Writers on Writing: Inside the lives of 55 distinguished writers and editors

by Chip Scanlan, Ray Hoy, Becky Blanton (Illustrator)

Are you hungry to be an exceptional writer? Learn from top professionals what it takes to achieve greatness.Do you dream of your work earning renowned accolades? Are you trying to get ahead in the newsroom? Eager to level up your creative nonfiction game? Author and award-winning journalist Chip Scanlan has over five decades of experience as an accomplished craftsman. Now he’s here to share invaluable advice for achieving the career of your dreams.

Writers on Inside the lives of 55 distinguished writers and editors is an empowering collection that reveals what lies behind the visionary brains of the very best wordsmiths. Through inspiring interviews, you’ll understand the practical processes needed to conquer the demanding profession of journalism and creative nonfiction. And by applying these key tips to your own work, you’ll soon gain the skills and knowledge to stand head and shoulders above the crowd.

In Writers on Writing, you’ll insights to improve your craft, so you can become a superstar creatorHow to refine your critical thinking to help you be in demand in your fieldThe daily habits that can take you from good to outstandingWays to employ power words and show your remarkable prowess in the workplaceMethods for overcoming writer’s block, finding inspiration, and much, much more!Writers on Writing is an essential examination of what it takes to shape language at the highest degree of exceptionalism. If you like frank and humorous examples, explorations of cutting-edge creativity, and street-smart wisdom, then you’ll love Chip Scanlan’s must-have resource.

Buy Writers on Writing to wield words with finesse today!Are you hungry to be an exceptional writer? Learn from top professionals what it takes to achieve greatness.Do you dream of your work earning renowned accolades? Are you trying to get ahead in the newsroom? Eager to level up your creative nonfiction game? Author and award-winning journalist Chip Scanlan has over five decades of experience as an accomplished craftsman. Now he’s here to share invaluable advice for achieving the career of your dreams.

Writers on Inside the lives of 55 distinguished writers and editors is an empowering collection that reveals what lies behind the visionary brains of the very best wordsmiths. Through inspiring interviews, you’ll understand the practical processes needed to conquer the demanding profession of journalism and creative nonfiction. And by applying these key tips to your own work, you’ll soon gain the skills and knowledge to stand head and shoulders above the crowd.

In Writers on Writing, you’ll insights to improve your craft, so you can become a superstar creatorHow to refine your critical thinking to help you be in demand in your fieldThe daily habits that can take you from good to outstandingWays to employ power words and show your remarkable prowess in the workplaceMethods for overcoming writer’s block, finding inspiration, and much, much more!Writers on Writing is an essential examination of what it takes to shape language at the highest degree of exceptionalism.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

204 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 10, 2021

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writers on Writing by Chip Scanlan was a 4 ⭐️. I picked this up not because I wanted to write a novel but because I want to write better reviews. I average about 100 books a year and I want to better explain my thoughts. Anybody??
I’ve haven’t realized until recently how important a review is. How I can help “get the word out” about great books. Bad books. I’ve felt many times that I should’ve done a better review. I really want to make meaning with my words. Was this book helpful for that purpose? Maybe?? We’ll see.

About this book. It’s 55 interviews with a 4 question format. The author asks that I start this by first answering the questions myself.
My take away. Most of the authors biggest surprises were that they were writers and actually still doing it. And many said that writing never got easier.
Things I learned:
• writing is a craft that can be mastered.
• It’s helpful to be a “super-observer”.
• Learn from others.
• Read constantly.
• Write from memory and clean it up later.
• Do what make you happy.
• Be a sponge and lower your standards.
Overall this felt like a layer back interview or podcast format. I gleamed some thoughtful insight. Hopefully inspiration.
Thanks BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.

[Katarína Laurošková · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a literature student, I get interested not only in the final works of authors but in the actual process of writing too. To think that one just sits down and creates a masterpiece in one go is almost unheard-of. Many of the authors get stuck mid-story and need a help of a reliable editor or just a new point of view. And many times they might need a bit of good advice from other professional authors to motivate them to keep going. Writers on Writing provides exactly that - short and easily applicable tips, tricks, and advice from successful writers, journalists, and editors. I think that everybody who aspires to start writing more and better will find something valuable inside. Even though I am not an aspiring author myself (the will might come one day, who knows), I enjoy writing a semi-consistent diary. I found that the tips from this book helped me in writing more consistently and vividly. I would recommend this book to everybody interested in writing or as a great gift for your friends who constantly postpone writing their bestseller until tomorrow.

