Category: books for writers

What I’m reading, Fall 2025

Fall is upon us, finally. Yes, technically, Fall doesn’t start until September 22nd. But I’ve been drinking pumpkin spice for weeks already.

Fall is easily my favorite season. And part of that is because it’s the best time of the year for reading. Warm drinks taste better. Candles burn brighter. And no one wants to be baking anything in the Summer.

I’m behind on my reading goal for the year still, but I have some fantastic books on my Fall Reading list. Some are new. Some are just new to me. We’ve got a blend of fiction and non-fiction. Hopefully, you’ll find something to interest you on this list. If you do, let me know.

And as always, you can follow along with my reading journey on Goodreads.

Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Got to get this one out of the way first. It’s a yearly October read. Yes, it’s a children’s book. No, I don’t care.

Halloween Tree is the story of a magical, terrifying Halloween night. It’s the story of a group of boys flying through history to save their friend Pip. The story is wonderful, the artwork is a delight. All around a trick and treat.

House of Quiet by Kiersten White

This one was on my Summer reading list. But I still haven’t gotten my hands on it.

This is a very busy season in my life.

House of Quiet kind of feels like a cross between Ms Perrigrin’s Home for Peculiar Children and Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. Rest assured, we’ll be talking about it here as soon as I read it.

Banana Rose by Natalie Goldberg

My hero has written exactly one fiction book. And can you believe I’ve never read it?

It’s about a marriage in which two people become very different and eventually drift apart. It’s about her marriage. It’s probably also about Zen. Because everything she writes is, at its core, about writing and Zen.

They don’t seem that different.

The Great Failure by Natalie Goldberg

For some reason, I thought this book was coming out this month. Turns out it was published in 2004. Well, it’s still a Natalie Goldberg book, and I still want to read it.

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

This book was a recommendation from my library. Shout out to my local library. It’s about a deity called Father going missing, and his children battling to claim his power.

This seems like wild dark fantasy and a great fun book.

Rehab, an American Scandal by Shoshana Walter

Because clearly, I needed another reason to be angry.

How we treat, or neglect, people with addictions is a particular sore spot with me. I lost two people I cared deeply about to addiction. It shouldn’t happen. And the places we depend on to help our loved ones sometimes do more harm than good.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

This one seemed like a chilly good tale for spooky season. It’s a psychological thriller about a woman locked in a psychiatric ward and her sister who attempts to save her. I’m currently on a rather long wait list at my library for this book, so I’m assuming it’s going to be a good one.

Jesusland by Joelle Kidd

If you’re a fan of Fundie Friday (and if you’re not, you should be), you recently got to see a long interview with this author. It was fascinating. And as a former Mormon, I am fascinated by Christian culture. The Silver Ring Thing. The music that makes it sound like God is our boyfriend. The magazines that exemplify a ‘pure’ life.

It’s all a little crazy when seen from the outside. I’m partway through this book already, and I am loving seeing this weird Jesus Freak culture from someone else who grew up with it and escaped.

Banned by Weston Brown

This is another one that I learned about from Fundy Friday. But it’s certainly darker. It’s about a young man who escaped his deeply fundamental family, struggled with discovering the world, and eventually went to battle against his own mother in the world of book banning. I am sure this one’s going to upset me. I’m still going to read it.

Don’t Blow Yourself Up by Homer Hickam

I read Rocket Boys years ago. It was fantastic. And now, Hickam’s written a book about his adult life. It’s about his writing, his career, his journey to working for NASA. I am very excited about this book.

Poetry as spellcasting by Tamiko Beyer, Destiny Hemphill and Lisbeth White

This book has been on my TBR list forever. I swear, I’m getting to it. I clearly have to read this book; it was tailor-made for a writing witch who’s super into social change. I will read this book this season. I just need to get to it.

Broke Millennial Takes on Investing by Erin Lowry

I loved the first Broke Millennial book. It taught me so much about money. And with the rise of ‘trad wives’, I’m really becoming an advocate for women’s financial literacy. So expect me to talk about this book after I read it.

