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Everyone Has What It Takes: A Writer's Guide to the End of Self-Doubt
An insightful guide for any writer who's ever wondered if they're talented, creative, lovable, or worthy enough. Spoiler You are.
As hard as the craft of writing is, the greatest challenges writers face are often within ourselves. Comparison, self-doubt, isolation, and other internal struggles can derail a writer's progress, at any stage in the writing life. Author, essayist, and speaker William Kenower knows these struggles first-hand, and hears them from writers everywhere he teaches and appears. In this candid and encouraging book, he dismantles the myth that some writers have talent and others don't, and shares relatable stories, wisdom, and best practices for reengaging with our passion, following our curiosity, and staying connected to what matters most.
If you've ever wondered whether you're "really" a writer, or should retreat to a safer, more conventional path, this enlightening and accepting book will spark renewed purpose and joy on your writing journey.
As hard as the craft of writing is, the greatest challenges writers face are often within ourselves. Comparison, self-doubt, isolation, and other internal struggles can derail a writer's progress, at any stage in the writing life. Author, essayist, and speaker William Kenower knows these struggles first-hand, and hears them from writers everywhere he teaches and appears. In this candid and encouraging book, he dismantles the myth that some writers have talent and others don't, and shares relatable stories, wisdom, and best practices for reengaging with our passion, following our curiosity, and staying connected to what matters most.
If you've ever wondered whether you're "really" a writer, or should retreat to a safer, more conventional path, this enlightening and accepting book will spark renewed purpose and joy on your writing journey.
240 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2021
20 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 11, 2022
This is a writer's mindset book and the first few chapters felt very encouraging. But perhaps because it's only a mindset book, it started to feel a little bit repetitive halfway through.
I read this in one shot, but that may not be the best idea - perhaps reading a chapter here and there and spreading out the book would make it more useful.
I read this in one shot, but that may not be the best idea - perhaps reading a chapter here and there and spreading out the book would make it more useful.
March 3, 2022
Kinda torn on how to rate this or how I feel about it. Parts were AMAZING. Parts made me want to recommend this to every writer or maybe just everyone. There are serious 24k gems in here. And parts...made no sense. Sometimes his story and show-don't-tell approach made it difficult for me to figure out what on earth he was trying to say. Parts I don't know that I agreed with. My worldview doesn't quite align with his, nor does my personality, and there were parts to me that fell flat or felt silly or trite or too simplistic. There were parts I'm not sure if I disagreed or disagreed with the framing/presentation--like when he talks about "we're meant to be happy" and it sounds like some Disney nonsense, but then he talks about embracing the present, and I think what he's really talking about isn't "happiness" but contentment. And there's a lot that made me feel like "almost"--he almost made a point or I almost understood or almost had a breakthrough, but it felt like something was missing, not quite clear, or didn't have a solid foundation, if that makes sense (which again is probably in part a religious difference). But again, on the other hand, parts of this were very thought-provoking, inspiring, encouraging, or like an important shift in thinking/focus. I'd say overall, I'd recommend this book and am curious about some of his other books, but I'm definitely glad I borrowed it from the library and didn't pay for it. *shrug*
December 29, 2023
I enjoyed this writer's guide tremendously. As I've often struggled with self-doubt and low points in my writing career, Kenower's advice is very helpful and uplifting. Suggestions for how to stay motivated and deal with the inner critics as well as the ups and downs of writing for publication are good ones. In particular, he discusses how his struggles as the father of a son who has learning disabilities is similar in some ways to being a struggling writer, not accepting that part of the process requires accepting oneself, and we all have abilities to be creative. Well-written and positive.
June 12, 2025
Pacific Northwest author and writing teacher, William Kenower tells readers of his book, 'Everyone Has What It Takes', that he discovered his love for writing at age nine. After some early successes in high school and college, he set to the business of writing novels. He supported his wife and their children for years, largely by waiting on tables, while living the life of ‘the struggling artist’. Completing four novels that ‘did not sell’ led to self-doubt. Kenower tells readers that the diagnosis of ‘autism spectrum’ for one of his sons was the start of a journey of empathy through which he learned that he was neither better nor worse than his fellow writers. Each author was unique and had value, like each of his children. Compassion then led him to ask, What if everyone has what it takes? Bill Kenower’s book describes his attempt to find creativity (his muse) and overcome his self-doubt by the practice of love and acceptance. Kenower emphasizes using writing to pursue topics of curiosity, independent of the recognition of others.