[Becky Blanton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy it. If you are a writer, know a writer, want to be a writer, buy it. If you're a poet, a romantic, a journalist, or an editor. Buy it. Buy it because it is real, honest, and thought-provoking. It's a peek into the world of writers and editors we (yes, even we writers) don't get to see very often, and it's fascinating. Yes, I'm one of the 55 writers (full disclosure - and I also designed the cover), and I've still read it three times now, not including reading some of the answers aloud to a friend over a Chai tea latte at Starbucks this past weekend.

"What's that you're reading?" a woman next to us asked. I showed her the book, and explained Chip didn't write the answers, writers did. Intrigued, she said, "I want to be a writer, I've always dreamed of writing a book."
"Do you write now?" I asked.
"Yes, but I've never been published."
"It doesn't matter," I said. "If you write, you're a writer." That's not original. It's just the truth.

That simple truth surprises many, even published writers. But it's true. WRITE, and you're a writer. Whether you journal, or blog, or just scribble notes on napkins with the dream of one day writing a book, you're a writer. Do you see the world differently? Do you think you "don't fit in"? Do you ruminate over snippets of overheard conversations? Do you imagine what the lives of others are truly about? If so, chances are, you ARE a writer.

Writers see the world differently and that's why they write. They experience life, people, tragedy, drama, heroism, and events around them differently. They find meaning in people's motivations, fears, aspirations, addictions, and faults. With the right turn of phrase, they can make villains seem like angels, and angles seem like villains. Writers have a knack for making us slow down and look, really look at life around us. Writers help us see the details others miss. We're the story keepers of the universe, bringing the struggle of a whale and a man (Moby Dick) to people who've never seen the ocean, or inflaming the indignation of injustice to generations of teenagers (To Kill a Mockingbird). When a person is ready to heal from trauma, understand heaven, earth, love, death, God, and the kindness of strangers, they write. When someone is ready to share their faith, their hope, their loss, their anger, grief, or dreams — they write.

Reading how, why, and what inspires and motivates writers is proof that you don't have to be published, although it's an incredible feeling when you are. I think I speak for many of us in the book in saying it was freeing, fun, and a great exercise to do. We spend so much time writing about how other people think and feel, it was a luxury to go inside and how we think and feel.

Chip, a longtime journalist, writing coach, and teacher spent two years getting 55 writers and editors to answer his four simple questions:

1. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned (as a writer)?
2. What’s been the biggest surprise of your writing (or editing) life?
3. If you had to use a metaphor to describe yourself as a writer (or editor), what would it be?
4. What’s the best piece of writing/editing advice anyone ever gave you?

While I believe most of us initially thought, "I can bang these answers out in 20 minutes," (after all, we write for a living) I'm guessing most of us spent more time than that writing, revising, and really thinking about the questions, and our answers - I know I did.

Even if you're not a writer, and don't aspire to be one, you'll find the answers funny, humbling, intriguing, and thought-provoking.

Buy it. Buy it for yourself. Buy it for a friend. Donate a copy to a library. Give it to your child's school. It's engaging. It's fun. It's writers on writing.

[June Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll learn new things. You'll be reminded of writing truths you know but have perhaps forgotten or, worse, ignored. You'll even look on long established writing habits with a new eye. Even if you consider yourself "just a reader" you'll come away with a newfound respect for the words, the heart and soul of the writer, that you read on the page. And, who know, you might even be inspired to set down a few of your own words.

I won't detail the information shared as it will apply to each in different ways. Instead, I'll simply say that this one should be on your bookshelf. Thanks to #NetGalley and #BooksGoSocial for allowing me a peek into some of these author's minds and work habits.

[Zoë Routh · Rating 4 out of 5]

more inspiration than instruction

3.5 rounded up. Mostly a lower rating because I was hoping for more granular writing tips, but perhaps this was just misplaced expectation. I was also hoping for more insights from novelists (the majority are journalists). In any case, an interesting and validating read through the thoughts and experiences of acclaimed writers, their struggles, and strategies.

