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1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round
Inspired by Jami Attenberg’s wildly popular literary movement #1000WordsofSummer, this writer’s guide features encouraging essays on creativity, productivity, and writing from acclaimed authors including Roxane Gay, Lauren Groff, Celeste Ng, Meg Wolitzer, and Carmen Maria Machado.
In 2018, novelist Jami Attenberg, faced with a looming deadline, needed writing inspiration. Using a bootcamp model, she and a friend set out to write one thousand words daily for two weeks straight. They opened this practice to Attenberg’s online community and soon hundreds then thousands of people started using the #1000WordsofSummer hashtag to track their work and support one another. What began as a simple challenge between two friends has become a literary movement—write 1,000 words per day without judgment, or bias, or concerns about writer’s block, and see what comes of it.
1000 Words is the book-length extension of this movement. It is about becoming—and staying—motivated, discovering yourself and your creative desires, and approaching your craft from a new direction. It features advice from more than fifty well-known writers, including New York Times bestsellers, Pulitzer Prize winners, and stars of the literary world. Framing these letters are words of wisdom and encouragement, plus specific strategies, from Attenberg on how to carve out a creative path for yourself all year round.
Paired with vibrant word art illustrations, 1000 Words is an accessible and motivational craft book that allows you to open any page and get a quick and fulfilling hit of inspiration.
Featuring Roxane Gay, Bryan Washington, Susan Orlean, Maris Kreizman, Sara Novic, Rumaan Alam, Lauren Oyler, Emma Straub, Christopher Gonzales, Benjamin Percy, Mira Jacob, Laura van den Berg, Carmen Maria Machado, Courtney Sullivan, Rebecca Carroll, Ada Limon, R.O. Kwon, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, Elissa Watusha, Alexander Chee, Maggie Shipstead, Deesha Philyaw, Jasmine Guillory, Kristen Arnett, Attica Locke, Megan Abbott, Min Jin Lee, Lauren Groff, Andrew Sean Greer, Camille Dungy, Megan Giddings, Isaac Fitsgerald, Hannah Tinti, Michael H. Weber, Celeste Ng, Elizabeth McCracken, Will Leitch, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Morgan Parker, Kiese Laymon, Melissa Febos, Alissa Nutting, Liz Moore, Laila Lalami, Megan Mayhew Berman, Rebecca Makkai, Meg Wolitzer, Mychal Denzel Smith, Josh Gondelman, and Dantiel W. Moniz.
In 2018, novelist Jami Attenberg, faced with a looming deadline, needed writing inspiration. Using a bootcamp model, she and a friend set out to write one thousand words daily for two weeks straight. They opened this practice to Attenberg’s online community and soon hundreds then thousands of people started using the #1000WordsofSummer hashtag to track their work and support one another. What began as a simple challenge between two friends has become a literary movement—write 1,000 words per day without judgment, or bias, or concerns about writer’s block, and see what comes of it.
1000 Words is the book-length extension of this movement. It is about becoming—and staying—motivated, discovering yourself and your creative desires, and approaching your craft from a new direction. It features advice from more than fifty well-known writers, including New York Times bestsellers, Pulitzer Prize winners, and stars of the literary world. Framing these letters are words of wisdom and encouragement, plus specific strategies, from Attenberg on how to carve out a creative path for yourself all year round.
Paired with vibrant word art illustrations, 1000 Words is an accessible and motivational craft book that allows you to open any page and get a quick and fulfilling hit of inspiration.