On another level, Everyone Has What It Takes is a series of essays that deal with specific aspects of writing craft and the life of an ‘author’. Kenower learned that akin to the joys of writing were additional joys of talking with and teaching other authors, interviewing authors, editing a magazine for authors ('Author'), and hosting a podcast, 'Author2Author'. Writer’s conferences were additional ways of meeting, networking with, and learning from other writers. Public speaking, teaching at writer’s conferences, and reviewing and editing other writers’ work, helped Bill hone his craft. These efforts taught him about the process and the mechanics of writing while providing additional inspiration and joy of discovery.
Here are some of my takeaways from 'Everyone Has What It Takes':
• A New Story
“I had been living my whole life for other people’s recognition and approval…”
• We each have a unique story to tell
Bill’s son was found to be ‘on the spectrum’. As Kenower developed empathy for his son and himself, he gained empathy for fellow authors: “What if everyone has what it takes?”
As he began to find joy and inspiration in interviewing, talking with, and teaching other writers, he came to realize that he was no better nor worse than other writers and people – we are all unique and we all have value.
• Choose what fits you
“Like it or not, we are all as unique as we are equal… the stories you should tell will fit only you…”
• Replace judgment with learning
“… knowing that you have what it takes because everyone has what it takes isn’t an understanding; it’s a practice. Like anything, the more you practice it, the easier it gets, but practice you must… Equality is what you see when you look at life through the lens of love and acceptance, but that lens must be chosen… even when it appears dangerous and naïve…”
• Dealing with Failure – telling one’s story without self-doubt
The author’s father graduated from Harvard Divinity School but did not become a pastor. He had multiple failed marriages and multiple failed attempts at a career. After one failure, Bill’s father broke down in front of him: “If it’s okay, I’m going to cry now… Something collapsed in him… I was embarrassed for him and I was embarrassed for me. I hadn’t wanted to see that… I feared that the potential for that collapse existed in everyone all the time. I wanted to believe it was possible to cross some threshold where the fear and vulnerability of childhood was left behind once and for all. Seeing my father weeping reminded me that believing in such a threshold was like believing in Superman.” As previously applied to his son, practicing empathy for his father taught Kenower to suspend judgment, practice forgiveness, and recognize universal humanity.
“Just as I could not raise my son Jack if I saw him as uniquely special, … inherently less capable, so too I cannot see people suffering in their unhappiness, … as somehow different than you or I. You can have compassion for suffering people without taking pity on them… To have compassion is to see them like yourself; to have pity… is to see them as different.”
“… love doesn’t recognize what we call failure. Love is forever growing and forever supportive, forever expanding and forever giving… It is waiting, as always with the next thing, the next idea, instantly and forever forgiving you for believing you were anything less than anybody else.”
• Why publish? It’s complicated, but finding self-worth is not likely to bear fruit…
How about sharing the joy of discovery?
• Why self-publish?
Many people choose to self-publish to avoid gatekeepers: agents, editors, publishers, and marketing teams, … “Combined, these people will say No to a lot of books…”
• The pursuit of Fame through one’s writing
“One of the dreams of fame is the belief in the overwhelming validation it will provide. All the attention and approval… will remind the artist of their value, assure them that they are good enough and have what it takes…finally free from the threat of obscurity… hoping to achieve a kind of immortality… it’s a kind of backward understanding of the artist-audience relationship…”
“…. This sharing of something eternal, whether it is love or courage or compassion or kindness is the immortality the artist seeks.”
• Comparing oneself to others
“My desire to compare myself was too strong, and my shame that I had not had any success was too constant. So, I largely kept myself in a writing bubble… Fifteen years is a long time to stay in a bubble.”
“I loved talking about 'Fearless Writing' (another book by Bill Kenower), about the challenge of forgetting to care about what people think about our stuff, and about the freedom it allows, about how doing so drops everyone into the creative flow they are always seeking.”
