Simply spectacular! This book of writing advice and pep talks for creatives digs past form and function and helps you see yourself. Through her own poetry the author showcases various techniques and sends you to a small syllabus for each ‘homework’ assignment throughout. This was well organized and inspiring!

If there is anyone that I am going to take writing advice from it's Maggie Smith. Even doing prescriptive writing like this she's still so engaging and easy to read, her writing still beautiful even while approaching the technical. And getting an inside track on her poetic process? The dream.

The chapter are short, some focused on generating ideas, some on creating writing habits alongside having a life, and some on what it means to do the work. It makes for a very brisk pace unless you're going to stop and try things as you read. This is all the things you need to hear when you're starting to doubt or question, and is a solid reminder that doing the work is a PROCESS, not spontaneous generation.

A wonderful read!
Very helpful! Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have become a fan of Maggie Smith’s work, first being introduced through Substack, and then her Memoir, You Could Make this Place Beautiful. I’m so glad to have discovered this compilation of wise and beautiful writing advice that I will be visiting again and again.

There is some great advice tucked into this book, which leans heavily toward poetry. I was unfamiliar with Maggie Smith before reading, outside of knowing she'd written a memoir. I'm not a poet, and at times the focus on poetry was too much for me, but I did learn! And there is plenty to take from the book even if poetry isn't your preferred writing outlet.

I loved this short volume of writing advice. It's full of good advice, especially on the subject of poetry. The writing exercises were really useful. This book was especially good from the perspective of teaching poetry. I'm going to use some of this when we have our poetry unit this fall.

I absolutely recommend this book to persons who are considering studying creative writing in college, and also to their families (e.g., parents) and/or loved ones: Not everyone is familiar with the standard that (often?) is expected where scholarship is concerned in college writing programs offered at American universities, but reading Dear Writer will put you on the path to thinking about it constructively., and critically: you won't be able to put Dear Writer down provided that you read it with a view to learning more about writing professors as scholars. Notwithstanding which, the thematic chapter of the book (it has both thematic and epistolary chapters) entitled On Rejection more than merits being read all on its own.

Dear Writer is currently displayed on the staff picks table at the bookshop where I work, with a view to showing patrons the paragraph in the chapter On Shape where the author points out that writing about terrible experiences has some little potential for helping one become a better person, i.e. an artist.

Smith provides an inspiring series of (as the title says) pep talks for writers, broken into sections like "wonder" and "play." I write primarily fiction, but I think practicing poetry is a way to enhance my voice and get into a solid writing flow, so the prompts still felt valuable. I think this has a space on any writer's shelf who reaches for books like "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert, or "1,000 Words" by Jami Attenberg, to gather inspiration while writing.

I'm a fan of Maggie Smith. Her poetry. Her memoir. Her Substack. And her love (and genuine awe) of all small wonders sparkling in her universe.

My giddy anticipation for "Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life" (Washington Square Press, 2025) met with satisfied contentment and glee! Smith's "Dear Writer" is not simply a writing craft book but also includes thoughtful reading recommendations, creative writing exercises, and writing prompts.

For example, in Chapter 6, "On Vulnerability," Smith discusses how persona allows her to write beyond her experiences, as well as provides a buffer ("oven mitts") to an emotional situation. In the Generative Writing Activity, persona is also the focus, with "Gretel in Darkness" by Louise Gluck and "Skinhead" by Patricia Smith as two reading recommendations.

One of my favorite parts of "Dear Writer?" It is not proscriptive but gently...suggestive. Fans of Morning Pages or writing a certain word count or page count per day may be disappointed. But if your writing also ebbs and flows based on finances, child/elder care responsibilities, chronic health needs, etc.? Smith graciously welcomes you and shares her map along the way!

For readers of Jacqueline Suskin's "A Year in Practice," Beth Kempton's "The Way of the Fearless Writer," and Susan Goldsmith Woolridge's "poemcrazy."

Thank you to Maggie Smith, Washington Square Press, and NetGalley for the eARC.

Maggie Smith gently guides you through her ten essential elements of creativity. This collection includes essays and writing prompts that will inspire all creative people.

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. I found it helpful. The author looks at 10 areas one can work on to improve writing skills. There are many examples of poems to illustrate different forms of writing. I would definitely recommend.

This is the year a write my book and this is the book I needed to inspire me. I never seen the pillars of creativity broken down in quite this way and the writing prompts will be of great value once I actually start writing. I highly recommend this one to aspiring writers. Thank you to Atria books and NetGalley for the ARC

In a perfect world, where I could pick whatever o want to use in a classroom, I would pick something like this. I have some students, especially juniors and seniors in high school, who would love to spend the term working their way through this super useful book. It includes a mix of prompts-some familiar, some with new spins/angles-each preceded by a short informative reflection on writing craft. A lovely book to add to the writer’s collection.

