I really enjoyed this. As someone who uses to write every day and wants to get back into it, this is great inspiration-wise! 4 stars and I'll be buying a physical copy eventually.

I’m Still Writing is an excellent book for writers looking to get inspiration, overcome imposter syndrome/self-doubt, and move past the mental blocks that get in the way of creativity! I loved the tips given throughout—found them super-applicable/easy to put into practice. Thankful for the opportunity to read in exchange for this review!!!

Very different than I expected. Good nonetheless. It editorially combines quotes/excerpts from 52 female authors from throughout history on writing. I don’t know why I expected it to be a little bit more than a couple paragraphs from each author or even some original content from them. But alas…then each excerpt is followed by a “listen” portion that was more of a question to the reader about what the author’s excerpt stated, and then a “write”portion that was a prompt based off of the excerpt.
I like the idea of it. But not all of the excerpts spoke to me and not all of the prompts were things that I found valuable. Which I suppose is to be expected in a book like this.
I naturally feel more meh about it but I do think it would help writers who enjoy or use prompts. Some of the ideas were quite elementary and some were more profound. I guess this just wasn’t my taste.

I’d say the best part was getting a taste books that authors I enjoy have written about crafting, creating and writing.

What a fascinating read to learn more about the people who write some of your favourite books! It was nice to have a compilation of writing that made me feel like I got to know authors and their relationships to writing better.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

***** I have received and read an e - ARC from NetGalley in exchange for giving my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.*****

Interesting, but nothing new.

Something I’d buy for a writer friend, but not for everyone.

I'm Still Writing: Women Writers on Creativity, Courage, and Putting Words on the Page is a collection of female authors expounding on the craft. Each author excerpt closes with the sections Listen (additional reflections about the excerpt) and Write (a practical exercise tailored to each chapter's focus).

Virginia Ann Byrd has chosen insights from 52 women writers, and she admits she welcomed the opportunity to platform authors who contradict each other in how they approach writing, as there is no one single "right" way to write. She offers this book as a helpful resource, not a burden, and she structured it so readers could pace themselves by reading one chapter a week, if they wished, dwelling on the craft highlighted by that particular chapter.

Each chapter is quick to read, a perfect gift for aspiring or practicing writers, whatever the time commitment they have to offer to the practice; the exercises are short, not meant to be the only writing accomplished in a week, and Byrd encourages readers to skip around by topic of interest, if desired. The authors included here range across time period, genre, and style; of the 52 names, nine were previously unfamiliar to me. Topics include Memory, Audience, Making a Living, Editing, Leisure, and more.

For readers who like to reflect on the craft, or for aspiring writers, this is a welcome addition to your shelves, a slim introduction to a range of skilled authors.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Writers, this is a book to keep at your desk! Divided into 52 chapters, this can be tackled weekly or whenever you are seeking inspiration. Each chapter is divided into a quote from a successful female author, followed by a summary and action step. I read this as an ebook, but it would make a much better book to keep at your bedside or desk. I found myself gravitating to the quotes more than the exercises in this book, but it is worth it's value for the collection of quotes and advice.

I read this book in a couple of settings rather than once a week like it was meant to be read but I did find it really helpful. I am not currently writing but it is something I would like to do in the future and could see myself using this book as a resource. I loved the layout of the sections. They were simple, helpful and straight forward.

I did not finish this book because I’ve realized that I’m not a big fan of the workbook style of this book. While I love reading from other writers’ perspectives, the exercises in this book made writing feel like homework, like I was back in school being told what to write about.

I'M STILL WRITING by Virginia Ann Byrd is definitely worth a look if you have been thinking about spending more time (even just thirty minutes a week) writing. Byrd has done a remarkable job of compiling the thoughts of 52 woman writers about the craft. She also adds two sections (Listen and Write) to each writer’s quote so as to provide her readers with a means to engage with the weekly writer and her comments. The chosen writers begin with Toni Morrison on memory and conclude with Min Jin Lee on silence and sound. In the first case, Byrd asks her readers to reflect on whether there is a part of their own experience which has been marginalized and then encourages them to write about a sensory memory. After reading Lee's quote, Byrd asks for musings on vulnerability and power and then suggestions writing about a central message or theme the reader/writer is trying to convey. Other featured women writers include Agatha Christie, Marilynne Robinson, Ann Patchett, Louise Erdrich, Maya Angelou and MANY more – imagine a graduate seminar with each of them prompting a listen and write exercise each week for a year! The quotes can be read in any order and the writers were "selected because they represent not only various time periods, perspectives, and styles of writing, but also different ways of thinking about creativity and the process of writing." There is so much to explore in this text and many "sparks" that this book could ignite – both for individuals thinking about their own writing and for students interested in the craft. 4.5 stars

I'm Still Writing
Women Writers on Creativity, Courage, and Putting Words on the Page
by Virginia Ann Byrd
Pub Date 28 Feb 2023
St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Essentials
Nonfiction (Adult)


I am reviewing a copy of I'm Still Writing through St Martin's Press and Netgalley:


I'm Still Writing shares thoughts and inspirations from some of the greatest female writers of the past and the present!



In this book, some of the most beloved female writers of the past and present , share their thoughts on the joy and struggle of writing. Their words will nurture and challenge your writing, inviting you to dive deeper into your creativity and find power on the page.



Author Virginia Ann Byrd, has taken the time to gather the words and the wisdom of generations of female writers from different backgrounds, traditions, and times pairing them with thoughtful reflection questions and inspiring writing prompts. From Jane Austen to Toni Morrison, Isabel Allende to Virginia Woolf, 52 authors offer their wisdom on every facet of writing from finding inspiration to the nuances of craft and the particular burden faced by female artists.