“… they were all original, … no one had ever loved what they loved or lost what they lost …, and if they didn’t tell their story, no one would…”
• Writing as kindness
“I was raised perfectly agnostic… This meant no one in my house was criticizing religion and no one was telling me I had to be religious… Not being a joiner by nature, I remained nonaffiliated in my beliefs, but I would find myself thinking about Jesus… and about the nature of his teaching… He’s talking about being kind to everybody no matter what they thought…”
“Prepare for your writing life by taking classes and by going to conferences and reading books and writing, writing, writing. But know that your life… is preparing you in ways you can’t possibly perceive. Your life is the classroom that is never dismissed, and whose curriculum was prepared specifically for you.”
• My purpose in writing cannot depend upon other’s approval
“A hero needs an enemy to fight or a mountain to climb, some obstacle to overcome to give his journey purpose. Believing you will discover through publication or praise or fabulous sales that you do not have what it takes can create the illusion of meaning to your work… Where’s the real motivation if I have nothing to prove? … When I felt this way, I’d ask myself what the point of it all was, I never got an answer.”
“The difference between my life and a story is I don’t need drama and problems for it to have meaning… love has shaped my life,… So write the story you love. If you love it, you have what it takes to write it. Period…”
Everyone Has What It Takes is a series of essays. The unifying themes are: Look inward with love and acceptance to find the source of your creativity and Practice empathy for others as the antidote for crippling self-doubt and self-judgment. Stories of the author’s life, including his relationships with his son, father, and uncle are used to develop these themes while giving useful bits of advice on the craft of writing, and the identity of a ‘writer’. Bill Kenower took a risk in acknowledging how important the pursuit of other’s approval and recognition were in his becoming a writer. 'Everyone Has What It Takes' provides further validation of Brené Brown’s thesis that there is no courage without vulnerability. Most of us aspiring authors can recognize some of ourselves in 'Everyone Has What It Takes'. We have devoted too much time and attention to trying to earn the acceptance and recognition of other people when the real issues were accepting and recognizing ourselves. Kenower’s book resonates for me with the notions of 'imperfect heroes' and 'redeeming features'. I found it helpful.
On another level, Everyone Has What It Takes is a series of essays that deal with specific aspects of writing craft and the life of an ‘author’. Kenower learned that akin to the joys of writing were additional joys of talking with and teaching other authors, interviewing authors, editing a magazine for authors ('Author'), and hosting a podcast, 'Author2Author'. Writer’s conferences were additional ways of meeting, networking with, and learning from other writers. Public speaking, teaching at writer’s conferences, and reviewing and editing other writers’ work, helped Bill hone his craft. These efforts taught him about the process and the mechanics of writing while providing additional inspiration and joy of discovery.
Here are some of my takeaways from 'Everyone Has What It Takes':
• A New Story
“I had been living my whole life for other people’s recognition and approval…”
• We each have a unique story to tell
Bill’s son was found to be ‘on the spectrum’. As Kenower developed empathy for his son and himself, he gained empathy for fellow authors: “What if everyone has what it takes?”
As he began to find joy and inspiration in interviewing, talking with, and teaching other writers, he came to realize that he was no better nor worse than other writers and people – we are all unique and we all have value.
• Choose what fits you
“Like it or not, we are all as unique as we are equal… the stories you should tell will fit only you…”
• Replace judgment with learning
“… knowing that you have what it takes because everyone has what it takes isn’t an understanding; it’s a practice. Like anything, the more you practice it, the easier it gets, but practice you must… Equality is what you see when you look at life through the lens of love and acceptance, but that lens must be chosen… even when it appears dangerous and naïve…”
• Dealing with Failure – telling one’s story without self-doubt
The author’s father graduated from Harvard Divinity School but did not become a pastor. He had multiple failed marriages and multiple failed attempts at a career. After one failure, Bill’s father broke down in front of him: “If it’s okay, I’m going to cry now… Something collapsed in him… I was embarrassed for him and I was embarrassed for me. I hadn’t wanted to see that… I feared that the potential for that collapse existed in everyone all the time. I wanted to believe it was possible to cross some threshold where the fear and vulnerability of childhood was left behind once and for all. Seeing my father weeping reminded me that believing in such a threshold was like believing in Superman.” As previously applied to his son, practicing empathy for his father taught Kenower to suspend judgment, practice forgiveness, and recognize universal humanity.
