A Cup of Comfort for Writers: Inspirational Stories That Celebrate the Literary Life

As I began my journey into the writing life, I went in search of books that would inspire me - especially when I felt like giving up. This book did exactly that and more. Some of the essays addressed the follies experienced by new writers when sending their work out into the world and others addressed the feelings associated with the inevitable rejections letters that follow. What I gained from reading this book was a sense of camaraderie with other writers that have blazed this trail before me and have experienced what I am experiencing now. It is good to know that others have had doubts, felt like giving up, or struggled with finding the time to write. This book will make a nice addition to any aspiring or experienced writer's collection and I believe each will find themselves reflected in these pages.

When my mother gave this to me for Christmas last year, I expected a book full of writing advice and the always-interesting-but-rarely-helpful hints towards establishing a better writing life. However, that isn't what I got at all. This book is filled with inspirational stories from writers; some of them very successful, some of them more like me. I kept this book by my nightstand, reading a story from it every night before I went to bed. Combing over these true stories nightly has strengthened my will to keep writing tenfold. Stories in here range from perfect to dreary, but most of them fall closer to the former. What each and every one of these stories do is touch on that something that only other writers know, that only other writers relate to. And just the act of reading about these men and women who understand what it takes to write and understand the craft is comforting, because it lets you--you writers--know that you aren't alone in your struggle. For any writer having a hard time, this book will provide the comfort, support, and inspiration you need to keep on "writing the write." Also, a lot of the stories are just plain entertaining, so even if your writing life is perfect, I'd suggest picking up this book. 10/10 Classic.