How to Write Like a Writer: A Sharp and Subversive Guide to Ignoring Inhibitions, Inviting Inspiration, and Finding Your True Voice

by Thomas C. Foster

The New York Times bestselling author of the beloved classic How to Read Literature Like a Professor teaches you how to write everything from a report for your community association to a meaningful memoir in this masterful and engaging guide.

Combing anecdotes and hard-won lessons from decades of teaching and writing—and invoking everyone from Hemingway to your third-grade teacher—retired professor Thomas C. Foster guides you through the basics of writing. With How to Write Like a Writer you’ll learn how to organize your thoughts, construct first drafts, and (not incidentally) keep you in your chair so that inspiration can come to visit.

With warmth and wit, Foster shows you how to get into (and over) your best self, how to find your voice, and how to know when, if ever, a piece of work is done.

Packed with enlightening anecdotes, highlighted with lists and bullet points, this invaluable guide reveals how writers work their magic, and reminds us that we all—for better or worse, whether we mean to or not—are known by what we put on paper or screen, both our thoughts and our words.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference, Business, Audiobook, Books About Books

320 pages, Paperback

Published September 6, 2022

About the author

Thomas C. Foster is Professor of English at the University of Michigan, Flint, where he teaches classes in contemporary fiction, drama, and poetry as well as creative writing and composition. Foster has been teaching literature and writing since 1975, the last twenty-one years at the University of Michigan-Flint. He lives in East Lansing, Michigan.

In addition to How to Read Novels Like a Professor (Summer 2008) and How to Read Literature Like a Professor (2003), both from HarperCollins, Foster is the author of Form and Society in Modern Literature (Northern Illinois University Press, 1988), Seamus Heaney (Twayne, 1989), and Understanding John Fowles(University of South Carolina Press, 1994). His novel The Professor's Daughter, is in progress.

Foster studied English at Dartmouth College and then Michigan State University, moving forward from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to the twentieth in the process. His academic writing has concentrated on twentieth-century British, American, and Irish figures and movements—James Joyce, William Faulkner, Seamus Heaney, John Fowles, Derek Mahon, Eavan Boland, modernism and postmodernism. But he reads and teaches lots of other writers and periods: Shakespeare, Sophocles, Homer, Dickens, Hardy, Poe, Ibsen, Twain.

Author photograph courtesy of HarperCollins.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

How To Write Like A Writer is a helpful and imaginative guide to the art and craft of writing filled with helpful hints. Also included are exercises designed to clarify your thoughts and develop your voice as a writer. The language is easy to understand and examples are generous. This is a good addition to my library.

My thanks to the author, Thomas C. Foster, and the publisher, Harper Perennial, through whom I received my hard copy of this book. This was facilitated through a Goodreads Giveaway.

[elif sinem · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book stands at an uncomfortable crossroads: it's not specific enough to work as a true "writing book" (the examples are nice, and the process is okay, but since it aims at every kind of writing, it often uses empty platitudes about what a beginning/ending have to be, wasting a totally serviceable parallel to movies in the process [ruined further by that horrendous bit of prose in that chapter]), it's not uplifting enough to work as a self-help book for the writer - kind of person that is quite prone to inferiority complex - and it's not opinionated enough to justify the long digressions about the education system and other works. It tries everything and succeeds at nothing. Most laughable was when there's an entire chapter on sentences and how they work two thirds in; that would be after chapters on beginning, middling, and ending a piece of work. Don't you think people would know that by now?

Also, the theory and subsequent examples on "show don't tell" is a complete misfire. In narrative, everything has to be subservient to the tone and character - how that path is taken is completely up to the author. There's works that work amazingly with telling, montages et al, and there's works that would be better served not to summarize themselves, and yet still there are works that are drunk on their own description and prose and never go anywhere. It's a case by case situation - and frankly the easiest opinion to have about anything creative writing. But that would imply that the book is about creative writing, and it's not. It's about all writing. Should've just stuck to the grammar stuff then. That's the only thing all writing got in common lol

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Write Like a Writer, A Sharp and Subversive Guide to Ignoring Inhibitions, Inviting Inspiration, and Finding Your True Voice by Thomas C. Foster was only the second book I’ve seriously looked at for a greater knowledge of how I might write a better review.
I wasn’t paying attention in school and suffered from the boring old formats.
The author compelled me to see that I will learn from exercising my abilities and better understand my writing with practice. Also that failure can teach me a lot. I need to to a lot more thinking and practicing. I love the “reading journal” and “practice rewriting news paper articles” for practice.
I could go on and on but I just say that I found it helpful.
I’m no writer nor will be, but I’ve definitely been inspired to try. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for some solid insight.
Thanks Harper Perennial via NetGalley.
My favorite quote:
“All writing is an act of imagination. Use yours. Discover or invent the best way to say what it is you have to say in your writing. Don’t write the way you think a book would have you do it. Write the way you think and feel will best do the job.”