“Just as I could not raise my son Jack if I saw him as uniquely special, … inherently less capable, so too I cannot see people suffering in their unhappiness, … as somehow different than you or I. You can have compassion for suffering people without taking pity on them… To have compassion is to see them like yourself; to have pity… is to see them as different.”
“… love doesn’t recognize what we call failure. Love is forever growing and forever supportive, forever expanding and forever giving… It is waiting, as always with the next thing, the next idea, instantly and forever forgiving you for believing you were anything less than anybody else.”
• Why publish? It’s complicated, but finding self-worth is not likely to bear fruit…
How about sharing the joy of discovery?
• Why self-publish?
Many people choose to self-publish to avoid gatekeepers: agents, editors, publishers, and marketing teams, … “Combined, these people will say No to a lot of books…”
• The pursuit of Fame through one’s writing
“One of the dreams of fame is the belief in the overwhelming validation it will provide. All the attention and approval… will remind the artist of their value, assure them that they are good enough and have what it takes…finally free from the threat of obscurity… hoping to achieve a kind of immortality… it’s a kind of backward understanding of the artist-audience relationship…”
“…. This sharing of something eternal, whether it is love or courage or compassion or kindness is the immortality the artist seeks.”
• Comparing oneself to others
“My desire to compare myself was too strong, and my shame that I had not had any success was too constant. So, I largely kept myself in a writing bubble… Fifteen years is a long time to stay in a bubble.”
“I loved talking about 'Fearless Writing' (another book by Bill Kenower), about the challenge of forgetting to care about what people think about our stuff, and about the freedom it allows, about how doing so drops everyone into the creative flow they are always seeking.”
“… they were all original, … no one had ever loved what they loved or lost what they lost …, and if they didn’t tell their story, no one would…”
• Writing as kindness
“I was raised perfectly agnostic… This meant no one in my house was criticizing religion and no one was telling me I had to be religious… Not being a joiner by nature, I remained nonaffiliated in my beliefs, but I would find myself thinking about Jesus… and about the nature of his teaching… He’s talking about being kind to everybody no matter what they thought…”
“Prepare for your writing life by taking classes and by going to conferences and reading books and writing, writing, writing. But know that your life… is preparing you in ways you can’t possibly perceive. Your life is the classroom that is never dismissed, and whose curriculum was prepared specifically for you.”
• My purpose in writing cannot depend upon other’s approval
“A hero needs an enemy to fight or a mountain to climb, some obstacle to overcome to give his journey purpose. Believing you will discover through publication or praise or fabulous sales that you do not have what it takes can create the illusion of meaning to your work… Where’s the real motivation if I have nothing to prove? … When I felt this way, I’d ask myself what the point of it all was, I never got an answer.”
“The difference between my life and a story is I don’t need drama and problems for it to have meaning… love has shaped my life,… So write the story you love. If you love it, you have what it takes to write it. Period…”
Everyone Has What It Takes is a series of essays. The unifying themes are: Look inward with love and acceptance to find the source of your creativity and Practice empathy for others as the antidote for crippling self-doubt and self-judgment. Stories of the author’s life, including his relationships with his son, father, and uncle are used to develop these themes while giving useful bits of advice on the craft of writing, and the identity of a ‘writer’. Bill Kenower took a risk in acknowledging how important the pursuit of other’s approval and recognition were in his becoming a writer. 'Everyone Has What It Takes' provides further validation of Brené Brown’s thesis that there is no courage without vulnerability. Most of us aspiring authors can recognize some of ourselves in 'Everyone Has What It Takes'. We have devoted too much time and attention to trying to earn the acceptance and recognition of other people when the real issues were accepting and recognizing ourselves. Kenower’s book resonates for me with the notions of 'imperfect heroes' and 'redeeming features'. I found it helpful.
