and much more. When you're going through these things, it can feel like you're alone. But actually, they are part of the creative process, and every author goes through them too.

This book collects the mindset issues that writers experience, that I have been through myself over the last nine years, and that perhaps you will experience at different times on the creative journey.

Each small chapter tackles a possible issue and then offers an antidote, so that you can dip in and out over time. It includes excerpts from my own personal journals as well as quotes from well-known writers. I hope it helps you on the road to becoming a successful author.

The book includes:

Part 1: Mindset Aspects of Creativity and Writing


Self-doubt and imposter syndrome Need for validation Fear of failure Fear of rejection and criticism Your inner critic Fear of judgment Perfectionism Writer's block and procrastination "I'm not creative. I don't have any ideas" "My writing isn't original" "Why write? There are too many books in the world already" "I don't have the time or self-discipline to write" "I'm not finding writing much fun. It's hard work." "I keep starting things and not finishing them" Dealing with friends, family and writer's groups "How do I find my voice?" Comparisonitis or "Everyone is better than me" Part 2: Mindset Aspects after Publishing


Anti-climax and creative dissatisfaction What is your definition of success? What happens when you tell people that you're an author? "I'm overwhelmed" Dealing with fans, authenticity and drawing the line Haters gonna hate Ambition, fame and fortune Giving up Part 3: Tips for Success on the Author Journey


Know thyself Understand and hone your creative process Develop professional habits Manage professional relationships Take control of your writing career Find your community Keep learning Schedule rest and take time off Think long term. Create a body of work

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Reference, Self Help, Business, How To

164 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 29, 2016

About the author

Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling fiction and memoir author as J.F. Penn. 


She’s also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. She lives in Bath, England with her husband and two British shorthair cats, and enjoys a nice G&T.


See also Goodreads author's profile as J.F. Penn.

Reviews

[Emma Sea · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Someone please tell me that I am worth something. "

I needed this book like oxygen last year. Please, Joanna Penn, go back in time and write it in 2014. If you're starting out, read it now and save yourself blood, tears, pain, more tears, frustration, anger, and self-hate.

[Kate M. Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book thinking that I wouldn't get much out of it. After all, I have been through my tormented "aspiring writer" phase and come out the other side a proud, independently published author. Sure, I'm still plagued by insecurity and doubt, but how much help could a glorified pep talk really be – even from someone I respect as much as Joanna Penn?

Oh, how wrong I was.

The Successful Author Mindset should be required reading material for all writers, no matter the stage in their journey. Unlike so many self-help books, it doesn't shove vague platitudes or useless statistics in your face. Instead, Penn offers excerpts from her actual journey (an incredibly gutsy move) and real-life antidotes from herself or other authors to contextualize the problems the book addresses. You will never once feel alone while reading this book.

And hey, the inspiration quotations are pretty inspiring, too.

Penn covers a wide range of doubts, concerns, and inhibitors that affect authors at every stage of writing and publishing. She explains each issue, then follows it with her "antidote" or best advice or steps to move past the problem and on with your creative life.

Best of all is Penn's generosity. Within the text, she freely offers up creative ideas and her own writing, creativity, and productivity "secrets." I finished the book feeling encouraged, energized, and confident, as if I had just spent a couple hours chatting with a friend or mentor.

Do yourself a favor and read this book. Start with the chapters that address your own issues, or read it straight through in one day like I did. You will get what you need out of it. You just have to read.

[Amy Norris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this quickly, all in one sitting. I found it very helpful compared to a lot of writing focused books out there. The author was direct and honest, making point clear and succinctly.

This book does not go into the techniques or structuring of writing but rather the mindset you need to have to be successful. I highly recommend this for anyone interested on the topic.

[tappkalina · Rating 3 out of 5]

January 14, 2021

I just finished my reread and highlighted 99 things. I mean, it's a lot, but next time I only need to read these 99 things. And most of them are quotes, so any time I need motivation, I know where to go for it.


January 12, 2021

No new information for me, but it's nice they are collected in one place. Probably will reread/listen it multiple times in the future.

[M.G. Camacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.


Part 1: From The Book Cover

Being a writer is not just about typing. It’s also about surviving the roller-coaster of the creative journey.

Self-doubt, fear of failure, the need for validation, perfectionism, writer’s block, comparisonitis, overwhelm, and much more. When you’re going through these things, it can feel like you’re alone. But actually, they are part of the creative process, and every author goes through them too.

This book collects the mindset issues that writers experience, that I have been through myself over the last nine years, and that perhaps you will experience at different times on the creative journey.