[Linda Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wrote a negative review and held it for three days (as the author suggested) before posting it here. That time has elapsed, so here's the review.

Maybe the subtitle should have been, "How to Wreck Your Book by Alienating Half Your Readership Due to a Needless Expression of Political Bias."

I might have been a fan of this author if he hadn't had the unmitigated gall of inserting his political bias into a book about writing, in chapters 18 and 19. I wanted to learn about writing, not about his political beliefs. I also didn't want my political beliefs insulted after already spending many hours of my time reading the book!

The author used divisive political content as examples. He could easily have used examples that weren't going to instantly alienate half his readers. If I'd known this was a political book, I would never have started reading it.

Note to authors: that's a great way to lose half your fans. There is no room for politically divisive content in a book about writing. Your political views are completely off-topic. 100%.

The author tried to be entertaining but included some very basic information that experienced writers might find annoying, like a chapter on sentence structure, and another on how to choose a topic to write about! I thought some of the chapters could have been left out. The book's length outlasted my enthusiasm to read it.

Another major flaw is that the book doesn't live up to the subtitle's promises. Instead of teaching me to ignore inhibitions, invite inspiration and find my true voice it mainly offered some fairly standard writing advice as you might expect from a university English professor. (That is the author's career.) I really expected more unique and innovative ideas to match the promise of the lengthy subtitle.

It is never clearly stated that this is a book for students or for writing nonfiction essays and term papers. It attempts to be a book about all types of writing. I think it should be clear from the beginning what types of writers would benefit from the book.

I read this entire book but it was a two-month slog for me despite the author's attempts to be witty and entertaining. I will not read another one of his books and am seriously considering never reading anything else published by Harper Collins because they let the political bias comments remain in the text. Thanks to NetGalley for arranging for me to read this. I'm sure everyone will be grateful that I will not request any more books published by Harper Collins or authored by Thomas C. Foster.

[Lanette Sweeney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see this author is earnest in his intent--to reassure students they have the skills to write their own stories. But I can't imagine the book's intended audience. There is absolutely nothing subversive in these pages. Students won't want to read a book about how they've been discouraged from finding their authentic voices. And more experienced writers already know nearly all of what this author wrote and will find the padded-on clauses annoying.

Here are some examples: "[F]ailure is a necessary component to success, at least for this writer." Or: "For any passage in your writing, ask yourself, Does this sound good? Does this sound good to me? The original italicized the word good in sentence one and me in sentence two, as if that would clarify the meaning, and the author provided little explanation of how one might *know* what good writing sounds like. Or for those looking for a retread of the obvious: "Every piece of writing is an occasion for increasing self-knowledge."

A couple more sentences that made me wince:

"Make no mistake, all the usual duties of public writing also obtain." (Does he mean apply?)

"The second major reason not to discuss usage in a book like this (all right, in this book) is that usage practices change more rapidly than ever before because of a host of forces." What??

The book's final chapter, Appendix: Bold Statements (and Bald-faced Truths), lists the key points from the previous chapters. If you must read some part of this book, this chapter probably covers everything you need to know. Cannot recommend.

[Martin Maenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Write Like a Writer comes out in September of 2022; Harper Perennial provided me an early galley for review

I have been an amateur writer, dabbling in the craft, for the better part of close to five decades. Some of my favorite courses in high school and college were those of the liberal arts, where I could stretch my creative muscles on essays and papers. And the filing cabinet next to my desk in my man-cave is full of folders with partial literary indeavors I've attempted.

I am also no stranger to books on writing. Over the years, I've read plenty. One shelf of my many bookcases is devoted to tomes on the subject. So, How to Writer Like a Writer instantly appealed to a fundamental element of my nature.

I enjoyed Foster's approach to the topic of writing. It was done in a methodical manner but was also infused with a sense of wit to go with the wisdom. It was like sitting through an enjoyable composition course with a professor you would want to hang out with after class.

The advice and guidance were pretty standard, based on the many books I have read on writing. By that, I mean that this is tried and true, evergreen instruction. It is the kind of stuff we writers need to be reminded of every now and again. For those reasons, I very much would recommend this book to anyone looking to polish their own craft.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Write Like a Writer does just that… Much like Foster’s other books I expect that this one will soon be on English Literature teacher’s reading lists everywhere. From finding your voice as a writer to understanding that you are the first member of your audience, Foster covers it all. If you are wanting to write a movie review, a research paper, or a novel, you will take something away from this one.

[Kelly Paradis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated reading through this book by Thomas Foster. As an aspiring writer interested in venturing outside of the non-fiction realm, I enjoyed how laid back the author's approach is. I think the advice is reasonably standard, and agree that quality writing is going to involve some "unlearning" of what we all went through in school. As a parent of young kids, I laughed aloud at the example of the thank you note.

I noticed the attempt to be inclusive by varying the use of "she" and "he", but in the end it is a bit distracting and may have been better using some more neutral language (they, themselves, etc).