January 14, 2022
Some great stuff, some boring stuff
This book was so hopeful and thoughtful, like being wrapped in a great big hug. But if you're looking for concrete, actionable steps to achieve your writing goals, this isn't it. It's a series of personal anecdotes - anecdotes within anecdotes - about how the author has found personal happiness. The purpose of each anecdote is not always clear. But the underlying ethos is that all of our resistance is unlocked when we turn to what we love. It's a hopeful message, but I don't know if it can be readily extrapolated beyond the author himself. He happens to love all the things that make you successful, like cozying up to agents and public speaking, which is very fortunate for him but probably not universal. I don't think that everyone could follow his path. On the other hand, maybe there are multiple paths to success, all of which can be followed by doing what you love. I think that might be what he was going for.
I have tried to apply this advice to my writing practice and I have had some success just focusing on what interests me in a story. I was pretty stuck at a certain point in the novel, and now I am making progress again just by pursuing the avenues that intrigue me. I can't say for sure if it's this book shifting my paradigm or that I chose to read the book after starting a daily gratitude practice after every writing session. I'm just in that frame of mind right now. This book is a great companion if you're trying to think more positively about your work.
I made constant highlights in this book because there were so many great quotes, but I was bored just as often as I was inspired. It's a mixed bag I guess. Overall I think it was worth the read, and the flaws wouldn't stop me from reading more of this author.
This book was so hopeful and thoughtful, like being wrapped in a great big hug. But if you're looking for concrete, actionable steps to achieve your writing goals, this isn't it. It's a series of personal anecdotes - anecdotes within anecdotes - about how the author has found personal happiness. The purpose of each anecdote is not always clear. But the underlying ethos is that all of our resistance is unlocked when we turn to what we love. It's a hopeful message, but I don't know if it can be readily extrapolated beyond the author himself. He happens to love all the things that make you successful, like cozying up to agents and public speaking, which is very fortunate for him but probably not universal. I don't think that everyone could follow his path. On the other hand, maybe there are multiple paths to success, all of which can be followed by doing what you love. I think that might be what he was going for.
I have tried to apply this advice to my writing practice and I have had some success just focusing on what interests me in a story. I was pretty stuck at a certain point in the novel, and now I am making progress again just by pursuing the avenues that intrigue me. I can't say for sure if it's this book shifting my paradigm or that I chose to read the book after starting a daily gratitude practice after every writing session. I'm just in that frame of mind right now. This book is a great companion if you're trying to think more positively about your work.
I made constant highlights in this book because there were so many great quotes, but I was bored just as often as I was inspired. It's a mixed bag I guess. Overall I think it was worth the read, and the flaws wouldn't stop me from reading more of this author.
June 16, 2021
As a huge fan of Kenower's first book, Fearless Writing, and an avid reader of his essays on Author Magazine, I wondered if this book would have anything new to say. Well boy does it! In fact there were so many great nuggets my highlighter ran out of ink!
The most prominent of his concepts is the (unfortunately somewhat radical) idea that we are all equal; that creativity, natural talent, and so-called 'genius' are not reserved for the fortunate few, but are resources available to us all. But to tap into those resources we need to turn inward, listen to our own voice and open ourselves up to following the interests and curiosities that light us up. Wow? That thought feels awfully good doesn't it? Just wait.... there are lots more good feeling thoughts where that one came from!
Kenower is a great storyteller. As I read I found myself shouting Yes!, laughing out loud, nodding my head in agreement because I saw so much of myself in his descriptions. And, (taking his lesson of equality to heart) I will not say this is a great book-as the author reminds us everyone has their own response to a story, so they cannot be blatantly deemed good or bad- I will say: I Liked This Book, and own it! And in my opinion the reason this book sings is because Kenower infused so much love, so much kindness and heart in every word he wrote.
The most prominent of his concepts is the (unfortunately somewhat radical) idea that we are all equal; that creativity, natural talent, and so-called 'genius' are not reserved for the fortunate few, but are resources available to us all. But to tap into those resources we need to turn inward, listen to our own voice and open ourselves up to following the interests and curiosities that light us up. Wow? That thought feels awfully good doesn't it? Just wait.... there are lots more good feeling thoughts where that one came from!