Featuring Roxane Gay, Bryan Washington, Susan Orlean, Maris Kreizman, Sara Novic, Rumaan Alam, Lauren Oyler, Emma Straub, Christopher Gonzales, Benjamin Percy, Mira Jacob, Laura van den Berg, Carmen Maria Machado, Courtney Sullivan, Rebecca Carroll, Ada Limon, R.O. Kwon, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, Elissa Watusha, Alexander Chee, Maggie Shipstead, Deesha Philyaw, Jasmine Guillory, Kristen Arnett, Attica Locke, Megan Abbott, Min Jin Lee, Lauren Groff, Andrew Sean Greer, Camille Dungy, Megan Giddings, Isaac Fitsgerald, Hannah Tinti, Michael H. Weber, Celeste Ng, Elizabeth McCracken, Will Leitch, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Morgan Parker, Kiese Laymon, Melissa Febos, Alissa Nutting, Liz Moore, Laila Lalami, Megan Mayhew Berman, Rebecca Makkai, Meg Wolitzer, Mychal Denzel Smith, Josh Gondelman, and Dantiel W. Moniz.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2024
About the author
Jami Attenberg
12 books1,712 followersI'm the author of Instant Love, The Kept Man, The Melting Season, The Middlesteins, and Saint Mazie, All Grown Up, and All This Could Be Yours, and a memoir, I Came All This Way To Meet You: Writing Myself Home. You can find me on twitter @jamiattenberg. I am the founder of the #1000wordsofsummer annual writing project and have a newsletter called Craft Talk. In 2024 the book version of #1000wordsofsummer will be published along with a new novel. I'm originally from the Chicago area, lived in New York City for sixteen years, and am now happily a New Orleans resident.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 9, 2023
Guys I put my heart and soul into this! Fifty-four amazing contributors + my own words of wisdom and encouragement, plus specific strategies, on how to carve out a creative path for yourself all year round. My goal is to motivate you to write. This book is all good vibes and I hope it helps you and entertains you, yes ma'am, five stars!
November 27, 2023
Books about the creative process tend to be hit or miss for me. This one was a huge hit! The way it was organized and the topics covered made me feel incredibly seen and understood as an author, and I appreciated that Jami's advice was supplemented with letters from other creatives. I felt so motivated reading this that I started aiming for 1000 words a day instead of my previous goal of 500 and managed to stick with it for most of the homestretch of drafting my third book (and then only paused while recovering from a very bad cold). Definitely something I plan on buying for myself and for all of my writer friends!
August 26, 2023
This book is awesome. As an aspiring memoir writer I loved how Attenberg shared her 1000 words writing challenge and how it led to an entire movement. It was inspiring to read and I felt the energy from the contributors through their quotes and essays that were included. Well done! I will be purchasing a copy for my home library. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars.
October 21, 2023
It took me awhile to get through this one because it's jam packed with practical tips & advice. I have an abundance of highlights & post-its from it, sprinkled throughout my home office. As an aspiring writer who loses focus so often, due to outside influences, this book was extremely helpful. It reminded me that I have a story that needs to be heard and helped me cultivate ways to get my thoughts on paper. If you've even thought about writing a book or a blog, I highly recommend this book.
5 ⭐️
5 ⭐️
November 27, 2023
Inspired by Jami Attenberg's #1000wordsofsummer challenge, 1000 Words is a writing motivation book reflecting on her and dozens of participating authors' experiences with the experiment and the years afterward. The writing is mainly Attenberg's, but the other authors occasionally pitch in their thoughts to support her ideas and thesis with their own experiences.
The advice is covered in four "seasons" of the writer's cycle (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall), starting from creative mindset, getting motivation to start writing, drafting, and to editing and publishing, this covers the entire gambit of motivation. This is not a "how to" writing craft book or a prompt book (though there's a few prompts in it), but focuses on mindset, which is great for those in creative burnout and ruts, especially for newbies. While at first, I was almost ready to dismiss the book with the long winded introduction, something started to click during the "Winter" chapters, and by the time I got to the “Spring" chapter, I was all in. I was highlighting and taking notes throughout the rest of the read, full of quotes and insights. I appreciate that some of the advice does clash, which is more options for writers to take if one doesn't work. I also love the little notes throughout the book to take quick action. I wasn't a huge fan of the overwhelming references to 2020 events (especially in the latter half), as it took me out of the motivation and made me think more about those events (and made me think of burnout, as 2020 events were a factor to my own spiral), and it also dates the book (book release is 3 years after the end of 2020). However, it does add a historical footprint to the work and some aspects of the lessons can apply at any time of crisis. Overall, this is more of a collection of insights with a cohesive theme than a single book, which makes is easy to just pick a page and turn it to it.