Look, writers don’t always make a lot of money. If you’re going to have a small income and a long career, you need to be good with money. You need to learn about investing. So, that’s the plan.

Mary Magdalene Revealed by Meggan Watterson

I have been feeling called to learn more about Mary Magdalene for a while now. This probably won’t be the last book I read about her. But it sure seems like a great place to start.

Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay

I got this book purely because I found it randomly for five dollars at Dollar General. There was no way I was passing that up. And I’ve yet to read a Paul Tremblay book I didn’t adore. Also, this book is about something I am legitimately terrified of. A rabies-like illness. No joke, rabies scares the hell out of me. So this book will likely upset me in a very deep way.

I’m stoked.

Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now by Maya Angelou

I don’t talk enough about how much I love Maya Angelou. She is amazing. Her life is amazing. She’s taught me so much. I got this book because it was on special for just two dollars. I am very excited to read it.

As always, I might not get to all of these books. But I will almost certainly enjoy every one I get to. Assuming I don’t accidentally pack them, like I did with my can opener. (I didn’t pack the corkscrew, just the can opener. Which should tell you where my priorities are.)

Now I’m excited to hear from you. What are you reading this Fall? Let us know in the comments.

Paper Beats World is a labor of love. If you love what I do here, please consider liking and sharing this post and leaving a comment. You can also support me financially on Ko-fi.

Spooky season is coming, and it’s time for some creepy reads. Check out my horror novel Quiet Apocalypse, about a witch trapped in her apartment during a dark winter storm with a demon devoted to ending the world.

Or check out my horror short, The Man In The Woods. A man tries desperately to protect his granddaughter from the mysterious man in the woods. But his fear only grows when a new housing complex is built too close to the woods.

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Discussing Long Quiet Highway

Published in 1993, Long Quiet Highway is the fifth book by Natalie Goldberg. Just in case you don’t know, she is the iconic writing teacher and author of Writing Down The Bones, among other amazing books about writing. This one, though, is not technically a book about writing. It’s a memoir. But, like all of her work, it sent me right to my notebook.

So today, let’s talk about Long Quiet Highway. How it’s different from her other books, and what I learned from it.

Long Quiet Highway starts with the story of Natalie as a child. Her parents were immigrants. She grew up in New York before they moved to the suburbs.

Natalie describes her childhood as being cloistered. Dull. To me, it feels cloying. Safe, fun, and full of little pleasures. Her parents clearly loved her and supported her. But there was little art in her life. There was little to wake her up, to make her feel alive.

This is used as an introduction to a teacher who woke her up. That encouraged her to listen to the rain. To experience it.

As an adult, Natalie taught high school. Or, maybe middle school. I’m honestly not sure which, and I don’t think it matters. While she was teaching the same bland curriculum she herself had learned, she felt lost and dull. Asleep. That’s when she decided to quit her job and join a Zen commune.

Because I guess that’s a thing you can do?!

For years, Natalie learned meditation and Zen from several teachers. Until she met one that changed her life, Katagiri Roshi.

He’s changed mine as well. But we’ll get to that.

The focus on the subject is solid

Through the book, it can feel like the story sort of rambles. One minute, Natalie’s talking about a train ride she took with a friend. The next she’s talking about learning Zen. Then we’re at a diner ordering a soda.

It’s only when we step back and look at the story as a whole that it makes sense. That we realize that every step was going in the right direction, we just couldn’t see the end of the path yet.

This was a fantastic way of memoir writing. Rather than going in strict chronological order, we skip around. It allows us to become completely immersed in the true subject of the story without even realizing it.

Even when she’s not talking about writing, she’s always talking about writing

I mentioned earlier that Long Quiet Highway is not a book about writing. It is about Natalie’s life. But here’s the thing. Natalie’s life is about writing. She writes passionately. She teaches writing. She exudes writing. This woman writes like the rest of us check social media. So when she talks about her life, she is talking about her writing.

In this way, much can be learned about the habit of writing from this book. Write when you’re happy. Write when you’re sad. Write when you don’t think you can possibly get yourself up off the ground. Fuck it, write from the ground, then. Write when you feel inspired and when you feel dull. Write when you’d much rather be eating chocolate.

