compassrose's review
It was all right. Supported Clarion, so fine. Most of the essays were either drily practical and uninspiring, with the kind of advice you can find in any “how to write” book, or the sort of philosophical floof that only works for the person it works for. The essays by Octavia Butler and Hiromi Goto, near the end of the book, were about the best (I’d read the Le Guin one before).
lizbusby's review
I think my dissatisfaction with this book has mostly to do with the title. I expected the book to focus on life as a writer, ie practical tips for work/life balance, managing rejection/disappointment, organizing your writing, etc. I got 50% of the way through the book and found most essays to really be writing tips, ie how to write a good ending, effective plot structures, word choice, etc. Since I was looking for what the title said, I was disappointed in getting what I got. The advice itself was not actually bad. I did highlight quite a few things to save for later. But just know that it's not what it says on the tin.
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