The Writer's Book of Doubt

by Aidan Doyle, Kathleen Jennings (Illustrator)

Impostor syndrome. Thinking that your writing sucks. Feeling targeted by the rejection cannon. Despairing that no one is ever going to read your stories. Lost in Submissionland. Overwhelmed by radioactive brain weasels. The Writer's Book of Doubt contains practical advice and inspiration for dealing with the problems of the writing life. Illustrated by Kathleen Jennings. With essays Aliette de Bodard, Delilah S. Dawson, Kate Dylan, Malon Edwards, Meg Elison, Kate Elliott, Lauren Herschel, S.L. Huang, Crystal Huff, Kameron Hurley, Matthew Kressel, R.F. Kuang, Fonda Lee, R. Lemberg, Likhain, Jeannette Ng, A. Merc Rustad, Mary Swangin, Bogi Takács, E. Catherine Tobler, Martha Wells and Isabel Yap.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 11, 2019

Reviews

[Bogi Takács]

I am in this, so not commenting due to the conflict of interest :)
_____
Source of the book: Contributor copy

[Falynn - the TyGrammarSaurus Rex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished reading The Writer's Book of Doubt - I've been savouring its essays ever since it came out - and so glad I supported the Kickstarter.

If you need a dose of love & support & encouragement in your writing, I highly recommend getting hold of a copy!

[Charles Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an odd sort of a book - the author, Aidan Doyle, has read through an unholy number of motivational books for writers and has pulled out the hints and ideas that he finds sensible and/or stimulating and has gathered them all into a loose framework, together with a number of short articles by writers (none of them familiar to me) addressing various aspects of the writer’s inner life - it is all a bit of a hodgepodge! However, it is all held together by the author’s voice - a skeptical, open-minded seeking for answers, willing to give anything a careful thinking through, and willing, too, to admit that while he might not find some approaches to writing fit his habits, that it is possible that others might.

[Patrick Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm keeping this book at my writing desk. Filled with practical advice, heart-felt essays about the process, and some very helpful strategies... this book is a lovely tool for anyone who writes fiction.

[Melissa Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Packed with wisdom, encouragement, and solace. I highly recommend The Writer's Book of Doubt.

[Phil · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actually less helpful than I thought possible.

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Lots of incredible, savvy advice from a variety of writers. Definitely worth a read for any aspiring author! I'm going to be re-reading excerpts from this for years to come.