Just keep your hand moving.

This is the best advice I’ve ever gotten about writing. Don’t worry about it being good, at least not at first. A lot of your first draft is going to be shit, no matter how many books you’ve written and how many you will write. Trust me, I speak from experience. I have published 12 books, and my rough drafts are still terrible. Hell, my second drafts are also bad. It’s only by the third draft that the story becomes anything I might consider letting someone else see.

And that’s okay. The purpose of a first draft is simply to exist. So if you’re still trying to complete your first piece, but you’re worried it isn’t good enough, it is. Just keep your hand moving.

Her work makes me want to live

I’ve mentioned before that reading Natalie Goldberg always makes me want to write more. More than that, it makes me want to live more. To do more things and to do them deeply.

Never before have I experienced a person who so deeply experiences every part of their life. She talks in such detail about going to get a croissant. Of riding the train.

Goldberg’s work makes me want to sit outside and feel the sun. To write about the rain, the people arguing in the parking lot outside of my window, and the cupcake I bought at a festival.

She also makes me want to travel. To go out and explore the world. To take a long trip alone or just a different route home.

The legacy of a teacher

Finally, I want to talk about how teachers can touch the lives of people they will never meet.

I am not a Buddhist. I am not a Zen student. I practice meditation, but more in a witchy way than a Zen way. And I certainly never met the famous teacher Katagiri Roshi.

And yet he has touched my life in a profound way. Because Natalie Goldberg was his student. And she wouldn’t have written Writing Down The Bones if it hadn’t been for his teachings.

Because of this, Goldberg was able to touch my life. I have learned so much from her work, and I continue to do so. Someday I want to actually work with her, attend one of her workshops. But for now, I have her words, and am one of the many students she’s inspired.

And Natalie is only one of Katagiri’s students. His kind, supportive teachings have touched countless lives.

I highly recommend reading Long Quiet Highway. As well as any of Natalie’s books. If you want to be a writer, or get into mediation, or just experience life more, this book will help you do that.

It will help you wake up.

Paper Beats World is a labor of love. If you love what I do here, please consider liking and sharing this post and leaving a comment. You can also support me financially on Ko-fi.

Spooky season is coming, and it’s time for some creepy reads. Check out my horror novel Quiet Apocalypse, about a witch trapped in her apartment during a dark winter storm with a demon devoted to ending the world.

Or check out my horror short, The Man In The Woods. A man tries desperately to protect his granddaughter from the mysterious man in the woods. But his fear only grows when a new housing complex is built too close to the woods.

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My 2024 Fall reading list

Fall will be with us officially on Sunday. Banned Books Week also starts on Sunday. So it seems like a good time to sit down with a scented candle, a good cup of something warm and write out a reading list for the Fall season.

While I am unsure if any of these books are on the official banned book list, I feel comfortable saying they would almost all be banned in Florida schools. So we’re rolling with that.

This list is not full of new books, but all but one are new to me. Some are fiction, some are nonfiction. All have caught my eye. Rather than suggesting that you read every book on this list, I’d like to invite you to make your own Fall reading list. And please, as always, share it with us in the comments.

Happy Fall reading.

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

This one’s been on my list for a while. When I found it at random on the library shelf, I took that as a sign to grab it. It’s the story of a boy and his dog discovering a magical and dark world in their shed. There’s nothing to dislike there.

Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

I read this every Halloween. It’s a fantastic blend of poetic writing and history. If you haven’t read it, consider this your sign to read it this year. And if you have littles, read it aloud to them. It’s a magical time.

William by Mason Coile

This is a new novel about an AI smart house that, as always, turns evil. I love stories like this. And it is an example of an old story told in a new way. At l—at, I think it’ll be a great example. I haven’t read it yet.

We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

I should say I plan to read this if I can get my hands on it. I’m currently fifteenth in line for this book at my local library. It’s been all over Instagram, and people are not shutting up about it. And as it is a haunted house story, I had to read it.

