As a frustrated/wannabe writer, Maggie's book of essays and observations about art and creativity really spoke to me. Like with a lot of these books, you'll pick and choose the elements that will be most relevant to you.

I'm sorry, but this was SO corny.
First of all, it's geared solely towards writing poetry. Yes, there's something about "Advice for the Creative Life" on the cover, but really, this only deals with poetry. Which, you know, would be fine if the poetry in question were truly stellar, or did something cool and unexpected with language or thoughts... but. As it turns out, Ms Smith's brand of Insta-ready, easily digestible poetry lite simply does not do it for me. And I say this as an expert on her work, because Ms Smith's sole area of interest is her own poems, which she proceeds to force-feed her "Dear Writers" at every turn.
So yes, I'm not impressed. I like my poetry a tad deeper and more complex than "I let a thought prove in my head overnight./ In the morning I check to see what's risen./ I try to expect nothing, which is exactly/ what I deserve. What kind of woman/ demands her head deliver?"
I'm sorry, what? Why *wouldn't* you "demand" your head to deliver, just because you're a woman? Isn't that a tad sexist? What am I supposed to draw from something like this? It's neither formally sophisticated or even just ambitious, nor does it have anything to say. It's just pretty words that don't tax the reader's poetry muscles too much and would look good on a postcard (or Instagram post).
I also felt aghast at the fact that she apparently more often than not needs to insert an epigraph from another person's/woman's poem as a jumping-off point. Not sure about the creativity quotient of that one...

Then, there's the quality of the advice itself. Take her professional, hard-won views on choosing a title (for your poem, of course), for example:
"A good title is an asset: it might carry metaphorical freight for the piece, [...], or do work the piece itself doesn't have to do. [...]
A bad title is a liability: it works against the piece rather than for it. [...]
A competent title is neither an asset nor a liability. It's neutral."
(She also compares a piece's title to a welcome mat, so apparently the idea is to stomp all over it and wipe the dirt off your feet.)
And while you're still catching your breath, this is how that paragraph goes on:
"For example, a poem of mine in Goldenrod is titled 'Woman, 41, with a History of Alzheimer's on Both Sides of her Family.' Would the titles 'Memory' or 'Forgetting' work for that poem? Yes, either would be competent, accurately reflecting a concern of the speaker and telling the reader what the poem is grappling with. But the more specific title communicates more information -- the age of the speaker, and the stakes."
Serious advice or borderline parody? You decide.
Another example for a "good" title (also, another of her poems, obviously) is quoted as "At the End of My Marriage, I Think of Something My Daughter Said About Trees".
I don't know about you, but that kind of confessional/therapeutical poetry... let's just say, it's not what I'm looking for and leave it at that.

I also wasn't excited about being drawn into Ms Smith's family life, which somehow seemed intended to imprint on me the importance of, uh, Stuff, but came across as simply cringey and corny to me. I mean, what am I supposed to take from the following passage:
"My kids and I do our best to focus on beauty in our house. It's not unusual to hear one of us shout, 'Beauty emergency!' A beauty emergency is what we call something that stops you right in your tracks, something you have to look at right away, before it's gone. It might be a fiery pink-and-orange sunrise, or an albino squirrel in the sycamore tree, or snowflakes that seem to be falling in slow motion. If you take your time getting to the window, the sunrise might be pale peach by then, the white squirrel might be gone, the snow turned to sleet."
Really.
First of all, seeing as there's no beauty here in actual need of rescue, wouldn't "Beauty Alert" be a much more fitting exclamation? (But then, what would I know about proper wording, I'm not a poet.) Then, seriously? This book promises "Practical Advice" on matters relating to creativity, and all I get is whimsical stories about the author's home life? I came for the advice, not the flamingo sunset.

Then, there's the perpetual flogging of her various works. If she's not going on about her family life and all those cute/profound/astounding things her kids say, Ms Smith likes to tell us that she has published some books. And poems. Also, a memoir. About her failed marriage and her divorce. Which takes up so much space in this book that it made me feel like she wanted me to read that book instead, or at the very least go out and buy it, but I don't really want to. Because, seriously, it does not sound that great:
"In my memoir, You Could Make this Place Beautiful, I thread quotes from other writers and thinkers I admire -- primarily women --, throughout the narrative [...]. It was like a Greek chorus of strong, brilliant women were standing shoulder-to-shoulder with me in those pages, validating and confirming my own thoughts. For example, after a brief chapter in which I describe my ex-husband's lawyer putting 'work' in air quotes when talking about my writing and teaching, I quote Rebecca Solnit on the following page: 'Writing is work that can hold up its head with all the other kinds of useful work out there, and it is genuinely work.'"
Yeah, girl, show them how it's done! Or, you know, quote some female writer most people are unaware of, and who obviously is totally unbiased about how truly important writing is (=very). And why would you even need "validation"? Like, your own conviction and feelings of self-worth aren't enough, so you need to arm yourself with some sharp Joan Didion quip? Would Joan herself have stooped to this, or would she rather have given the world the finger? And why in the world can't you??
And all because some super mean male lawyer dared to put your Very Important Poetry writing down... This whole paragraph is just so sad.

