My mother gave me Richard Rhodes’ How to Write more than a decade ago when I graduated High School. It came with me as I moved across Canada and back again regardless of the fact that in my first attempt I didn’t finish it.

All these years later I have picked it up and devoured it. If you are interested in writing as a practice I whole heartedly recommend it.

In skillfully selected prose Rhodes covers many topics relevant to an aspiring writer. From the different forms, the importance of foundations, the process of editing and the realities of the business Rhodes entertains and enlightens.

How to Write is full of amusing truisms such as “A page a day is a book a year”.  For this brief but glowing review I will end the same way Rhodes ends the book:

“Endings can also be beginnings. If you want to write, you can.”