Elise Valmorbida, The Happy Writing Book (Laurence King Publishing 2021)
A writing book not just about the craft, but about the process and the emotional journey of writing
In my view, there could never be too many books about writing. There are always new ways of reviewing the basics, new viewpoints to hear, new examples to use. However, this book is not just one more writing book—it’s something completely different. This is the first writing book I’ve come across which addresses the why, not just the how. This is a writing book that outlines not only the craft of writing, but the spiritual/emotional journey involved.
Each chapter is only one or two pages long, and there are 100 of them, 100 ‘parcels of inspiration and provocation’. Chapter headings include “Dream big”, “Put off procrastination”, “Perfect is the enemy of good”, “Make yourself feel”, and (my favourite) “Change the world”. The Further Reading section at the end has headings like “Randomness” and “Listening to silence”.
The HWB addresses not just the method of writing but the process of writing and the psychological journey involved. Why do we want to write? What is holding us back, emotionally? How do we overcome what gets in our way? The chapters often end with a ‘homework’ exercise—again, focussing on provoking creativity, not just on using a particular writing technique.
One could probably assume that anyone reading this book is already writing or starting to write, so some of the advice might be a tad simplistic, but the different approach (process rather than just technique) makes up for it, and the chapters are so short they only take a minute to read. I found it a handy tool reading one or two chapters a day to provide a pep talk before starting my morning’s writing.
The condensation of choice ideas and concepts into the small space makes the chapters almost like little poems. I totally loved the metaphor for creative juices (our writing forays are as one ant’s action, then another’s) as—‘formic pheromones’. The HWB is full of gorgeous new ideas like that.
Susie Helme 
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