Kenower is a great storyteller. As I read I found myself shouting Yes!, laughing out loud, nodding my head in agreement because I saw so much of myself in his descriptions. And, (taking his lesson of equality to heart) I will not say this is a great book-as the author reminds us everyone has their own response to a story, so they cannot be blatantly deemed good or bad- I will say: I Liked This Book, and own it! And in my opinion the reason this book sings is because Kenower infused so much love, so much kindness and heart in every word he wrote.
August 12, 2021
William Kenower’s Everyone Has What It Takes shows that the life of a writer is not a walk in the park. Internal and external pressures shape the road to success into a meandering course. Be that as it may, the writer continues the journey to fulfill one purpose- to write stories with love.
Kenower shared a lot of his experiences and thoughts about writing, getting published, fame, and money that are beneficial to new and veteran writers. Even though the personal stories are lengthy, profound insights can be gleaned from them. I like the message of this book. With love, everyone has what it takes to write.
I love writing but I don’t see myself as someone who could write well, write a book and have it published. After reading the book, it encourages me to continue stringing words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into a composition despite the level of my ability. Who knows? I might become a published author eventually.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House, Writer's Digest Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Kenower shared a lot of his experiences and thoughts about writing, getting published, fame, and money that are beneficial to new and veteran writers. Even though the personal stories are lengthy, profound insights can be gleaned from them. I like the message of this book. With love, everyone has what it takes to write.
I love writing but I don’t see myself as someone who could write well, write a book and have it published. After reading the book, it encourages me to continue stringing words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into a composition despite the level of my ability. Who knows? I might become a published author eventually.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House, Writer's Digest Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2021
This book, gave me insight to getting over my own issues and write. It is more than a book on writing. it can be applied to multiple areas of life. The Author Kenower, is multitalented, with an online magazine, and great podcast.(Author2Author) I found myself relating to many of the stories that Kenower described as his hurdles that he himself placed before him. The ultimate takeaway from this book is that He points out all the ways that life gives us what we want if we go for it. The stories that Kenower share, of the very personal nature, make the connection between writer and reader quite close. There are ways that the stories lined up with my own life and made clear distinctions between what I was doing to hinder myself, and what was actually there all along. I highly recommend this book to anyone starting out with writing, or if there are some things just not going "right" in your life.
June 23, 2021
I found this book captivating. William truly examines the life of a writer, the commitment involved, the doubts that we often embrace that can hinder our progress. It was heartfelt. It was honest. I pulled great insights from it. What I loved was his own willingness to share details of his own life’s journey with writing and how it has evolved over time. His stories about his son were so engaging. I learned so much about autism while reading this book about writing. Thank you, William. I took a class at a PNWA conference with him and wanted to support him, but truly enjoyed this book. I want to read Fearless Writer too.
July 8, 2021
I’ve read lots of good books on writing and self-help and spirituality. I’ve got bookshelves full of them. But “Fearless Writing” and “Everyone Has What It Takes” are in a rarified stratosphere of their own. The conviction with which Bill Kenower tells his readers that NOBODY IS BROKEN will heal your heart and cure all that self-doubt that’s kept you from finishing those novels you started or that’s kept you from believing you absolutely, unshakeably have everything you need to do what you truly want to do. Not just writing, WHATEVER it is. You’ll be transformed. EVERYONE has what it takes.
May 14, 2023
Good pep talk, agree with the author on a lot of values (I especially like the part where he recognizes that he doesn’t just want to be published by ‘any’ publisher, but one that wants to publish his work and vice versa- I like the idea of synergy instead of grinding against the grain).
Still probably a better book for writers though.
Still probably a better book for writers though.
July 8, 2024
Reminded me of Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird -- lots of emphasis on love and the universe -- but far less practical than her book. I didn't realize it's essentially inspirational personal essays. Everyone has what it takes because ... everyone is equal? Love is the answer to everything, as is suspending all judgment? I don't know, I didn't get his message at all.
July 6, 2021
Words of inspiration for anyone participating in the arts (writing, acting, painting, etc) who has ever doubted their work or self-worth. One of the best pep talks you will ever read. Fans of Elizabeth Gilbert's BIG MAGIC will be fans of EVERYONE HAS WHAT ITS TAKES.
