I received a complimentary ARC copy of Beautiful Writers: A Journey of Big Dreams and Messy Manuscripts–with Tricks of the Trade from Bestselling Authors by Linda Sivertsen from Net Galley and Ben Bella Books in order to read and give an honest review.

… I loved this book, I found it insightful, interesting, and engaging, and would highly recommend it to both novice and experienced writers…

Unique and brilliant, Beautiful Writers is not just any other book on writing. The author intertwines her thoughts into a brilliant and diverse collection of vignettes from authors including Elizabeth Gilbert, Ann Patchett, Terry McMillan, Lee Child, and Danielle LaPorte just to name a few. Every author generously shares their lives, and challenges alongside the reader on their journey. This book is such a wonderful blend, part memoir, part guide on the writing life. Each author shares an intimate and often humorous look into the good, the bad and the ugly sides of “the writing life” and offers sound advice and wisdom that is vulnerable, honest, and yet truly inspirational.
This is a wonderful read for anyone looking for inspiration and advice. I loved this book, I found it insightful, interesting, and engaging, and would highly recommend it to both novice and experienced writers alike.

There are lots of exclamation points in Beautiful Writers! Lots and lots!

If your writing style involves having expensive horoscopes charted, visits to gurus, free rent and food from a millionaire friend, and a free cruise from another rich friend, this is a great writing guide. For those of us who dumpster dive to get enough food to live on for the month, and are unlikely to have millionaire friends out here in the middle of nowhere, the book is like an old rerun of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

There are writing tips from various authors about things like what great mentors they had, but a lot of the writing tips started to look alike. The memoir part seemed so Hollywood that I just couldn't relate. It's sort of a "throw your ideas out to the Universe and see how the Universe answers' type of how-to. That's okay but it's not for everybody.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review Beautiful Writers!

An inspiring read about the power of perseverance that's dotted with lively anecdotes, writing advice and funny life stories from some incredible authors.

Recommended for anyone who loves fiction - or dreams of someday writing their own.

This book means so much to me it's difficult to write a review on it.

I adored Beautiful Writers by Linda Sivertsen. I'll probably come back to this review a few times and edit as thoughts come.

First, the book flowed. I am going to have this book with me on my nightstand until the end of time. It's a book you can pick up and read a bit and savor. It's not one you read in one sitting. It tells you things that stay with you.


I can't wait until it comes out on the 23 to buy it. Everything about it is stunning from the cover to the writing to the stories.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher BenBella Books for the opportunity to read and review this highly memorable book.

Often, when reading a writing craft book, the material can be dry and monotonous, but this book had me at the divorce story. Not every partnered or married writer has the support from someone who should be their biggest champion, but I was enthralled to learn that her drive to write was tolerated to a point then, essentially, blew up the relationship (among other things, surely) when she’d found success. Yes, the craft portions from various writers and the anecdotes of her celebrity interviews kept me interested, but as someone who had a challenging start as a writer with limited spousal support, I wanted to read her story for guidance of how to navigate this writing career while caring for a family and their own individual goals and needs. I found myself reading late at night to receive advice and read interesting stories by the author who interviewed many celebrities for her first book.
This is a good craft advice book with other stories smattered between. I recommend to all writers at all levels of writing. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Its more inspirational and spirit lifting than advise giving. It's less how to do something and more "hey this famous writer you admire struggled and here's a small anecdote they gave in an interview.." Her personal parts are all anecdotes so if you like and are looking for anecdotal stories to keep you writing, this is for you.

I was really looking forward to this book, but it kind of disappointed me. It is based on the podcast “Beautiful Writers” and has more big names than an Oscar Awards lineup. It’s not so much a how-to-write book as it is a memoir from the author’s life and an advertisement for her podcast (which I will admit is amazing). But that being said, I’d rather hear it from the names than read it.

There’s very little solid “how-to” information in here. You won’t find info on plotting, character development, etc. You will find advice on going to a guru for guidance, comparing writers to each other (often disparagingly), sexism, and “don’t become a writer if you have kids or a home life” type of advice. I’ve read a lot of how-to books and I’d have to say that, unfortunately, this one falls pretty much on the bottom of my list. But it may appeal to others. Just not me.

Recommendation: If you’re looking for a solid how-to book on writing, skip this one. But if you’re looking for some (sometimes) interesting snippets on how these people did what they did, pick it up. Better yet, skip the book and watch the podcast.

Disclaimer: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to BenBella Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to access this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Savor this book. Take it to heart. Read it when you need encouragement. Read it when you need inspiration. Read it when you feel you can't write another word. Read it just for fun. Read it.

Thank you so much #NetGalley and #BenBellaBooks for making this wonderful guide available.

This book is a must for any writer, author, beginning writer, established writer...anyone who needs a fresh boost in passion for the craft. I found it phenomenal to tap into great writers' mindsets and join hands with this author. It's exactly what I was looking for. I'll read it again and again, just like my other favorite writers' books.

This hefty chunk of advice book might flatter itself to say it's the only one of its kind, but it does feel that it offers much a standard how-to-write book doesn't. (It'll be less unique when the sequel comes out, too.) It covers at least both art and business. It starts with the art of telling yourself you're an author, even before we get to structuring our day or typing time as if we were a working writer, or anything like flushing out a relevant agent. But it also, by dint of copious real-life moments taken from a long-running bookish podcast, looks at the business of interacting with publishing. Here in these sections it is a lot more about the ins and outs of all the hurdles en route to the bookstore shelf, and all the 'bang! crash! I had a hit on my hands' sections of writers' memoirs have been expunged and replaced by a lot more realism.