Writing on Empty by Natalie Goldberg

I’m still playing catch-up with Goldberg’s work. I forget sometimes that people continue to live and do things when I’m not looking at them. But Writing on Empty should be fascinating, as it’s one of my favorite writers struggling with something I don’t believe in, writer’s block. Let’s see if she changes my mind on this. If anyone can, she can.

We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix

I think this is about a rock star who sold her soul for musical talent. I know it’s by Grady Hendrix and I’ve yet to find a book of his that I didn’t simply devour. He’s become an instant buy (or borrow) author for me.

Lucy Undying by Kiersten White

This is the story of Lucy, one of Dracula’s first victims. And if it’s anything like the other works by White, I cannot wait to start reading it.

Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

Feminism has never been as intersectional as we’d like it to be. Part of fixing that is educating myself. I’m also fascinated by women who do daring things. So this one should be a great read.

Sisters in Hate by Darby Seyward

It’s not just men who hold up these damaging alt-right beliefs that are so damaging to our country and communities. I want to hear the stories of the women who align themselves with these horrific ideologies. Maybe if I can hear their stories, I can understand how to help them write better ones.

We’ll Prescribe You A Cat by Syou Ishida and translated by E. Madison Shimoda

I am entranced by the premise of this story. People in emotional and physical need are given cats. These cats proceed to change their lives.

I’m writing this post with the cat who has brought so much brightness into my life on my lap right now. I plan to read this one with her stationed squarely on my stomach.

The Hygge Witch Handbook by Courtney Hope

Oh, you didn’t think I was going to get through this whole list without adding one witchcraft book, did you?

Hearth witchcraft is not exactly the core of my practice, but it’s a big part of it. And I’ve been practicing hygge for years. The concept of slowing down, savoring life and embracing little joys is essential for living joyfully in a world full of darkness. I am very excited to learn about incorporating hygge into my witchy homemaking practices.

Will I get to all of these books? I dearly hope so. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram to check in with me.

And if you’re looking for new books to add to your Fall reading list, don’t forget that Starting Chains is coming out on October 4. Broken Patterns is already available on Amazon.

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Ten kinds of books every writer should read

Before we begin, I just found out that Natalie Goldberg put out a new book in July. How did nobody tell me? And she wrote a whole book about haikus?

Don’t worry, reviews are forthcoming. Just as soon as I read them.

Today, though, I want to talk about a different kind of book. Ten different ones, to be specific.

Some of the best writing advice from Stephen King is to “Read a lot and write a lot.” Alright, fair enough. But what should we read?

There are many lists of books writers should read to be better at our craft. And while that’s great and all, these lists can be highly subjective. My original plan for this post was to write a list of books I think every writer should read. But there again, my list was highly subjective. I always suggest Dance Macabre, but that book isn’t going to do shit for you if you write historical fantasy.

So what we have instead is a list of ten kinds of books every writer should read. Feel free to fill in the blanks yourself.

Books everyone loves

The ever-popular books are popular for a reason. Well, sometimes. Sometimes things are popular just because they’re popular. But even then, it doesn’t hurt to know why everyone in your internet circles can’t shut up about a book.

Books everyone hates

Sometimes you hear about a book for very different reasons, because no one can shut up about how bad it is.

Reading a bad book can be incredibly educational. You learn all the things not to do. This is easier with a laugh track though, if you can get it. A great example of this is the Behind The Bastards episode where Robert reads a book by Ben Shapiro.

(Take a bullet for you, Babe. IYKYK.)

Books in your genre

This one’s a no-brainer, right? And if you’re writing in a genre, you’re probably already a fan. No one had to tell me to read Stephen King and Anne McCaffrey. I just wanted to.

Books as far removed from your genre as possible.

This is the one that seems to throw people. But we don’t learn to write just by reading our own genre. We learn by reading widely. We also open ourselves up to unexpected joy. For instance, I have no interest in writing historical fiction. But I read the hell out of Philippa Gregory.

A brief understanding of other genres can greatly help your understanding of your own. And there’s always a chance you’ll be inspired by it. While I’m not likely to write historical fiction, I might write a historical fiction slasher.

That’s a pretty good idea.

