Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.
Always a nonfiction girlie at heart, I can’t help but find my way over to Substack to see what some of my favorite writers are doing. What’s better, I love when writers write about writing. There’s just something special about creatives passing down their wisdom and encouragement to others that helps me sit down and work on my own writing. In the last couple of years, some of these writers have put out book versions of their newsletter projects, giving readers a way to find their advice all in one place.
1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All-Year Round by Jami Attenberg
Several years ago, I started participating in Jami Attenberg’s writing project #1000WordsOfSummer. The idea is that for a couple of weeks, participants write 1,000 words a day. This simple, but very effective idea, took on a life of its own, and now Attenberg’s newsletter has tens of thousands of subscribers. A year or so ago, Attenberg published the book version, 1000 Words. It includes notes of encouragement and advice from dozens of writers, including Roxane Gay, Lauren Groff, Celeste Ng, Meg Wolitzer, and Carmen Maria Machado.
The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad
When Suleika Jaouad was first diagnosed with leukemia at age 22, she started to write in her journal every day for 100 days. This project changed her life, and she eventually turned it into a newsletter project that has thousands of subscribers. Now, to help readers go on their own 100-day writing challenge, Jaouad has created The Book of Alchemy. In it, 100 writers—like Melissa Febos, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jon Batiste, Salman Rushdie—each share 100 prompts to help inspire writers to create a journal in whatever way works for them for them.
Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life by Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith’s substack, For Dear Life, has long inspired and encouraged writers across genres. Smith breaks down creativity into ten essential elements: attention, wonder, vision, play, surprise, vulnerability, restlessness, tenacity, connection, and hope. Now her book looks at each of these elements, providing wisdom from her 20 years of writing experience and giving generative writing prompts to help creatives get started on their next projects.
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You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave or over on Instagram @kdwinchester. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
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