Each small chapter tackles a possible issue and then offers an antidote, so that you can dip in and out over time. It includes excerpts from my own personal journals as well as quotes from well-known writers. I hope it helps you on the road to becoming a successful author.


Part 2: Recommendation

All the mindset issues throughout the creative journey has been mentioned in a lot, if not all, of the podcasts relating to creative work. As a writer in the beginning stages of my journey, I too have gone through these mindset issues and almost gave up. So, when Joanna Penn announced on her The Creative Penn podcast that she was going to write a mindset book aimed at writers, I felt excited and hoped Joanna finishes the book soon. I wasn't sure if I was going to get selected for an ARC but I emailed her anyway and Joanna was gracious enough to send me an ePub version (Thank you! I truly appreciate it!)

This book, like many of her non-fiction books, has been truly inspiring. Her wonderful voice is very evident in the way she presented the mindset issues as well as in the practical ways she offers the antidote(s). I also liked the fact that she is not afraid bare her soul by sharing excerpts from her journals and mentioning other reading materials both her own books and other writer's books that she feels are relevant to that particular mindset issue. Some people will most likely think that the issues and antidotes in this book are silly or shallow but I honestly feel that just by reading this book, it has already helped me overcome some of the issues I have and has helped me look at it in a different perspective, thereby, helping me navigate through the issue and develop my own resolution. I feel that this book should be in every creative's (not just writers) reference shelf for when you need help moving past that difficult mindset issue.

Despite the book being a quick read, it moved me so much that I wanted to cry my heart out when I reached the end of the book and read the lines: "So what can we do with our time on this earth to be remarkable, to be extraordinary? CREATE. That is all we can do. For this body will crumble and die but we are not tethered by it. Measure your life by what you create. No go write."

[Gillian Kevern · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Joanna Penn's, following her Creative Penn podcast and having read most of her author help books. A lot of the advice in this book, I felt like I'd heard before from her--and it was still five stars. It was so exactly what I needed to hear at the time I read the book that it really boosted my mood and productivity, and I'm sure that this will be a resource I return to many, many times.

ETA: How funny! Almost a year later, I reread this and found it just as useful, if not more useful.

ETA#2: Having reread this for the third time, I'm surprised all over again at how much goodstuff there is in this book.

[Gabriella Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

En este libro Penn se mete en los aspectos menos técnicos y más relacionados con los retos sicológicos del oficio de escritura, con su habitual sinceridad, estilo ameno y carácter práctico.

MUY recomendable para cualquiera que se esté enfrentando a la inseguridad, a la falta de apoyo, a la desesperación del manuscrito rechazado, a la sensación de bloqueo y/o parálisis que suelen acompañar a esto tan extraordinario (y extraño) de intentar escribir en serio.

[Bettina Melher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST-READ book. If you’re wondering whether you should get it or not, please just do yourself a favour and buy it. You won’t regret it. I bought the paperback version so it’s easier for me to go back and revisit the parts that resonated the most with me (and there’s A LOT). Thank you, Joanna Penn for this excellent book.
I also highly recommend Joanna Penn’s podcast, ‘The Creative Penn’.

[Sophie Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a writer, you should read this and save your goddamn life.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Penn writes very well, which is appropriate. She explores habits that enable a professional writing career.

Of particular value was her blockages and challenges of confidence. She confirms how debilitating it is to compare yourself as a writer to others.

Short. Pithy. Interesting. Recommended.

[Selina Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and encouraging

Lots of interesting, thought-provoking, and insightful ideas in this fairly short book. Parts I'll definitely be revisiting to pause and ponder and actually do some of the recommended exercises. Knocking a star mostly for a personal thing of this book does lean toward a worldview of defining your worth and value by your production/work, which I find to be a shaky foundation for one sense of self worth, but otherwise, I definitely recommend this for writers at any stage from starting to a multiple books published if you want a book about mindset and the mental and emotional challenges of writing and publishing.

[Laurie Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Joanna Penn's nonfiction books. This book was very inspirational. Joanna always has a positive, helpful attitude. Great sections about self-doubt, perfectionism, and beating procrastination. The book is very organized and nicely formatted. It was a pleasure to read. I highly recommend Joanna's nonfiction books for indie writers, especially new indie writers.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a long-time fan of Joanna's podcast and found this book packed full of her usual brand of wisdom and practical advice for author-entrepreneurs. The minute I finished, I wanted to go back and listen again. This is one of those books that I feel like I'll get more nuggets out of on every subsequent reading.

[Zoe Ashwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great because it focuses on the psychological aspects of writing and being an author - just what I needed at this point of my journey!