Books that teach you about writing

I love books that teach you about writing. Mostly because I love to hear other writers talk about writing.

Even if you don’t agree with all of the advice, it’s great to get someone else’s perspective on the craft. Some of my favorites are On Writing, Elements of Style, and anything Natalie Goldberg writes.

Books that teach you about anything else

Anything you learn can feed your writing. I mean anything. I’ve toured coal mines my whole life (I live in Western PA) and this has influenced my writing. You can see it even in my fantasy work, like in Starting Chains.

Read about history, science, and politics. Read about anything that sparks interest in you. I often find I don’t even try to intentionally write about things I learn in my books. I just do it. The book I’m writing right now is going to have a character who likes bugs because I like bugs.

Learn about anything that brings you joy.

Books that teach you the history of your genre

I mentioned Dance Macabre earlier. It’s an overview of the gory history of horror.

I’m sure it isn’t the only one like that. And I’m equally sure that there are books that go over the history of other genres. I just haven’t found them yet.

Understanding the roots of your genre is imperative. Even if you don’t love the classics (and some of them are dry AF) it’s important to know them.

I’ve read Dracula. I’ve read Frankenstein, Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde, Beowolf, The Oddessy, and Lord of The Rings. Some of these these were fantastic. Some were a learning experience. None of them were ever a waste of my time.

Short story collections

Every story has something to teach us about writing. Short stories are a different form of storytelling than novels. So if you want to write short stories, and there are many reasons to write short stories, it stands to reason that you’d want to read enough of them to see how a smaller plot and smaller cast are achieved.

Poetry collections

Writing an eloquent, beautiful line is a joy. Conveying an emotion that seems brand new and also impossible to deny. Like dust brushed off a desk flutters in a sunbeam, dancing fairies who might have attracted the muses if we weren’t so intent upon our cleaning.

You can picture that, can’t you? I certainly hope so.

The best place to find this sort of writing is in poetry. Poetry is like a sketch of an emotion. It should make you feel like you’re standing in a certain place at a certain time.

If you can convey this in prose, you’re doing alright.

Comic books

Finally, I’d like to make the suggestion that you read some comic books.

Comic books, first off, have some fantastic stories. Especially the indie ones. Bone was fantastic. So was Transmetropolitan, The Boys, Maus, and Preacher.

Reading comic books lets you focus on the dialog. I read a lot of comics when I’m working on AA scripts because that’s all dialog. It was a great education. And, frankly, it was fun.

We are on day five of the PBW Anniversary celebration. Like this post and leave a comment to be entered to win a copy of Quiet Apocalypse. And I’ll see you back here again tomorrow.

If you liked what you saw here today, please consider liking and sharing this post. Or you can support the site financially on Ko-fi.

Broken Patterns is available now for preorder! You can order it now on Amazon.

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The five best scary books I’ve read this year

Halloween is almost here, and there’s no better time to curl up with a good scary story. I’ve been spending as much time as possible this month with some ambient videos playing, a hot mug of chai tea, and some great books meant to terrify. So today I wanted to share with you the five best scary books I’ve read this year. If you’re looking for something sinister to read this Halloween, you could certainly do worse than these. 

Lore, Wicked Mortals by Aaron Manke

This is the same content as the podcast of the same name. Which is to say it’s delightful, educational, and eerie. I learned a lot about some truly sinister people. Some of it I already knew. I do co-host a true-crime podcast, after all. But there’s always more to learn. Sadly, there’s always another monster in man’s form to learn about.

Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

I’m forever behind the times with this sort of thing. But that just means I get to discover great stories on my own time, so whatever. 

Miss Peregrine’s is about a young man named Jacob, who finds out that all the stories his grandfather told him in childhood are very much real. Soon it becomes clear that he found these strange, wonderful children just in time to save their whole world.

I speed read through all three of these books in a matter of a week. They aren’t spooky in the traditional sense. But they’re dark and well written. The tale is imaginative. I love the characters, and I appreciate the ending. If you haven’t read these books yet, give them a chance.

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King.

This was recently made into a tv show that is now on my list. 