This was a great tool for me as I'm working out my own creative rut (after extended burnout from constant negativity). This is a must for all writers who doubt their own creative spirit and I believe other creatives will get something out of this too!
*I received a review copy from Netgalley and Simon Element. All opinions are my own.*
The advice is covered in four "seasons" of the writer's cycle (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall), starting from creative mindset, getting motivation to start writing, drafting, and to editing and publishing, this covers the entire gambit of motivation. This is not a "how to" writing craft book or a prompt book (though there's a few prompts in it), but focuses on mindset, which is great for those in creative burnout and ruts, especially for newbies. While at first, I was almost ready to dismiss the book with the long winded introduction, something started to click during the "Winter" chapters, and by the time I got to the “Spring" chapter, I was all in. I was highlighting and taking notes throughout the rest of the read, full of quotes and insights. I appreciate that some of the advice does clash, which is more options for writers to take if one doesn't work. I also love the little notes throughout the book to take quick action. I wasn't a huge fan of the overwhelming references to 2020 events (especially in the latter half), as it took me out of the motivation and made me think more about those events (and made me think of burnout, as 2020 events were a factor to my own spiral), and it also dates the book (book release is 3 years after the end of 2020). However, it does add a historical footprint to the work and some aspects of the lessons can apply at any time of crisis. Overall, this is more of a collection of insights with a cohesive theme than a single book, which makes is easy to just pick a page and turn it to it.
This was a great tool for me as I'm working out my own creative rut (after extended burnout from constant negativity). This is a must for all writers who doubt their own creative spirit and I believe other creatives will get something out of this too!
*I received a review copy from Netgalley and Simon Element. All opinions are my own.*
January 18, 2024
If you write, read this book. Genuinely motivating and validating, you won’t regret it.
January 9, 2024
I will come back to this book time and time again for encouragement and reminders about writing and living a creative life. Loved hearing from all the different authors included in the book as well as Attenberg herself. An uplifting, worthwhile read for writers.
January 8, 2024
My first 5 star review of 2024! Honestly this is the best writing book I’ve read in awhile. I loved all the different author’s ways of writing. I particularly loved that Jami couldn’t get behind the typical author’s answer of “I sit in a chair at the same time every day and write.” Which as teen having just read Stephen King’s On Writing, I thought it was genius until I realized that didn’t work for me. I wondered if I was doing something wrong with this whole writing thing. Over the years I learned that it didn’t matter when or where I wrote as long as I was writing. I really thank Jami for validating that.
All in all I think this is a great read for anyone who wants to start writing or someone who wants to pick up writing again. Writing is always there for us.
All in all I think this is a great read for anyone who wants to start writing or someone who wants to pick up writing again. Writing is always there for us.
December 14, 2023
This series of inspirational essays from Jami Attenberg and more than fifty authors including Megan Abbott, Roxane Gay, Attica Locke, Carmen Maria Machado, Benjamin Percy, and Bryan Washington provides encouragement for writers. This book was born after Attenberg and a friend planned to write 1000 words a day over two weeks and tweeted about their progress with the hashtag #1000Wordsof summer while trying to avoid any kind of judgment.
The book is divided into to the following sections: introduction, choosing to write, the seasons, winter, spring, summer, fall, and year round. Each section includes several essays from Attenberg and the other authors.
I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and the way the book was organized, which provided a palatable structure. In a moment of serendipity, I found myself reading Brian Washington’s essay soon after I finished his wonderful story “Foster” in The Best American Short Stories 2022. His essay, which advises a writer to trust themself and give themself grace, happened to be exactly what I needed to hear at the time.
This book covers a lot of ground as it explores myriad aspects of the task of getting words on the page while tackling the emotions and vulnerabilities associated with the process and beyond. The book even delves into ancillary topics such as tips related to knowing when a piece is done, and giving and receiving feedback.
Many of the authors mentioned the effects of the pandemic on their writing, offering hope for those dealing with grief and things that make it especially difficult to meet writing goals.
My only real issue with the book was that every so often an image with writing advice that was included written in a tiny font that I found difficult to read on my ereader. This issue may be resolved in the final ebook version and in the print book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.