[Savanna Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

So satisfying to have that reminder that everything you feel as a creative (not just as a writer!) is validated and felt by every single other creative in the world.

[Cee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Successful Author Mindset discusses some common author pitfalls, like imposter syndrome, the dip after publication, and self-doubt. This book is part motivational speech, part commiseration. While it seems like it would be reasonably helpful to some people (as the high ratings indicate) I found the 'antidotes' rather shallow. After reading a book like Scratch: Writers, Money, and the Art of Making a Living I'm aware of just how deep author's insecurities can run, and I wonder if a two-paragraph pep talk is really enough to battle imposter syndrome or anxiety.

Your mileage may vary.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a birthday present and really enjoyed it. There are so many quotes that I feel the need to plaster on the wall with the standout one by the author herself being "We are all complex creatures and our work is merely one aspect of our character at a specific point in time." I would recommend this read if a writer needs a little reassurance or grounding! I feel as if Joanna is writing directly to authors and giving them permission to write, reminding them to push the negativity aside and "trust emergence."

[Hazel McNellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Praxisnah und das, worauf es ankommt, wird übersichtlich auf den Punkt gebracht - so stell ich mir einen hilfreichen Ratgeber vor. Und Joanna Penn erfüllt genau dies. Ich werde auf jeden Fall noch weitere ihrer Bücher ansehen. Dieses hier hat mich schon an ganz vielen Stellen direkt abgeholt und hilfreich, informativ gezeigt, was hier und da besser wäre. Top! 💯📚🤓👍🏼

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creative Writing..

This book was short, to the point, helpful and centers around the author, Joanna , and her quest of being a writer.

The story line covers tips on writing as a profession, emotions, genres, and more, making it a helpful and inspiring overall.


Caroline Holroyd did well with the narration.

Note:
"This audio book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review."

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for anyone struggling at any stage of their publishing journey.

[Scott Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bestselling Author Joanna Penn has written a book that helps writers develop the necessary mindset for becoming successful at their craft. As she discusses in this book, it isn’t the skill of writing that one has to master but dealing with the mental and emotional aspects of the writing business.

Joanna hits on all the right topics that kill a writer’s confidence, break his or her self-esteem, and can hold would-be writers back from achieving success as a published author.

Writer’s go through a lot of negative emotions and inner turmoil when it comes to writing. Dealing with self-doubt, fear, insecurity and that all-encompassing fear of rejection, writers live in fear of failing at their work. This isn’t only for new authors but veterans as well.

As Joanna points out: “Embrace self-doubt as part of the creative process. Be encouraged by the fact that virtually all other creatives, including your writing heroes, feel it too with every book they write.”

The basis of this book is that, it doesn’t teach anything about how to write or book publishing. It focuses on the author mindset, with each chapter hitting on a potential issue authors face, and then followed by solutions [anecdotes] for dealing with the problem.

The chapters are short and to the point, offering valuable strategies and suggestions to overcome the particular issue. What I like about this layout is you can open up the pages and read any of the chapters randomly. The book is purely about the emotional rollercoaster of being a writer and how to deal with those issues along the way.

The book is broken down into sections: Part 1 goes through the potential issues you may face during the
creative process of writing. Part 2 tackles what happens after you publish and as you move through the author journey into successive books. Part 3 offers some tips for successfully managing your author mindset in order to foster a long-term creative career.

So what are the best parts of the book? What will you take away by investing several hours in learning about the writer’s mindset?
Here are the core themes that most authors, new and old, can relate to that Joanna Penn writes on:
— The need for validation seeking
— Dealing with self-doubt, lack of confidence and uncertainty.
— Handling the fear of failure and rejection
— Using mindfulness to overcome fear
— Making a mindset shift
— Handling perfectionism
— The fear of judgment
— Facing your inner critic
— Tackling writer’s block and procrastination
— Writing original content from the heart
— Dealing with the critics of friends and family
— Learning to stay away from comparisonitis
— Defining your definition of success
— Working your way through overwhelmness
— Map your creative energy cycles
— Manage professional relationships
— Taking control of your writing career

I love Joanna’s advice on handling fear:
"The experience of fear is often worse than the actual event and if you are never afraid as a writer, then you are never challenging yourself. No one will die because you received a scathing review, or the only person who reads your book is your Mum, or you speak at a festival and people walk out."

She makes you feel as if she knows [and she does] what writer’s go through to get heard, to be creative, to interact with people, fans, the public, and to handle that internal committee that never shuts up.