The story is told from two points of view. A retired detective who can’t let go of his last case named Bill Hodges, and the perpetrator of the said case named Brady. Brady stole a woman’s car and killed a crowd of people waiting outside a job fair. But that was just the start. Now he wants to go out in a blaze of gore and blood.

I haven’t read the next two books in the trilogy yet. But they’re next on my tbr list. 

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

I have no idea what I was expecting when I started this book. I think I anticipated something much like American Gods, exploring the dark corners and superstitions of the world. And there is some of that. But it’s also about magic made real, the struggles of the black community, and being tough as hell for your family. It’s about a man named Atticus, who learns that he has a magical lineage. And some would do anything to use that magic for themselves.

Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Halloween Tree is a book I wish I’d been introduced to as a child. But as an adult, it’s firmly on my yearly Halloween reading list now. It’s about a group of boys who go out trick or treating, only for one of them to be snatched up by the wind and propelled through time. To find him, the boys must travel through the history of Halloween. And it’s a chilling, wonderful history. A trick and treat all in one.

The book itself was only a treat. If you haven’t read it, grab a copy and treat yourself. 

That’s it for my list. So now it’s your turn. What’s the best scary story you’ve read this year? Let us know in the comments. And come back on Sunday, Halloween, for a bonus post. See you then. 

You can support Paper Beats World on Ko-fi.

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The Middle Finger Project, the book, launches today!

And I already got my copy! It’s sitting on my desk quietly waiting for me to finish the book I’m reading now. I’m going to really have to focus on actually getting things done with this book sitting here. I cannot wait to crack into it.

IMG_20200211_111524_724Honestly, if you’ve been around PBW for any amount of time, you’re fully aware that Ash Ambridge is basically my Beyonce. Which isn’t to say she’s a musician that a lot of people fawn over. No, I mean in terms of inspiration. Her blog, also called The Middle Finger Project, inspires me with every post. And if you want to live, actually live, then she should be inspiring you.

I’m also pretty sure she’s my soul sister. She grew up in a trailer in PA, just like me. She’s a classy professional who really likes the word fuck, just like me. And she’s not about apologizing for any part of her life. I’m working on that.

What follows is some awesome experts and information from the woman herself. If you haven’t already gotten your hands on a copy of this book, go do it right now. Or read this, and understand better why everyone needs this book.

Then go get it.

Animals Who May or May Not Want to Pee On This Book

The rhino. (Seems like a total alpha male.)

Turtles. (Yawn.)

T-Rex. (Shitty reading arms.)

Any type of mollusk. (Jealous of my name.)

The Common Molly. (For obvious reasons.)

 

What the F*cking Thing Is About

  • Girl grows up in a trailer park in rural AmericaAmbirge
  • Mom = social anxiety, doesn’t leave house
  • Dad dies when girl is 14
  • Mom dies when girl is 21
  • Girl leaves small town. Goes to big city. Tries hard to fit in with people who paid real money for “nude” as a nail color.
  • Becomes disillusioned to discover nobody actually knows what they’re doing and the rules were made up by a guy named Ted who ate a cheeseburger for lunch and has a dog named Wedgie.
  • Leaves job. Rebels. Sleeps in car in Kmart parking lot.
  • $26 left. Lots of chicken nuggets.
  • Hears radio announcer. New music album available for pre-order. Suddenly realizes that value comes in many forms—not just in all of material things she never had—and art is worth paying for. And? It doesn’t have to be *finished yet* in order to be exchanged for future value.
  • Takes hidden talent—writing—and uses it to create an all-new job for herself.
  • Earns first $2,000 from backseat of car.
  • Uses it to kick start new life.
  • Makes first $103,000 that year, and then goes on to earn several million dollars from her art.
  • Learns lots of lessons along the way, like: You must be brave enough to cause problems. And: Sometimes you’ve got to be a bitch about money. And: Every good idea is offensive to someone. And: Selling yourself requires you to insist on your own brilliance. And: We must learn to become mothers to ourselves.
  • I NEED TORN DOWN SOULS TO READ THIS. I need them to see that they can do so much more than they think. And not just them, but anyone who feels like an imposter every single day of their life. Anyone who doesn’t know what else to do. Anyone confused about their career. Anyone who doesn’t have passions anymore. Anyone who feels like they’ve lost themselves. And anyone who is still really just an innocent babe inside, trying to find their way.