[Mukesh Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an advanced digital review copy of this book via NetGalley and I devoured the book. I am a writer. So, every piece of advice, every coaching tip and every quote was on point for me.

The short and concise format works really well as it is just the best parts.

My hearty congratulation to the editors for stripping away anything that was not value adding and just leaving the gems in the book.

If you are a writer (and this can be almost a metaphor for whatever you want to be), this book has some seriously good advice and tips. Must READ!

[Brendan O'Meara · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible act of generosity.

This book will be fuel in the tank of many writers, especially -- but not exclusively -- those who toil in nonfiction.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book was not what I was expecting, there were some pretty good quotes that I can see maybe using with them high school writing students.

[Tee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a lot of writing-help books over the last few months (as I attempt to write my first novel). This one was an easy read, as it was structured into four questions and each author/editor who was questioned provided quick and condensed answers/advice on writing and editing. And after each author/editor's answers, there was a journal prompt to help you utilize what you may have learned from their answers. I highlighted a few pieces of advice, such as, “there is no such thing as writers block,” “show up every day”, “search for the emotional core, or the emotional truth, of a story” and other such sentiments. Did the book truly help me in my quest to write a novel? No. But it did offer tidbits of inspiration. Things you can write on a notepad and stick around your desk while writing. And let's be honest, as writers, we can all use a little inspiration while were in the chair for hours on end, typing away, reminding us that it can be done. One thing though, there was a lot of advice from journalists, and not enough from novelists or poets. I know, writing is writing, but not all writing is the same. So, at times, the advice just didn’t apply to me, because I am not a journalist or reporter getting my story from an outside source. I do wish there were more fiction writers. Either way, there is still some interesting pieces of advice and journal prompts to get you writing.

3/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Chip Scanlan for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[John Dodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of thoughts from various writers, all of them answering the same four questions.

The questions:
What is the most important lesson you've learned as a Writer?
What has been the biggest surprise of your writing life?
If you had to use a metaphor to describe yourself as a writer, what would it be?
What's the best piece of writing advice anyone ever gave you?

I'll be honest, I came to this wondering if I was about to read a whole bunch of very similar pieces of advice, but the range of talent and capability that has been assembled to write this is staggering, and the answers given to the questions range from the whimsical to the direct, from the reasonable to the outrageous. This is not only an excellent resource for writers, but also for anyone interested in being creative, because it shows the nature and extent to which all of us differ, and while we're all our own person, similarities can be seen to what we do and how we do it.

Every person who gave their time for this book is an accomplished writer, and it's humbling to see them be honest with the reader in describing who they are and what they do. For me, the most fascinating thing about this were the answers to the writing advice, which went from "Always eat breakfast" all the way to "Write horrible messy drafts and don't get hung up on how ugly they are."

This is a superb book, interesting for everyone, essential for writers.

With thanks to Netgalley and the Author for the chance to read the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Pauline Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader I have often thought that I would love to have the ability to write a book, and I’m certain that I’m not alone in that thought amongst the vast community of readers. If you are one of those people then you really need to read this book!
I wasn’t sure what to expect, having read a number of books that proclaim to help you become a writer, but that fall sadly short of the mark. However, from the first few pages I was hooked and couldn’t devour everything this book has to offer quickly enough.
Covering an array of writing elements, topics and issues, this book is full of short, sharp, golden nuggets of information, not just from people who talk about writing, but from those who actually do it and are offering up these nuggets from their lived experience.
I loved all of the inspiring quotes, as a fan of a good, meaningful and well delivered quote, I can honestly say that these have been well chosen and fit in with what this book is aiming to achieve. But more than that, one of the best bits in this book are the coaching tips, which I thought were really on point.
At the end, there is a section containing short pen pictures of each of the contributors and their literary achievements. This, I found, adds credibility to the advice they shared, which is likely to appease any skeptics out there regarding how ‘real life’ their experiences are.
In short, I loved this book and I highly recommend it.

[Brenda E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writers on Writing represent a visionary collation of advice from fifty-five writers: novelists, educators, journalists and more. Chip Scanlan then reprocesses their thoughts in the form of promptings for the aspiring writer to dig deeper for specific writing tips.