Thank you, Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a well of knowledge and advice for writers and other creative individuals. Sometimes it felt like it was trying to hold my hand while it normalized a lot of the obstacles I face when creating anything, from my inner critic to impostor syndrome to feeling unproductive. I believe that Maggie Smith's words could be helpful to anyone who creates and needs some pep talk.

As a writing reference, I would say this would be most useful to people who want to or already write poetry. I feel like her most substantial advice falls into how poems can be constructed and her own methods. Whilst a lot can be applied to fiction writing, a lot of the exercises and guiding paragraphs are not directly applicable.

My favorite thing about how this book is written is how we get examples of almost every single thing the book touches upon so that we can see how Smith's advice would work on paper. It's also written in a conversational tone with humor woven into the prose, so it is an easy read that feels like a long conversation with a good friend or mentor.

Maggie Smith offers up on a silver platter her tips, tricks, and principles that she's learned over the years as a writer. While it seems that it's geared specifically to only the writer, the same knowledge and tools could be used across countless creative mediums, or anyone who's ready to learn more about themselves.

I absolutely loved this book, and will definitely be picking up more of Maggie Smith's works in the future!

**Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.**

A incredibly kind book that gently nurtures creativity. I think this book came to me at the perfect time, when I was stuck in a creative slump and riddled with self-doubt. Maggie Smith encourages curiosity, vulnerability and offers insights into different styles of writing. The book felt like an asynchronous English literature class. In many chapters Smith outlines her own writing process explaining the thought process behind some of her poetry and analyzing the stylistic choices. By taking us step by step, Smith helped to curb my general fear of poetry. Definitely a book I will come back to for inspiration.

Thanks to NetGalley for this eARC!

I've read all that Maggie Smith has written and fell in love with her writing and advice. This was no exception, and I loved the pep talks and *practical* advice she gives in this new book. It's a book I'll be adding to my collection of books on being a creative.

Dear Writer - Maggie Smith
Genre - Nonfiction; the Craft of Writing

Maggie Smith is a beautiful poet and writer. I have read and love her poetry. I have read and love her memoirs. How could I resist reading Dear Writer by Maggie Smith, a book about the process of writing. I am sure glad I didn’t resist it!

Smith’s subtitle is Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life, as it should goes a long way to capturing the spirit of this work. Not that I expected it - given her other work - this book is not a dry instructional manual about the written word. In most ways she shows how she lives as a creative - it can very much shape the reader’s approach to life. As someone who longs to express creativity but prioritizes below tasks that “must” be completed all too often, I very much appreciated her honest insight into her very busy life and how she finds a way to nurture her desire to write each and every day. As a retired English teacher who spent much of her career teaching poetry and writing, I was also drawn to her chapter called “play.” In it she captures much of the joy of writing, that I always worried that I wasn’t communicating to my students. And perhaps, a joy that I wasn’t even experiencing myself. What a fun approach to the writing process. She graciously uses her own work as examples. She uses those beautiful poetic terms like “enjambment” and makes the discussion magical. (I fear I treated that topic in a rather dry way!)

I have long wanted to be a consistent writer and have consistently failed in doing so. But boy have I learned to admire the magic that poets create. I have worked hard to appreciate their work as fully as possible. I am so grateful that Maggie Smith in Dear Writer created a beautiful balance of joy and technique and inspiration. I may never be the writer that I dreamed but she gives me hope that I can write.

As a writer, I found the tips and exercises in this book to be extremely helpful. I don't write poetry, but much of the advice fits in with other genres. This one is definitely a note-taking read so get your notebook ready when you settle down to read!

There is no doubt that Maggie Smith knows what she is talking about in the realm of writing and her newest book: Dear Writer is filled with some solid advice/exercises that may well be able to help some writers. Where I had issues (and let me stress the I part of that statement, where ‘I’ had issues) is that Maggie is mainly a poet so that’s the main perspective from which she is coming and where her examples come from. And while novelists can still get get something out of this book, not everything translates well to the realm of fiction writing. At least that how it felt to me. Worth reading? Yes. As helpful as many other books I’ve read on the subject? Not so much. At least not for me personally. But as I said, I definitely felt it was worth reading. 3.5 stars (rounded up) Thanks so much to the publisher for allowing me access to an ARC of Dear Writer.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-writer-maggie-smith/1145682259?ean=9781982170844&bvnotificationId=9fcedf6c-0f3a-11f0-ad88-12fbb8f2fedd&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/341840951