 

 

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Bossypants, by Tina Fey

Image result for bossypants

Welcome to another edition of the Paper Beats World book club.  Here I talk about books I love that I think you’ll love too.  Some of them are indie books I was really impressed by.  Some of them are books I think every writer should read.  This month, it’s the latter.

Now, you should know that I think Tina Fey is literally the best person on the planet.  She’s hilarious, hard working, insane.  The best thing about her is that she’s honest, brutally honest about herself and others.  She’s also a brilliant writer.

The book is autobiographical, chronicling her life from childhood until sometime about halfway through the run of 30 Rock.  Again, Fey is very honest about herself.  She recounts, without flinching at all, things about her life that she was ashamed of, embarrassed by, and really freaking stoked over.

I would have loved Bossypants just because I love Fey’s voice.  I love to hear her tell stories.  But I learned so much about being a writer from her, and this book that I want to share with you.

Don’t let your gender stop you.

Comedy hasn’t always been a friend to women.  We aren’t slapstick, or vulgar, or any of the things that are supposed to be funny.  Except we are.  I think I’m freaking hilarious, of course, but let’s also consider Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Kathleen Madigan, and a ton of others.  We are funny, and shocking, and capable of all the same things men are, (including writing our names in the snow.)

Men are smart, and capable of self control.  They are nurturing, and tender, and fully capable of writing ‘chick lit,’ romantic comedy, really anything a woman can write. Don’t let anyone tell you you shouldn’t write something because of your gender.

Do things before you think you’re ready.

I’m sure you’ve heard this one before, but it bears repeating.  Why does it bear repeating?  Most people still don’t believe it.  Start your book even if you think you’re not ready.  Write a short story, and send it off even if you think you’re not ready.  Start researching agents, start calling yourself a writer, even if you think you’re not ready.  You might create some really fantastic material, even before you think you’re ready.

Education is good, but hard work is better.

Fey went to the University of Virginia, where she studied drama.  It seemed pretty clear to me that it was her experience at Saturday Night Live that made her the person she needed to be to make 30 Rock, and Mean Girls.  I’m similar.  I took Journalism and Creative Writing.  But I learned writing by writing.  I wrote a book, then another one and another one. I finished two rough drafts before I ever wrote something I thought worth my time to edit. I’ve written 15 short stories this year.  I am a better writer today than I was before I wrote those 15.  So, yes, get an education if you can.  I’ll never tell anyone that an education is a bad idea.  But experience will always be better.

Friends that know you’re the type to work your ass off are even better.

Fey will be the first to tell you that she got some of the opportunities she did because of the work relationships she made on Saturday Night Live, like Lorne Michaels.  Do you think for one second anyone would have wanted to help her out if she’d been lazy, sloppy, hard to work with, or just an overall pain in the ass?  No, probably not.  Learn from that, people.  Be known as a hard worker, someone who’s willing to do what’s needed to get the shit done, and people will want to work with you again.  Those are the kind of relationships that open doors later in life.

  

And my personal favorite line from the whole book, by Lorne Michaels, “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready.  The show goes on because it’s 11:30”

Man, this is my new motto for life. Oh, I don’t think this chapter is quiiiite right.  Who cares, it’s 11:30, time to go! I can’t get my hair to lay right.  Too bad, it’s 11:30.  Maybe if I give this manuscript just one more once over… Nope! It’s 11:30, and it’s time to go!  I’m not saying rush, or don’t take care during the editing process.  But don’t focus on perfection, because you will never think a story is perfect.  Others will call it perfect; parents, lovers and friends will praise it.  You will still see the imperfections.  Stop, it’s 11:30.

I highly recommend reading Bossypants.  I recommend even more listening to the audio version, because Fey reads it herself.  Really, there’s nothing better than hearing that woman read her own work.

Let me know what you think of Bossypants, or anything else you’re reading that’s rocking your world.

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