Looking for a comprehensive guide to the world of publishing? Then look no further than Laura Stanfill’s Imagine a Door. The book doesn’t feel so much like a writing course, like many other writing books often do, but rather more like you are having a conversation with someone who has been in the industry and has ‘been there and done that’ if you know what I mean. Stanfill has an easy to understand writing style and covers all aspects of the publishing journey, using over a dozen case studies to illustrate a multitude of topics. While there are definitely better books out there to teach you how to write better, this is the book you want if you want to understand the publishing process. Thanks so much to the publisher for allowing access to an ARC of Imagine a Door.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/imagine-a-door-laura-stanfill/1146027351?ean=9781942436652&bvnotificationId=b9829688-4282-11f0-9550-126b785d17c3&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/348783435

A wonderful read!
Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to the Netgalley, publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book and give my honest review!

This is a great book to have in hand while you are tackling your manuscript. Any piece of writing you do includes a creative process, it doesn’t have to be a book that you are working on. And this gives great insight into the struggles that comes with that journey. I found it quite helpful and easy to understand. The approach was thought provoking. It is a great source to go through.
4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC. 

I'm so happy that I received an ARC of this book, this was exactly the right time in my life for this boom to come to me. 

I'm an aspiring author (who isn't?) and I know that a lot of the information on this book (and more!) can be easily found online, but I also know that as an aspiring author it can be easy to put off writing your actual book in the name of "research". This book pulls together the most important information without all the fluff, you can get through the entire book very quickly. 

I would recommend reading this book to anyone who hopes to get a book published.

For writers and publishers, Stanfill’s Imagine a Door offers illuminating insights across the entire spectrum of the industry. As the founder of Forest Avenue Press, the author interweaves professional wisdom from over seventy-five interviews with her own industry experiences to detail the multifaceted process of writing and publishing.

The book begins by explaining to writers that they should not set out to attain idolic status through their writing, but instead lead with passion and pay tribute to the stories demanding propelling from within their souls. Supporting her claims, Stanfill weaves captivating stories about having to deal with a chronic illness, motherhood, and even competing in roller derby, which inspire her writing.

Covering every possibility, Stanfill moves through the challenges a writer may face throughout the writing and publishing process, whether choosing a traditional publisher, an independent one, or opting for self or hybrid publishing. This diverse range of industry insight assists seasoned and novice writers alike. She observes the likelihood of covered rewards resulting from years’ worth of effort spent publishing being inconsequential. Regardless of the pain associated, the joy associated with reading is unmatched, and for this reason alone, the book focuses on the beauty of writing in all its forms, be it on paper or in one’s mind—paving the course to a rewarding practice flexible to change.

The book offers helpful insights on how one can obtain reviews, gain professional placement of their book in stores, manage feelings of imposter syndrome, find sensitivity readers, and portray stories that encapsulate.