This book is divided into weekly chapters, and is a beautiful chorus of women's voices to guide your own writing journey. If you are looking for a book to nourish your creativity, I'm still writing definitive fits that bill.


I give I'm Still Writing five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I liked this well enough for what it was. I think it would make a great little gift or stocking stuffer for a writer. It’s more of a novelty thing than anything. I was hoping for more about each writer as opposed to just a small quote that they said at some point. And that definitely could have been possible to bulk the book up a bit more. However, I do like the writing exercises mentioned and I did write them down so I can follow them throughout the year. That’s the big part of this that I think would be great to give to a writer friend or family member.

I really enjoyed this book and love the concept--women writers about writing. As a woman writer myself, I was super excited to receive an early copy in exchange for an honest review. The basic concept is that the author quotes a female author from some other source, then reflects upon it, then offers an exercise in writing based upon it. This is a little different than what I expected--for some reason (probably my own fault) I thought writers were actually writing something fresh, some new advice. So I was a little disappointed they were quotes pulled from other sources such as articles they'd written for magazines. As I read many of these magazines already, I felt like I'd likely already read a lot of it. That said, it is nice to have great bits of advice and thoughts on writing gathered in one place. It's organized into 52 entries so you can do one a week.

Overall, this was a good book, but wasn't quite the fresh take I'd hoped for in this book by women writers for women writers.

Last year, a major publication (whose name I will refrain from mentioning) published an article about the best books about writing. And every single book they listed was penned by a male author.

So it's great to find I’m Still Writing, a fantastic compilation of ideas about writing and creativity from a wide assortment of authors—all women. Some are favorites, others new to me (but I will find them.)

The structure, with 52 passages about different aspects of writing and creativity, makes the book a useful writing companion. The prompts for reflection (Listen) and writing (Write) provide ample fodder, and showcase Byrd's own wisdom as well.

I’d recommend this book particularly for fiction writers and poets. You can work through it one passage a week for a year, or treat it like a smorgasbord of ideas to select and explore.

If you are a writer, this book is invaluable. I'm writing this review without having finished reading the book, but I have a valid reason for doing so, I promise! The reason is the absolutely brilliant way this book is formatted and the way it is intended to be read and interacted with.

I'm Still Writing consists of 52 chapters, with each short chapter consisting of 3 parts: Quote/Advice, Listen. and Write. Each chapter features advice from a different female author, and the Listen section is meant to allow you to reflect on the advice. The Write section provides a prompt for the reader to complete. There are 52 chapters to coincide with the 52 weeks of the year, meaning you complete 1 prompt a week. This book is meant to help writers make writing a habit and to help hone their craft.

Because I'm a writer (and I'm also struggling with writer's block), I've chosen to read and use this book as intended: week by week. After I'm done I will definitely be writing another, more comprehensive review. But as of now, having worked through the first 2 chapters, I can honestly say that I love this book and I feel comfortable providing feedback and recommending it to all of my fellow writers. Providing this feedback now, before publication and not at the end of the year when I'll have finished working through it, will help get this book into as many hands as possible, so other writers can benefit from it now.

Everything about this book, made me want to give it a try: the cover, title, and details. This is a wonderful book, made with great details and advice. I enjoyed reading this book.

My thanks to St.Martin's Press and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book. I recommend this book for all readers!

I'm Still Writing, Virginia Ann Byrd. This was a unique approach to writing inspiration and practice. The book has 52 very short chapters, each beginning with a quotation from a famous woman author, living or dead.The reader is meant to read the quotes and then work through the exercises which occupy about a page below each one. I enjoyed the quotations and the author's suggestions. This book didn't really lend itself to just a straight read through which is what I did. It would be useful if someone wanted to follow the program even if they only did one exercise a month instead of the weekly format suggested by the 52 chapter design. This sweet book would be a valuable source of exercises for a writing group who wants to get together and write from prompts.  Alternately, a nice bedside book for a writer or thoughtful reader. Some of the featured writers that I liked the best were Ursula Leguin, Elena Ferrante,  Emily Dickinson, and Amy Tan. 

The book title invokes thoughts of #stillshepersisted, bringing to mind the triumph of women authors in the past two and a half centuries, from being unable to even admit they wrote, to their current domination of  bestseller lists. A nod of gratitude to those who came before. 

I read the #netgalley version of this book courtesy of the author, publisher, St Martins Press, who I thank for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published in February 2023. @stmartinsessentials

I’m Still Writing is a compilation of stories with keywords to guide the reader for specific writing tasks… While these are profiles of prolific female writers, this book isn’t exclusively for women. It’s a guide to get over self doubt, writing blocks, obtaining ideas, and more. My favorite way to find inspiration for my writing is to learn the writing process of other writers. For example Celeste Ng gave a wonderful process of reverse outlining. These sort of tips are throughout this non-fiction book. I recommend all writers to consider this book as a writer’s reference.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a writer, I found this book to be helpful. When I have writer's block, it would help me to pick up this book and look at some of the info provided or even just glance at some of the inspirational quotes that were included on the pages. Her writing prompts will continue to be helpful to me over the coming months.

This book is a valuable resource for aspiring writers like myself. Designed so there is one section a week, I also loved that you could skip around if there is a particular topic you need more help on- such as the section on Dialogue by Anne Lamott. The sections are short, sharing insight into a writing topic and then providing a writing exercise to practice. With contributing writers including Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, Celeste Ng, Cheryl Strayed and Elizabeth Gilbert this book is packed full of great advice from the pros! A must for anyone who wants to write their own book! Review posting soon on Instagram