cover image Writing Is My Drink: A Writer’s Story of Finding Her Voice (and a Guide to How You Can Too)

Writing Is My Drink: A Writer’s Story of Finding Her Voice (and a Guide to How You Can Too)

Theo Pauline Nestor. Simon & Schuster, $15 trade paper (288p) ISBN 978-1-4516-6509-3

“A long time before I wrote regularly and a very long time before I was published, I knew there was a writer inside me,” Nestor explains in this guide and memoir. In an effort to connect with readers feeling the same way, Nestor (How to Sleep Alone in a King-Size Bed) digs deep to share her experiences (including stories about her alcoholic parents), how they’ve impacted her writing, and what she’s learned along the way. Though literary risk taking is the key to creating a meaningful personal narrative and finding one’s voice, Nestor makes no bones about the difficulty of this endeavor. She discusses struggles with self-doubt and the pains of sharing one’s writing in workshops—lessons that will ring true for most budding authors. Nestor clarifies her points by summing up each chapter with a list of suggestions for overcoming various literary struggles. Those interested in honing their writing skills will get the most out of the book, but even seasoned writers will pick up a trick or two. Agent: Elizabeth Weed, Weed Literary. (Nov.)