Overview

In these intimate and frank conversations with some of our best-loved writers, Hattie Crisell uncovers the mysteries of the creative process, asking: Where do ideas come from? How do stories find their shape? What happens when confidence falters or the work fails - and what does success look like? The answers range from the thought-provoking to the hilarious. Here we meet the novelist who makes a playlist for each manuscript; the screenwriter who considers swearing an art form; the author who prefers to work in near-darkness, and the confessional writer at risk of revealing too much. Taken as a whole, these inspiring interviews amount to an insider's guide to the writing process: its disciplines and demands; its ecstasies and agonies; its coffees, word counts and publishing hurdles. Most of all, they reveal how it really feels to write and be read. With contributions from James Acaster, André Aciman, Ayobami Adebayo, Rumaan Alam, Amer Anwar, Mona Arshi, Andrew Billen, Holly Bourne, Charlie Brooker, Wendy Cope, Cressida Cowell, John Crace, Elizabeth Day, Grace Dent, Kit de Waal, Geoff Dyer, Wendy Erskine, Tor Freeman, Will Harris, Anna Hope, John Lanchester, Sophie Mackintosh, Emily St. John Mandel, Meg Mason, Mhairi McFarlane, Liane Moriarty, David Nicholls, Mary Norris, Graham Norton, Maggie O'Farrell, Ruben Östlund, Robert Popper, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Kiley Reid, John Rentoul, Hugo Rifkind, Jon Ronson, Michael Rosen, Sathnam Sanghera, George Saunders, David Sedaris, Elif Shafak, Alexandra Shulman, Curtis Sittenfeld, Raven Smith, Will Storr, Brandon Taylor, Craig Taylor, Barbara Trapido, Emma Jane Unsworth, Robert Webb, Zoe Williams, Meg Wolitzer.

Full Product Details

9781803510651

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Reviews

Crisell distils what she has learned from interviewing an impressive array of authors into an accessible compendium... Essential reading for anyone interested in the writing process * Observer * A must-read for any writers or budding creatives... stuffed full of vital advice and gems of wisdom from globally recognised authors, poets, journalists and screenwriters * Cosmopolitan * This book is BRILLIANT. I stormed through it in one go. It's one of the best books about writing I've ever read, and certainly the most reassuring -- Stuart Heritage There are lots of books where writers say lots of useful stuff about writing. But this is one of the very best. It's friendly and realistic. It's a distillation of wisdom, an incitement to curiosity and an antidote to loneliness. Say hello to your new best writing buddy -- Toby Litt Full of such inventive but also life affirming ways of honing one's craft. This book is the ultimate reminder of why writers do what they do -- Katy Hessel, author of The Story of Art Without Men This book offers everything a writer needs: solace, companionship, commiseration and inspiration. I loved it -- Leah Hazard What a rich and charming stew of meditations on writing - process, craft, courage - by some of my favorite writers ever. This book will be useful and comforting to anyone who is writing, wanting to write - or stuck! -- Anne Lamott Some of the greatest writers alive, giving excellent answers to incisive questions about their craft. My copy is thoroughly annotated and I already know I'll read it again. Anyone who's interested in good writing will love it -- Andrew Hunter Murray [In Writing] is filled with so much accessible wisdom for writers, and is written in such an inspiring, energising way that I've found I've written more while reading it than I have in months. It's given me my writing mojo back -- Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things The must-have companion for any writer; thoughtful, illuminating and reassuring, it's something I'll keep on my desk for years to come. It made me laugh out loud, sigh in solidarity, and had me itching to get back to the page -- Claire Daverley, author of Talking at Night Fascinating, illuminating and inspiring (and occasionally humbling - check out Brandon Taylor's daily word count). Buy it for all the writers and readers in your life -- Lottie Moggach Provides accessible wisdom * Bookseller *

Author Information

HATTIE CRISELL is a freelance writer based in London. She is a contributing editor of Grazia magazine and her writing regularly appears in The Times, Telegraph, Elle, Vogue, and You among others. Since 2019 she has produced and hosted the podcast In Writing with Hattie Crisell, interviewing writers of all kinds in their studies.

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