The overall most compelling piece of advice for me was to write in The Journal every day; write about everything and anything; write about tips that work, tips that don’t work. Or examine your feelings about the difference from one process to another. Then, as you describe your feelings, you will begin understanding your writer-self more and more and more.

Fifty-five writers contributing two-hundred-twenty tips provides a treasure trove of wisdom: Susan Orlean, Chapter 1: suggests the use of smells to add depth and sharpen our descriptions. And timely for my personal need is Kelly Benham French, Chapter 24: “dependent clauses rob sentences of energy and clarity.” My grammar checker never fails to prompt me for this rule. It is time to implant it in my memory.

Writers on Writing is well-packaged and offers many points of access to the subject of writing excellence. It is a journal you may use every day or for inspiration as needed. Chip Scanlan seems to know his audience very well in offering a maze of diverse pathways to soaking up excellence in the intriguing subject of writing.

I have no hesitation in recommending Writers on Writing to writers at any stage in their lives. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been considering writing a book for some time and have recently been reading more memoirs and trying to learn more about the process and how one goes about writing a book. So when I found this book on Netgalley, I thought it would be a great place to learn more.

Writers on writing isn’t like your usual writing guide, giving you thoughts and ideas on what you ‘should’ be doing. Instead, it’s a collection of 55 different takes on the process. Chip Scanlan has asked various other authors, editors and journalists to answer four questions:
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned as a writer?
What has been the biggest surprise of your writing life?
If you had to use a metaphor to describe yourself as a writer, what would it be?
What’s the best piece of writing advice anyone ever gave you?
Followed by tips for your journal (ideas of what you should or could write about).

This provides an entirely different but interesting view on writing. Each chapter is another person and is just a couple of pages long at most, so you can get through them relatively quickly and pick up some great tips. You can also quickly dip in and out of this book; you don’t have to read it in a set order.

Each person offers a different tip, opinion, or information on what they consider the keys to being a successful writer. There are some great pearls of wisdom inside, and it makes a lovely little book to pick up and flip through for some quick inspiration.

[Su · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know not a single one of these people featured in #WritersonWriting. Now that’s on me, but it still means I don’t particularly care about what they have to say — even less so when they’re an echo of not just each other, but of every single writing advice you have ever seen . . . including random ones all over the internet. But hey, this means the bunch of filler internet articles had merit to their advice, so I guess yay for them?

I have been bored out of my mind reading these 55 interviews. Everyone is asked the same four questions, but that’s not the issue; the issue is that the answers are (more or less) the same. Trust me, you have read this book before in bits and pieces, but that is exactly what it comes down to: bits and pieces. Assembled properly, the entire book would take less than 10 pages.

Everyone is surprised they get to do their job, everyone believes you should just write away instead of worrying, everyone insists on research and observation, everyone says to be your own self but do it in a clear way. The “prompts” following each interview are almost all in the same vein as ‘What did you think of this?’ This is literally what the whole book comes down to.

[DRC provided by #NetGalley and BooksGoSocial.]

[Rebecca SitReadSip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you @netgalley for this gifted copy!

This was a quick and easy read! I loved the simple format. Each chapter was short and to the point, which is perfect for a how to writing book. ⁣
⁣
This past semester I worked on my media writing skills & nonfiction writing skills. So reading this really helped bring everything I learned together while also teaching me some new skills. ⁣
⁣
My favorite part was the journal prompts. They weren’t always obvious, but I liked that it advised you to journal when you’re stuck. Or to journal in order to help your brain work out what story you’re trying to put together.⁣
⁣
Though if you’re not in journalism or know anything about media writing you probably won’t know some of the things this book talks about. ⁣

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a wannabe writer myself I'm always keen to get my hands on more books about writing. The opportunity to delve straight into the minds of other writers is invaluable, and I really learned some good tips in this book. One of the biggest takes I took from it is writing is a craft that like any craft, can be mastered, with hard work, patience, perseverance and practice - and that for most authors, it still takes all these things, every day, with every book, no matter how successful you are. I found that pretty motivating.