So, this is "Dear Writer". That's what it's about. If this is the kind of thing you find helpful or even just fun to read, power to you! Me, I was hoping for something slightly different.


My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher. I'll go check out the albino sunset now, all the while screeching "Beauty Emergency!!!" until my neighbors call the police.

Personal, thoughtful and openhearted
—
Focused on poetry, as the author has taught for more than twenty years in that field, there is still a lot for non-poets to glean from this personal and thoughtful book. As in the best books on writing, the author includes a framework of prompts and urges to test the themes on which the book is based. Not your usual subjects, these are as much applicable to a piece of writing as to the writing life.

Writing is a science, an art and a craft. There are writing books, particularly on novels or screenwriting, that focus on the technical, the tried and tested, the science of writing. There are books that look at writing as an act of creative destruction and construction, on world-building and flights of fancy, on the art inherent in the act of imagining and describing. And then there are books like Smith’s, that focus on the craft — as well as the other aspects — on the stuff behind the plot, the words, the characters, the ambience, the world. The book focuses on the themes within the act of writing, within the writing itself and within the writer, exploring the tension and magic between the three, offering paths to take and terrain to explore, to round out the writer as much as the writing. And for non-poets, don’t be put off that it’s written with poetry at the forefront; use your imagination and you’ll get loads out of this openhearted book.

Four and a half stars

This book is so insightful and focuses on writing. Author has shared their insights and have shared practical advises. This book is for aspiring writers. This book will definitely inspire you and loved how the author has broken down the process in parts. Lately I realised that writing prompts really helps. No one can become a writer overnight but writing 10 minutes a day makes a big difference. So the book truly inspired me.

Thanks to the Publisher

EXCERPT: On beginnings - The reader should be intrigued, drawn in, propelled forward. It doesn't matter how powerful the middle of the story is, or how gorgeous and resonant the ending is, if the reader never reaches it.

ABOUT 'DEAR WRITER': Drawing from her twenty years of teaching experience and her bestselling Substack newsletter, For Dear Life, Maggie Smith breaks down creativity into ten essential attention, wonder, vision, play, surprise, vulnerability, restlessness, tenacity, connection, and hope. Each element is explored through short, inspiring, and craft-focused essays, followed by generative writing prompts. Dear Writer provides tools that artists of all experience levels can apply to their own creative practices and carry with them into all genres and all areas of life.

MY THOUGHTS: Dear Writer worked for me on many levels. Initially I was disappointed because it appeared to be angled solely towards advice for poets. But, as I read, I came to realise that much of this advice can be applied equally well to any form of writing and I began to feel excited and inspired to the point where I was up at 3am reworking my writing group assignment, which I had been feeling unhappy with, the morning it was due.

The 'pep talks' start with the salutation "Dear Writer", finish with Maggie's signature and, while not always containing new advice, certainly reinforces what I have read before. But there are things that were new to me, advice that was a little more practical than that I have read before. Advice that is enormously valuable to someone who writes or wants to write but is also juggling family and career commitments. Life doesn't always allow us to sit down daily at a prescribed time and churn out a prescribed number of words, and Maggie Smith acknowledges this and provides alternative strategies.

Maggie stresses the importance of slowing down and paying attention to the world around you, to utilising all your senses - not just your sight and hearing; of jotting down words and ideas as they come to you - something I am guilty of NOT doing. I thought that if I repeated things to myself three times, I would remember - that definitely does NOT work for me! Pen and notebook, phone - it doesn't matter what you use - write on your arm if you need to!

She sets "Generative Writing Activities", some of which I am going to suggest to the writing group I attend, and provides lists of reference materials and recommended reading.

The text also contains a number of her own poems, most of which I lingered over and reread many times, and frequent references to her memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, which I am going to find and read.

I have highlighted so much good advice and relevant information that I know I am going to come back to this text time and time again.

Thank you, Maggie Smith. You have not only actively inspired my writing, but reignited my long dormant passion for poetry.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.3

#DearWriter #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: I’m a poet, writer, editor, and teacher. I’ve published several books of poetry and prose, including Good Bones (you might know the title poem) and two recent bestsellers, Keep Moving and Goldenrod. My memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, is a New York Times bestseller.

My poems and essays have appeared in the New York Times, The New Yorker, the Guardian, the Paris Review, Tin House, the Washington Post, and The Best American Poetry. When I’m not writing, teaching in an MFA Program, or editing books for other poets, I’m usually hanging out with my two favorite human beings: my daughter and son. We live in the Columbus, Ohio, area. Yes, it’s my hometown. (Source:maggiesmithpoet.com)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Canongate Books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Dear Writer by Maggie Smith for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Generous advice for writers, this focuses primarily on poetry, which is understandable given that Smith is best known for her poetry. Having said that, she is keen to expand the practice and ideas she offers into all areas of creativity and this feels very inclusive and encouraging no matter what kind of creative process you're working with. Each chapter takes a theme, with an essay followed by a series of explanations and exercises that help you unpack the nuance of each theme. There is a reading list at the end of each chapter to inspire and guide you further. I loved this. It was gentle but powerfully encouraging.

As someone who loves the arts and has a great respect for the craft I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring advice from the great Maggie Smith to readers. I learned so much and wow what a life and legacy.