April 18, 2025
En un principio no entendía qué estaba leyendo, despues me di cuenta que era un escritor contando su experiencia en el rubro de publicar un libro.
Es llevadero, pero a veces se siente pesado. No es malo.
Nos cuenta sus experiencias y su vida, como lo va llevando y como llega al éxito.
Es llevadero, pero a veces se siente pesado. No es malo.
Nos cuenta sus experiencias y su vida, como lo va llevando y como llega al éxito.
arcs
March 26, 2021Thanks to NetGalley and Writer's Digest Books (Penguin) for providing an ARC!
January 29, 2022
A good pep talk.
February 22, 2024
I really enjoyed his style and the stories he shared throughout the book, and for his view on traditional publishing.
June 20, 2025
A good reminder to believe in yourself!
March 22, 2022
- thanks to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for my #gifted copy
Funnily enough, even though I've been a reader my whole life, I've never had any sort of interest in writing. Ironically, I'm currently working towards getting my Creative Writing major at Uni, but choosing my specialisation has more to do with the fact that I love learning about writing, despite not wanting to write myself. I'm not sure if that makes any sense to anyone but me, but I'm always drawn to books and authors that delve into the art of writing, like in the case of Everyone Has What It Takes.
Because I don't write -and I don't intend to- I'm not sure about the validity of my assessment of this book: at the end of the day, I can't say if Kenower's advice is actually helpful for writers or not. However, I did observe that, throughout the book, the author does not provide any detailed practical advice on writing per se, or more specifically, the 'how-to'. Because there is a considerable focus on the author's experience as a writer, I got a strong sense of reading a memoir instead of a practical guide.
Regardless of the uselessness of this book, I had a pleasant experience with Kenower's writing. I enjoyed reading about his experience as an unpublished and published author and his failures and victories along the never-ending and challenging journey most authors -especially Australian ones where the market is comparatively small- go through. I admire the author's humbleness in exposing and emphasising all the times he didn't make it, and how he eventually overcame the obstacles he encountered in his career.
Although this was definitely an easy, quick and enjoyable read, I lost a little bit of enthusiasm halfway through as the narrative became quite repetitive. I understand that a how-to-overcome-failures theme needs repetitive stories as evidence, but I could have done with less merry-go-round.
Overall, Everyone Has What It Takes is an uplifting guide to overcome the doubts that limit our potential, especially to those artists trying to overcome the challenges of creating their own art.
Funnily enough, even though I've been a reader my whole life, I've never had any sort of interest in writing. Ironically, I'm currently working towards getting my Creative Writing major at Uni, but choosing my specialisation has more to do with the fact that I love learning about writing, despite not wanting to write myself. I'm not sure if that makes any sense to anyone but me, but I'm always drawn to books and authors that delve into the art of writing, like in the case of Everyone Has What It Takes.
Because I don't write -and I don't intend to- I'm not sure about the validity of my assessment of this book: at the end of the day, I can't say if Kenower's advice is actually helpful for writers or not. However, I did observe that, throughout the book, the author does not provide any detailed practical advice on writing per se, or more specifically, the 'how-to'. Because there is a considerable focus on the author's experience as a writer, I got a strong sense of reading a memoir instead of a practical guide.
Regardless of the uselessness of this book, I had a pleasant experience with Kenower's writing. I enjoyed reading about his experience as an unpublished and published author and his failures and victories along the never-ending and challenging journey most authors -especially Australian ones where the market is comparatively small- go through. I admire the author's humbleness in exposing and emphasising all the times he didn't make it, and how he eventually overcame the obstacles he encountered in his career.
Although this was definitely an easy, quick and enjoyable read, I lost a little bit of enthusiasm halfway through as the narrative became quite repetitive. I understand that a how-to-overcome-failures theme needs repetitive stories as evidence, but I could have done with less merry-go-round.
Overall, Everyone Has What It Takes is an uplifting guide to overcome the doubts that limit our potential, especially to those artists trying to overcome the challenges of creating their own art.
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