I'm a huge fan of the interview format and I'd love to see this series continued with more authors (particularly more fantasy or sci-fi authors!) - perhaps even whole genre takes?

[Farida Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writers on Writing is a thoughtful collection of interviews of established writers and their writing habits,
Each chapter comprises of an interview in which the following questions are asked:
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned as a writer ?
What has been the biggest surprise of your writing life?
If you had to use a metaphor to describe yourself as a writer what would it be ?
Whats the best piece of writing advice anyone ever gave you ?
Whilst the individual answers are intriguing and inspiring, there are perhaps too many interviews (55).
This book would interest journalism students operating in the US. I found it too US-centric.

[Stacey Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writers on Writing asks distinguished authors four questions about their writing life. Although the questions are the same, the answers are all widely different and I really enjoyed the pearls of wisdom that can be gathered from each interview. I particularly enjoyed the interviews with Rosalind Bentley, Bruce DeSilva and Bronwen Dickey. What makes this book such a gem is that you can keep dipping into it to discover more useful tips that will benefit where you are in your own writing process. Overall, I highly recommend this.

[Lanette Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book is a treasure trove of quotes and quips and inspirational insights on writing. I highly recommend it as a gift for any writer in your life. I only shaved a point off because of the misleading title; the book doesn't really take you inside the lives of 55 writers, rather it presents thoughts or ideas from 55 writers. These thoughts are valuable, though, and the book is full of encouragement.

Thanks to Netgalley and Chip Scanlan for providing me with a free ecopy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any aspiring writer will enjoy this book. It is full of tips from actual accomplished writers that will motivate and inspire you. It'll also make your struggles feel normal as you begin to recognize that even the best writers go through periods of doubt and writer's block. This is an incredibly helpful and honest resource for all writers. I will definitely be referring back to this book over the years to come. A lovely addition to any writer's library.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for providing a free electronic copy of this book for my honest review. Am incredibly grateful.

[Kitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this free ebook in exchange for my honest feedback!

This was such an interesting read from Chip Scanlan - he interviewed 55 authors, editors, and journalists and asked them about their careers, writing process, and any advice they had to give aspiring writers.

I initially thought this was going to be more of a narrative how-to piece but I actually enjoyed hearing from the other writers who have already had crazy success in this field. I also loved the prompts at the end of each chapter to help you apply what you've just learned.

Very useful book for anyone who is interested in the world of writing!

[Michelle Castaneda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writers on Writing: Inside the lives of 55 distinguished writers and editors by Chip Scanlan and Ray Hoy is a great collection of information and writing tips. This book is arranged in very short chapters with a reflection about a writer’s habits and a .quote to ponder. Writers will particularly love this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

[Kimberly Tierney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chip Scanlan's book is filled with brief interviews with authors and writers in which they share one piece of advice that stuck with them throughout their careers. It is a fascinating insight into the mind and processes of some of the amazing writers out there. And the interviews are brief, only a couple of pages which makes it the perfect book to go through slowly with one person a day, or to binge read.

[HighFidelity · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you, Net Galley, for the opportunity to read this book in digital format. .
Writing is supposed to be something creative and I did not find this book to be creative.
You can't be creative with 4 questions did you use you ask a bunch of people. For me that's not creativity, it is merely a college assignment and it was boring and repetitive and I hoped for more from this.

[Cláudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The process of writing a book is tricky, and I think all the help we can get is significant. Even if sometimes the advice people tell you seems reductant,
If you read many books on this topic, some of the tips given here will be similar to those presented to you in other books, but even still I'd recommend it as a read if you have an interest.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Writer, I found this book comforting. The author posed four questions to fifty five writers and the result was a book that provides insights into writing, journalism, editing and the love for stories.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

[Aaron Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insights with bountiful tips, thoughts, suggestions, exercises and reflections on the writing process

[Mrs Karen Bull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always wanted write own books and this book was very helpful
Laid out each steps explained everything and didn't make sound daunting which idea normally is

[James Doyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent book for any writer to dip into. There are lots of pieces of helpful advice.

Thanks to Chip Scanlan, NetGalley, and BooksGoSocial for this copy.

[Selena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Utterly dull and everyone starts their answer by repeating the question. Plus I haven't heard of any of the authors or the books, so I didn't feel invested.