Beautiful Writers: A Journey of Big Dreams and Messy Manuscripts--with Tricks of the Trade from Bestselling Authors

"I own every writing book ever written, and Linda Sivertsen has done the near-impossible: given writing itself a personality . . . Her stories are cinematic, hilarious, heartfelt, and pitch-perfect—with energy and punch, so often lacking in nonfiction."
—Terry McMillan, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A page-turning beach read doubling as how-to. Magic."
—Jenny Lawson, #1 New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and blogger at The Bloggess

"An engaging manual that offers writing advice with a big, broad, sunny worldview . . . fans of Sivertsen's podcast will devour this companion volume."
—Kirkus Reviews

International Impact Book Award Winner

Imagine you're at a dinner party with some of the most successful authors of our time. "Book Mama" and Beautiful Writers Podcast co-creator Linda Sivertsen is the host. As she shares her story of the many hilarious, outrageous, and practical things she did to launch her bestselling writing career, your favorite writers chime in with their own anecdotes, leaving you enlightened and newly inspired. The wisdom in these pages will nourish anyone who appreciates the art of storytelling and dreams of living a creative life.

Part coming-of-career memoir and writing success how-to, sprinkled with gems of celebrity author advice (taken from Linda’s Beautiful Writers Podcast and follow-up interviews), Beautiful Writers is a love letter to reading, writing, and publishing—the book she wished she’d had when starting out. In it, she shares—and expands on—the best of advice and storytelling from her podcast and follow-up interviews with literary greats, including:

• Terry McMillan
• Cheryl Strayed
• Tom Hanks
• Van Jones
• Jenny Lawson
• Steven Pressfield
• Elizabeth Gilbert
• Anne Lamott
• Mary Karr
• Seth Godin
• Abby Wambach
• Martha Beck
• Marie Forleo
• Lee Child
• Patricia Cornwell
• Dean Koontz
• Maria Shriver
• Dr. Jane Goodall
• Sabaa Tahir
• Tomi Adeyemi
• Ann Patchett
• Dani Shapiro
• Danielle LaPorte
• Tosca Lee
• Joy Harjo

This heartwarming, how-I-made-it writing memoir from a working writer you've never heard of with inspiration and advice from the legends you love will help aspiring authors avoid common pitfalls and energize career writers with a treasure trove of writing insights from their peers—the details you don't often hear but make a world of difference.

Destined to become the evergreen companion for creatives everywhere, Beautiful Writers answers the burning question: “How do they do it—day after day, year after year, book after book?” The paths vary wildly, but Linda’s faith in dreams never does. “If you have the ache, you have what it takes,” she says. “Writing is hard for everyone, but the results are often magical. Trust your desire. We did it—birthed our books into the world. You can too!"