The book is divided into to the following sections: introduction, choosing to write, the seasons, winter, spring, summer, fall, and year round. Each section includes several essays from Attenberg and the other authors.
I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and the way the book was organized, which provided a palatable structure. In a moment of serendipity, I found myself reading Brian Washington’s essay soon after I finished his wonderful story “Foster” in The Best American Short Stories 2022. His essay, which advises a writer to trust themself and give themself grace, happened to be exactly what I needed to hear at the time.
This book covers a lot of ground as it explores myriad aspects of the task of getting words on the page while tackling the emotions and vulnerabilities associated with the process and beyond. The book even delves into ancillary topics such as tips related to knowing when a piece is done, and giving and receiving feedback.
Many of the authors mentioned the effects of the pandemic on their writing, offering hope for those dealing with grief and things that make it especially difficult to meet writing goals.
My only real issue with the book was that every so often an image with writing advice that was included written in a tiny font that I found difficult to read on my ereader. This issue may be resolved in the final ebook version and in the print book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.
December 22, 2023
Simon Element provided an early galley for review.
Running the monthly writing group at our library, I know how important inspiration and motivation can be for those trying to get their stories out of their heads and on to the paper. This book provides quite a bit of that.
While many writers will likely have heard much of this advice before (it is not rocket-science), we all often need to be reminded of these things to help keep us focused and on-track. Hearing from other writers adds to the supportive foundation. Knowing that even published professionals struggle with the process now and again can actually be encouraging for the rest of us.
Running the monthly writing group at our library, I know how important inspiration and motivation can be for those trying to get their stories out of their heads and on to the paper. This book provides quite a bit of that.
While many writers will likely have heard much of this advice before (it is not rocket-science), we all often need to be reminded of these things to help keep us focused and on-track. Hearing from other writers adds to the supportive foundation. Knowing that even published professionals struggle with the process now and again can actually be encouraging for the rest of us.
January 1, 2024
I was given an #ARC of this book from #NetGalley. I have been a Jami Attenberg newsletter subscriber in part because of the New Orleans content. I expected writing advice but perhaps because of the title anticipated it would be more "productivity" oriented. I was delighted to find that, instead, the book is charming vignettes from many of my favorite authors-- as much about life as about writing. This would be a great book to gift a writer/aspiring writer and one that is easy to dip in and out of.
January 15, 2024
This is mostly geared to prose writers rather than poets, but I still found a lot of food for thought and encouragement in these pages. I really appreciated the breadth of this guide’s suggestions and the wise kindness of its voices.
January 17, 2024
3.75 stars
More motivation than explicit craft (though that's in there too), but also very inspiring. A little reptative in the middle, and a lot of the author letters feel a little samey. Made me want to bust out some words, that's for sure.
More motivation than explicit craft (though that's in there too), but also very inspiring. A little reptative in the middle, and a lot of the author letters feel a little samey. Made me want to bust out some words, that's for sure.
January 16, 2024
Upon reading it I wanted to instantly start it again. Made writing feel fresh and fun and feasible!
October 9, 2023
I am a weekly reader of Jami's writing newsletter and cannot wait to get my eyes and mind on 1000 Words! Her weekly wisdom is a kind companion to my writing life and keeps me pushing forward. With her insight and encouragement through her written word, I was able to finish many drafts of a memoir, acquire an agent, and find a publisher. I am grateful that she shares so much of herself - the struggle and the triumph - with other writers. This is a must-have for any writer's bookshelf.
October 2, 2023
I started reading this on my own and then was assigned it for Booklist! Yay! So my full review will appear there. Attenberg started the 1000 Words of Summer challenge for herself and her teacher friends who had summers off. The idea is simple: write 1000 words every day. But with writing, it's so much more than that. Attenberg's essays are interspersed with those of many other writers talking about motivation and purpose. I did an experiment of 7 days with those thousand words, and I ended up with almost 10,000 words of content! I need to pivot to an editing project, but after I finish that I'll definitely be returning to this. A lot of the author essays resonated with me too.
September 21, 2023
This book can be recommended for writers of all kinds, whether you write a book, blog, or anything else. Whether it's 1,000 words or not, it's a collection of essays about writing. I couldn't put down this book. I love to write and this book is like a guide to writing more. Thanks to Simon Element and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and review it.