I kind of thought it was a bit of a weak start, when chapter one demands we realise college degrees are not automatically required by any publisher. And perversely, the box-length pull-quotes from the likes of Cheryl Strayed and Jane Goodall etc give college as a great fount of learning, growth and maturity. But we do ease off any such kinds of sticky wickets, and if on board with our author, her life story as well as the quotes from elsewhere do make for an amenable eye to the writing life, version c2022.

Kudos for the likes of Dean Koontz, Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Gilbert, Lee Child and so on, for those are but some of the names that give voice to the truth here. And there is a sense that they are desperately needed, when the strands of the author's autobiography take her to whack-job astrologists and "woo-woo" gurus and it all goes hippy-dippy LA stuff and nonsense. Mind you, some of the quotes can do the same – there's talk of "unpacking some of the daily interactions I have with my own life" and "step[ping] into your authenticity" before the author boasts of "feng shui-ing [one's] abundance corners".

Such fried head cheese besides, there are still problems here. One is the humongous presence of a god, which drove me to check I'd not downloaded from a specifically religious publisher. Another is the style the author has, mentioning too much of her social life's standout personnel. The biggest problem for many may well be the fact this creator is telling of her journey to seeing her name in print, when for all the years and years of alleged endeavour, her first book was what seems nothing more than a compilation of eco-thoughts from opinionated celebs (currently holding ground on goodreads, with three ratings in twenty-five years).

But still, would you rather learn to sing from some fly-by-night number one chart act, or someone who has kept the career going tutoring for decades behind the scenes? Our author claims to have nurtured and succoured no end of authors and books to the public eye, in one way or another. A lot of them would probably be labelled self-help and/or misery memoirs, if the books from her contributors seem representative ("your life is your best content"). But either way, if you can skirt the issue of this being one rampant self-publicising autobiography smashed into being a guide to publishing, this does have the nurturing and maternal spirit you may well be looking for.

This was an interesting and unique writing book. I was impressed with the many authors that contributed to the book and how many opinions and experiences we got on each topic. I got tons of inspirational insight by reading about other writers’ ups and downs in their own writing lives. Some sections were more helpful than others, but I enjoyed them all.

The layout was a challenge for me. I got confused on whether it was the featured author or the overall author of the book writing. There didn’t seem to be any separation. It was super jolting, and I had to keep going back and rereading to figure it out.

Aside from the minor issue with the layout, I found then book such a joy to read. Sometimes it’s just nice to know that you’re not alone with your struggles and that there is hope beyond the horizon that you’ll achieve your dream. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author, for a chance to read and review this book.

BEAUTIFUL WRITERS builds from a podcast and is essentially a collection of interviews with famous authors. these famous authors are experts on process and in one way or another conquered the publishing industry. for example, Elizabeth Gilbert told people that she’d travel the world and write for The New Yorker, and then she did! who wouldn’t wanna travel and have people care about your ideas for the sake of being your ideas?! overall an entertaining, inspiring, if not overly idealistic read.

Beautiful Writers is part memoir and part snippets from successful writers. I was excited to read this because I am an aspiring writer and I was looking for practical tips on how to get started, which seems to be what the book description and the chapter titles promise. However, I just didn't feel like I got very much out of it in terms of advice. I'm not a spiritual person and so visiting a "guru" or praying for inspiration aren't high on my list of strategies. The short blurbs from writers were occasionally interesting but too short to really get into the details. What I'm taking away is more of a "you just have to sit down and do it" sort of message, and most of the stories speak through a heavy film of privilege.

I was irritated by the part where the author disparages other authors (wealth gurus who drive sh*tty cars or relationship experts in bad relationships). Or the fact that she must be smarter, funnier, or more deserving than at least some of the other authors she was learning about. We don't know what's going on in other people's lives. I don't want to make myself feel better by comparing myself to other people so I can feel superior. Another comment that got to me was that being labeled as "biggest bullsh*tter" was more painful "than pushing out my son during natural childbirth". Ugh.

This is not to mention the gender bias in some of the snippets. Joel Stein comments on how it's "a huge mistake to write in your house" if you have kids. Van Jones says "I'm very lucky that my [ex-]wife is full-time committed to our boys." Tim Grahl talks about how he doesn't care about cleaning his house, he just pays someone to do it. While the women, including the author, talk about how they balance writing and caretaking/home management simultaneously.

All of this is not to say that this book won't resonate with others. You may find just the thing you need in here. I'm a little worried about how different I feel I am from all of these successful writers, but I suppose I said above I wouldn't compare myself!

Thank you to BenBella Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to access this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

As a person who would love to one day write a book I found this book full of the information yet it was a story (or many stories) of who other authors did it! So this made it an interesting and enjoyable read yet a read that was in some respects educational for me as I did get a lot out of it which I can use in the future.

Inspirational, magical and fun. I would recommend this book for all wanna be writers as well as anyone who just wants a good read about writers.

First I’d like to thank BenBella Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an eARC of Beautiful Writers, not only because I found it to be an excellent book but because it also got me to start listening to Linda Sivertsen’s podcast of the same name.

I always enjoy books on writing, even if whatever book I’m reading happens to retread over information I’ve heard before. Because sometimes it’s the nineteenth time you’ve heard something that finally makes it click for you. But I have to say that Beautiful Writers is quite different from the majority of books on wiring I’ve read before. Not only does Linda share her own writing journey with us (which is quite wild at times) but we also get incredible incite, tips, inspiration, advice, anecdotes and more from dozens of Best Selling authors across all genres. This is definitely a book I can see myself coming back to this book again and again. (As well as re-listening to a number of podcasts)

If you are a Writer, looking for inspiration or practical insights into writing this could be worth reading and when I say so, I mean there are stories on the writing life from writers. If you have questions like should you write full time, or get a degree before you consider yourself one- then this has some awesome personal insights to help you decide.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.