Everyone Has What It Takes: A Writer’s Guide to the End of Self-Doubt

Product Description

An insightful guide for any writer who’s ever wondered if they’re talented, creative, lovable, or worthy enough. Spoiler alert: You are.

As hard as the craft of writing is, the greatest challenges writers face are often within ourselves. Comparison, self-doubt, isolation, and other internal struggles can derail a writer’s progress, at any stage in the writing life. Author, essayist, and speaker William Kenower knows these struggles first-hand, and hears them from writers everywhere he teaches and appears. In this candid and encouraging book, he dismantles the myth that some writers have talent and others don’t, and shares relatable stories, wisdom, and best practices for reengaging with our passion, following our curiosity, and staying connected to what matters most.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “really” a writer, or should retreat to a safer, more conventional path, this enlightening and accepting book will spark renewed purpose and joy on your writing journey.

Review

“I wish I’d read
Everyone Has What It Takes when I was starting my first book. Or my second. Or, for that matter, my hundredth magazine article. For me, as for most writers, self-doubt is never in short supply. Wisdom is. The wisdom of someone who’s walked the whole discouraging, uplifting, terrifying, exciting road of a writer’s life. Bill Kenower has that wisdom in abundance.
Everyone Has What It Takes is a quietly powerful guide to both writing and life that will help you get past your psychological roadblocks and into your craft, whatever that may be.
This book is a treasure.”
—Martha Beck,
New York Times bestselling author, sociologist and life coach

“I always look forward to hearing what William Kenower has to say about writing. In his latest book, Kenower explores what it means to be a successful creative as he examines the equality of personal talent. As usual, I felt energized and validated by his intellectual discussion of prose and life. Kenower reminds us to enjoy the whole writing journey, not just the high points.
Everyone Has What It Takes will give your creative side a much-needed boost, which is good, because, as Kenower says, ‘ . . . the page is waiting for you.’”
—
Windy Lynn Harris, author of
Writing & Selling Short Stories & Personal Essays

“Like Elizabeth Gilbert in
Big Magic, Bill Kenower teaches us that sometimes the simplest ideas are the most profound. Follow your curiosity. Lead your life. Write your books. In honest, accessible prose, Kenower takes us past craft and into the psyche, where all writing starts, and gives us the core lessons that every writer needs to hear, and probably every day.”
—
Erica Bauermeister, bestselling author of 
The School of Essential Ingredients and
The Scent Keeper

“William Kenower’s encouraging new book, full of personal tales and relatable wisdom, urges you to throw out everything you think you know about becoming a successful writer. Instead, he exhorts, be curious, trust your words, say yes to opportunities and, most im-portant, keep writing what matters to you. A must-read for writers at all stages of the process.”
—
Jordan Rosenfeld, author of
How to Write a Page-Turner

“William Kenower offers engaging personal stories from his personal experience about how, as writers, we often put ourselves on what I’d call a failure to thrive track. Then he expertly shows us how to reverse that toward pleasure and finding our own writing path.”
—
Sheila Bender, author of
Writing Personal Essays

“In,
Everyone Has What It Takes, Bill Kenower reminds us that with the right mind-set and attitude, we can create our own success with our writing. Using poignant stories from his life, Kenower shines light on the negative things we tell ourselves related to our creative life and illustrates a more positive approach for us to take. Inspiring and encouraging, this book should be part of every writer’s library.”
—
Kerrie Flanagan, writing consultant and author of
The Writer’s Diges