January 9, 2024
I am subscribed to Jami Attenberg’s Substack, Craft Talk, and have followed her #1000WordsofSummer almost since its inception, writing good chunks of my new memoir and my current WIP during those two week stretches each summer since 2020. So I pretty much knew what this book was going to be: a lively collection of essays about writing craft, motivation, and inspiration by Jami and other talented and exciting writers. It is all that but it is much more; the book, 1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round available for pre-order now, was a revelation.
The pieces written by the other authors are quite excellent, but it is the interplay between those essays and those by Jami herself that make the book such a valuable resource. This is a book for beginning writers, sure, but also for those of us who know all the practical advice (some of us even write that advice!) but who need to hear it from different points of view, using different metaphors and imagery. As with all the best “how-to” writing, it is the way someone writes something tried and true that can make it resonate anew.
I also appreciated the book’s diversity of voices, not just the spectrum of emerging writers to more well-known authors, but people of so many different identities and races that make this book feel so much like the wider artistic community I dream of existing within. I belong to a writers’ group whose members come in a wide variety of skin colors, are gay and straight, married and not, and who range from very religious to atheistic. We not only get along, we love and support each other like family. That caring family of writers is what this book feels like.
This is a book to have on your bookshelf for life, one you will pick up to get that boost for beginning your day’s proposed writing, or to propel your work to new heights during revisions and rewrites. It’s a book chock-full of reminders: of why you have chosen this path in life, how you can live the life you chose in new and brave ways, and why writing—and all art—is important to the world. Yes, community can save us. It will save us. It must.
The pieces written by the other authors are quite excellent, but it is the interplay between those essays and those by Jami herself that make the book such a valuable resource. This is a book for beginning writers, sure, but also for those of us who know all the practical advice (some of us even write that advice!) but who need to hear it from different points of view, using different metaphors and imagery. As with all the best “how-to” writing, it is the way someone writes something tried and true that can make it resonate anew.
I also appreciated the book’s diversity of voices, not just the spectrum of emerging writers to more well-known authors, but people of so many different identities and races that make this book feel so much like the wider artistic community I dream of existing within. I belong to a writers’ group whose members come in a wide variety of skin colors, are gay and straight, married and not, and who range from very religious to atheistic. We not only get along, we love and support each other like family. That caring family of writers is what this book feels like.
This is a book to have on your bookshelf for life, one you will pick up to get that boost for beginning your day’s proposed writing, or to propel your work to new heights during revisions and rewrites. It’s a book chock-full of reminders: of why you have chosen this path in life, how you can live the life you chose in new and brave ways, and why writing—and all art—is important to the world. Yes, community can save us. It will save us. It must.
January 17, 2024
If you are a writer, in any capacity, looking to get back on the writing horse or to just stay motivated as you go, then you'll want to read this book. Jami Attenberg and the contributing writers are generous with their thoughts in a kind but direct way — You can do this. You can find the method that works for you, and you can get your writing done.
I subscribe to her newsletter, so some of the text was vaguely familiar, but it's still worth reading again. We always need the reminder that we're capable of valuing our creativity, our work, and our time. Whether you're on a deadline or that writing is just for you, to see if you can do it (you can), you'll find something of use here. Wholeheartedly recommend.
Pair with Matt Bell's Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts (though maybe read Bell's book second, if you've read neither before), and you'll really feel capable of tackling that next project.
I subscribe to her newsletter, so some of the text was vaguely familiar, but it's still worth reading again. We always need the reminder that we're capable of valuing our creativity, our work, and our time. Whether you're on a deadline or that writing is just for you, to see if you can do it (you can), you'll find something of use here. Wholeheartedly recommend.
Pair with Matt Bell's Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts (though maybe read Bell's book second, if you've read neither before), and you'll really feel capable of tackling that next project.
August 28, 2023
The deal: It’s a writer’s guide with tons of bite-sized pieces of framing, advice, and inspiration from Attenberg and other authors like Roxane Gay, Sara Novic, Rumaan Alam, Alexander Chee, Jasmine Guillory, Melissa Febos, etc. It’s also a continuation of Attenberg’s newsletter and annual literary movement #1000WordsofSummer. (I got an ARC from NetGalley.)
