This practical guide to writing from British-born Cypriot poet, fiction writer, and essayist Anthony Anaxagorou provides tips, anecdotes, and publishing advice for writers looking for encouragement and inspiration. Infusing memoir into the book, Anaxagorou begins with an account of his upbringing as a child of a working-class immigrant family in London to his first poetry slam win and evolving relationship with literature and the poetry scene. These personal lessons not only contextualize the passion and dedication necessary to become a writer and to keep writing, but also bring to light the joy of writing. “The act of writing, specifically poetry, opened me up to a space where I didn’t have to be certain,” writes Anaxagorou. “It was a space where anything could happen, where there was no one to judge or fail me. It was my most private and solitary world.” With approachable chapter titles such as “Learning From Failure,” “Technique and Craft,” and “You Have a Manuscript, Now What?” this guide encourages writers to overcome challenging obstacles and provoke change in and through their practice.