When it comes to dealing with criticism, Joanna says:
“Build up resilience and a thicker skin over time, because, as a creative, you will face criticism and rejection throughout your whole career. You’re never going to please everyone, so be aware that if you put your work into the world, there will be comments you don't like.”

In the section on handling the inner critic, her advice is:
“Put your butt in the chair and get some words on the page. You don't have to sit down to write 'the best book ever,' as your inner critic will slaughter that idea pretty fast! But you can sit down to write the few lines that are in your head, or just a little chapter on something. Don't make the event into something scary. Don't build your part up. You're just sitting down to write. What could be so threatening about that?”

For creating original content from our own ideas, the author’s advice is: “Embrace what has already been done and read a great deal in the genres you enjoy and want to write in. Elements from those books will resonate in your writing quite naturally, but you can then take them further by bringing in your imagination and your voice.”

When you read this book you will, I am confident to say, be a more confident, happier, and positive writer that is able to face the fear and do it anyway. By building up your “Author Mindset,” this will give you the mental empowerment and courage and seize control of your writing career and put yourself out there no matter the fear or self-doubt you are experiencing.

Joanna’s book is an inspirational powerhouse of wisdom, solid advice and, backed up by years of experience in the field, you will walk away with the confidence that, “Yes, I can write a book!”

[Antonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book — the best of its kind that I’ve ever found. I’ve read a lot of books of this type and they are usually so-so: platitudes and pep-talk. But this one is really different! Penn offers a wealth of very practical strategies to allay fears and misgivings, bolster courage and determination, draw on available resources, and most important, make a commitment to living creatively now. Joanna Penn is also one of the most generous writers I’ve ever come across, sharing everything she’s learned on the road from frustration to freedom, from corporate drudgery to a new life as a successful indie author. She’s learned a lot and she just gives it away. Freely and enthusiastically.

So many reviewers have said that this should be required reading for all authors, and I completely agree — for wannabe, newbie, and seasoned writers alike. It’s a must-read for all of us. And it can be read over and over, whenever you need a lift.

I listened to the audio, narrated by Carolyn Holroyd, who was just marvelous. I’ve been listening to Joanna Penn’s podcasts for many years now and feel as though I’d know her voice anywhere. But I must say that, sometimes, I forgot that the narrator was someone else. It’s extremely well done. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

[T.H. Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of helpful advice on how to be a writer, everything from handling self-doubt and rejections to finding your tribe. Peppered with quotes from successful authors as well as the author's own journey, not everything will apply to every writer. I found myself skimming many portions of the book, but I suspect that's the author's intent -- find the pieces that you can relate to and devour them, but move on if it doesn't apply to you. I found much that did apply to me though and I highlighted a number of passages, including:

Think long term. Create a body of work.

This one really resonates. It's so easy to get wrapped up in the end of the current work in progress. To only think about the upcoming release day, but writing isn't a trip with a start and end point, it's a journey, a career. Even in all the years I worked as a project manager, with one eye on the end-date of my current project, I knew another contract needing my attention was on the horizon.


Bottom Line
Lots of good advice on surviving the writing process.

[Cameron Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I've had the ebook since it came out and recently purchased the print copy. I flip through it anytime I need a mental boost. Joanna has been clearly been there when it comes to writing. She offers advice, tips, and reminds us why we do what we do. This is a book every writer should have on their bedside table.

[Shahd Thani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading this

This was such a kind and compassionate read. It felt like having conversations with your writing mentor. It was realistic without being discouraging. The audio book was really great. I subscribed to the podcast

[Katrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich habe mich beim Lesen sehr verstanden gefühlt. Auch wenn keine komplett neuen Erkenntnisse für mich dabei heraussprangen, war die Lektüre dennoch lohnenswert. Eine gesunde Einstellung kann man sich nicht oft genug vergegenwärtigen.

[Roderick Vonhogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is a great read not just for aspiring authors of fiction or non-fiction, but for any creator who deals with the issues she describes that are so frequently witholding creative people from getting their work out there: self-doubt, imposter syndrome, perfectionism, lack of planning, lack of consistency. With humor and stories from her own career as a writer, the author helps the reader to get a realistic idea of what writing comes down to and how to get going. Can't wait to read her other books.

[Nele Nikolaisen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Joanna Penns books on pretty much everything related to 'How to author'. It's a good, quick read with a lot of inspiring quotes and helpful real-life-tips. Would recommend!

[Kory Shrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for sorting out your prospective. Half the work of being a writer (perhaps more than half) is getting things sorted in your head first. This helps.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even when it's stuff you know, it's good to be reminded. And listening to Joanna Penn's words is like sitting down with a wise friend.