Is it worth it?: You could probably get a ton of this from Attenberg’s newsletter, but if you’re the kind of writer who likes advice from acclaimed writers, this is definitely one to grab for in-a-rut inspo. There’s something for everyone, and I appreciate how a lot of the advice is contradicting—one secret formula to writing well for an entire lifetime does not exist. The one thing I didn’t love is how many of the other writers’ notes were clearly written in early COVID mania. It doesn’t necessarily invalidate those pieces of advice, but I found them off-putting to read.
Pairs well with: ultimately putting down the advice book and typing out your words, one after the next, until you hit your little daily goal
Is it worth it?: You could probably get a ton of this from Attenberg’s newsletter, but if you’re the kind of writer who likes advice from acclaimed writers, this is definitely one to grab for in-a-rut inspo. There’s something for everyone, and I appreciate how a lot of the advice is contradicting—one secret formula to writing well for an entire lifetime does not exist. The one thing I didn’t love is how many of the other writers’ notes were clearly written in early COVID mania. It doesn’t necessarily invalidate those pieces of advice, but I found them off-putting to read.
Pairs well with: ultimately putting down the advice book and typing out your words, one after the next, until you hit your little daily goal
Currently reading
January 2, 2024When I look back at my productivity as a writer, there is no doubt that participating in Jami Attenberg's "1000 Words of Summer," an accountability project where writers commit to writing one thousand words a day, every day, over a two week period in the summer, with daily e-mail encouragement from Jami and other writers, has helped me to generate more words (and story ideas) than at any other time of the year. I save Jami's e-mails. and refer to them whenever I need a little boost for my writing habit.
Now, with the publication of "1000 Words," I have access to all of these treasured messages in one place! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to build a regular, year-round writing practice, and needs inspiration, encouragement, and a reminder that all writers approach their craft differently. Thank you to Jami, Simon and Schuster/Simon Element, and NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to take an early look at, and to provide feedback on, "1000 Words."
Now, with the publication of "1000 Words," I have access to all of these treasured messages in one place! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to build a regular, year-round writing practice, and needs inspiration, encouragement, and a reminder that all writers approach their craft differently. Thank you to Jami, Simon and Schuster/Simon Element, and NetGalley for giving me this opportunity to take an early look at, and to provide feedback on, "1000 Words."
January 6, 2024
:: Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for a honest review in my own words ::
‘1000 Words’ is mostly comprised of author vignettes, each within a season (chapter) to help encourage you as writer despite what personal “season” you are going through. The authors stories serve their purpose, some are even beautiful, and there is a little something for everyone.
I can only give it three stars as I found myself, from time to time, skimming the text. I tend to read craft books with a set purpose, a want. I want my questions answered quickly and thoroughly with little purple gauze to get in the way - in short, I love lists, “let’s do this thing”. I think ‘1000 Words’ is better suited for the leisure reader, someone who is either just starting to read writing craft books or has a deep interest in writing with no set goal in sight.
‘1000 Words’ is mostly comprised of author vignettes, each within a season (chapter) to help encourage you as writer despite what personal “season” you are going through. The authors stories serve their purpose, some are even beautiful, and there is a little something for everyone.
I can only give it three stars as I found myself, from time to time, skimming the text. I tend to read craft books with a set purpose, a want. I want my questions answered quickly and thoroughly with little purple gauze to get in the way - in short, I love lists, “let’s do this thing”. I think ‘1000 Words’ is better suited for the leisure reader, someone who is either just starting to read writing craft books or has a deep interest in writing with no set goal in sight.
September 6, 2023
It took me awhile to get through Jami's new book, because it really is a book of suggestions, ideas, and inspirations for one's own writing. I remember when Natalie Goldberg first published Writing Down The Bones, and this one seems to pick up from there.
So many nudges when one is uninspired: places to start, ideas to continue a thought, write it even if it makes no sense.
Jami's inspirational book isn't really a book, as in read it and it's done. It's a playbook for continuing one's creative visions, even in the space of the hopelessness of the world.
Many writers contribute their own thoughts, on writing, and on the creative process. Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the eARC.
So many nudges when one is uninspired: places to start, ideas to continue a thought, write it even if it makes no sense.
Jami's inspirational book isn't really a book, as in read it and it's done. It's a playbook for continuing one's creative visions, even in the space of the hopelessness of the world.
Many writers contribute their own thoughts, on writing, and on the creative process. Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the eARC.
November 9, 2023
I was one of the lucky ones to receive an ARC copy from NetGalley, (Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster.) but that doesn’t mean that I won’t buy the book. I will buy 1000 Words not only for myself but also for my friends. It will be such a great addition to my shelf of my most treasured books about writing.
Jami Attenberg, with the help of letters she had received from other writers, doesn’t fail to inspire. Actually, she succeeds. She gently motivates us creatives to do better, to do more. But what I love the most is that Ms. Attenberg understands the daily struggles that writers go through, and with much empathy and wisdom, she guides all writers through the process.
As she says, "value your creative self." So let’s write 1000 words. Now. Every day.
Jami Attenberg, with the help of letters she had received from other writers, doesn’t fail to inspire. Actually, she succeeds. She gently motivates us creatives to do better, to do more. But what I love the most is that Ms. Attenberg understands the daily struggles that writers go through, and with much empathy and wisdom, she guides all writers through the process.
As she says, "value your creative self." So let’s write 1000 words. Now. Every day.
December 9, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Element for the ARC of 1000 Words in exchange for an honest review.
Upon finishing I immediately went online to join Jami's newsletter for the 1000 Words Challenge (though I'd love to have this as a habit before June 2024).
The short notes and input from other writers are inspirational, and some of them I really related to from my own journey. Writing can be isolating, and 1000 Words acknowledges this but also shows the commonalities between us all. It's definitely a book that would be good to open on a daily basis for new encouragement.
Upon finishing I immediately went online to join Jami's newsletter for the 1000 Words Challenge (though I'd love to have this as a habit before June 2024).
The short notes and input from other writers are inspirational, and some of them I really related to from my own journey. Writing can be isolating, and 1000 Words acknowledges this but also shows the commonalities between us all. It's definitely a book that would be good to open on a daily basis for new encouragement.
November 15, 2023
1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round by Jami Attenberg is a collection of essays intended to provide reasons to write and inspire writing. The author spends a lot of time discussing the why of writing and the obstacles to writing. I expected more daily prompts. Instead, the author discusses writing in each season. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.
January 18, 2024
This book has some great insights and motivation for putting words on the page. I appreciate the insights on developing a creative practice, getting out of my own head, dialing down my expectations, letting go of perfection, and just having fun.
Enjoyable read - but I did not walk away with any new tools to put in my writing belt. That said — I will continue to refer to this book when I need a reminder or a jolt of inspiration.
Enjoyable read - but I did not walk away with any new tools to put in my writing belt. That said — I will continue to refer to this book when I need a reminder or a jolt of inspiration.
December 12, 2023
A bunch of little writing pep talks about the creative process and insecurity and life. I read this slowly over the month of October, and attribute it with at least half the credit of finishing a first draft I was stuck on. I can already see myself revisiting this again and again for a little jolt of inspo.
January 16, 2024
A great collection of inspiration and empathy
I'm a longtime participant in 1000 words of summer, but I think there's something in this book for everyone. There's not a lot of practical writing advice in here, which is great--everyone's process is unique. This book is much more about the big picture vibes, both good and bad, of having a creative career. Recommended for everyone.
I'm a longtime participant in 1000 words of summer, but I think there's something in this book for everyone. There's not a lot of practical writing advice in here, which is great--everyone's process is unique. This book is much more about the big picture vibes, both good and bad, of having a creative career. Recommended for everyone.
January 17, 2024
I've been doing Jami's #1000Words event for the past few summers, so I have gotten to read most of these letters as they were rolled out. Having them all together in one book, with a lot of additional guidance by Jami, is amazing. The list of contributors is off the charts--and they all have something profound and useful to say.
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