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the opportunity to access this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[dori · Rating 3 out of 5]

NetGalley, I thank you again for a fun read, and a handy resource I'll be adding to my library. Here's my honest review in exchange:

I love Foster's "how to" books. I've started teaching learning confidence to adult students and find Foster's books to be great resources for this; they are especially good choices for that target market. They are easy to read and informative, but not patronizing. I won't lie, I made heavy use of "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" after going to college as an adult, myself, and it helped orient me before I landed at a small liberal arts college, since you know how those can be about "literature."

My only beef with this book, at all, is the extraordinarily lengthy and repetitious introduction. I kept wondering if he was trying to meet a page count or something.

[Marc Vickers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what I was hoping for, but nothing new here. I’ve loved all of Foster’s other books but this one is a flop for me. I’d recommend Stephen King’s “On Writing” if you’re looking for lots of take-aways.

[Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only problem with this book is that a massive portion of it focuses on essays and nonfiction writing, which is not my goal. It doesn't say that on the cover. Otherwise, it's very informative and encouraging.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a good book for a writing course. I am probably not the intended audience as I was looking for specific tips for writing, and not so much background information. How to Write Like a Writer, takes a more philosophical approach to writing, deconstructing published works and author processes to provide examples to the writer. It also reads like a motivational speech for writers who are hesitant or have self-doubt. I did find some helpful tips and exercises sprinkled throughout which I bookmarked until I realized they were all summarized in the Appendix.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perrenial for an advance readers' copy.

[chasingholden · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Write Like a Writer does just that… Much like Foster’s other books I expect that this one will soon be on English Literature teacher’s reading lists everywhere. From finding your voice as a writer to understanding that you are the first member of your audience, Foster covers it all. If you are wanting to write a movie review, a research paper, or a novel, you will take something away from this one.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an editor, I like to read craft books on writing or any writing book to hone my craft in editing books. I enjoyed reading How to Write Like a Writer by Thomas C. Foster. The author's writing style was conversational in tone and easy to read and follow. Mr. Foster provided practical information in an easy-to-understand format with simple and direct information.

The chapters are short but infused with practical information that can be applied immediately to an author's writing. The statements at the end were a great addition.

How to Write Like a Writer is a great addition to potential authors, seasoned authors, or anyone interested in writing. A great reference material to add to your shelf. I would rate this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

#HowtoWriteLikeaWriter #NetGalley @HarperPerennial

[Rich Farrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think Foster's "How to Read..." series is one of the best as as far as taking complex literary moves and making them digestible and entertaining for readers of all ages, so I was looking forward to reading his take on the writing process itself, knowing that he is a strong writer. Without being too unkind, I felt like this really sold his own writing short. Perhaps the title was the issue: "Writer" is the term he used. What kind of writing is this book focused on? Well, most of it seems to be about the craft of academic writing, like for an English 101 class. Then, however, he uses examples from literature that get mixed up with his book otherwise on academic argument. He touches on some things like grammar and sentence structure, but stays flying so far above it that if someone doesn't really know what he's talking about already, one couldn't learn anything from it. I think some focus would have really benefited this. Maybe if he wrote "How to Write Like an Academic" he could have developed something that goes beyond the ambiguous idea of brainstorming writing anything that is practiced even in primary grades. I felt, as it dragged on and I was hoping to get something, anything out of it, that this felt like a college paper where the writer was just trying to squeeze out another 500 words here and there to fulfill a quota.

There are a lot of writing books out there. I think reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor and creating a reverse outline from one of his chapters and breaking down the moves he makes would be a better writing practice exercise than reading this book on writing. This is a skip for me.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

For people who think they are non-writers but who need to write something, this book has a bunch of basic tips. I found several useful, e.g. the telling detail.

One thing I liked a lot is that the author focuses on non-fiction and emphasizes telling the truth and/or getting your facts straight. I wish he had gone even further with this though and encouraged people to check on verifiable facts and not just quote experts. Quoting appropriate experts is necessary for people who don't know enough about a topic to look at primary sources, but if you're not a professional writer, why do you need to write about topics you don't understand? Because the whole trusting-the-expert thing is still fraught, even if you try to find the right kind of expert. An example he gives is trusting Dr. Fauci about the COVID pandemic because he's an immunologist. The problem there is that an immunologist is still the wrong kind of expert for talking about masks and such. It's closer than someone who's not a doctor or scientist, but the whole point of the author's apposite story about cigarettes was that you need the right kind of doctor/scientist not just any doctor/scientist. Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming I wish it weren't so hard to fight bulls**t. But it is.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an accessible, useful guide for anyone who wants to write non-fiction. The subtitle, "... Ignoring Inhibitions, Inviting Inspiration, and Finding Your True Voice" is in fact the focus of the book. Foster devotes many pages to helping the reader discover why they want to write, and developing their own distinctive style. Foster says that his advice is applicable to all sorts of writing, but admits that much of it may not be applicable to writing fiction.

Foster presents some useful nuggets--some that most books on writing talk about, like "the telling detail," and others that were new to me, like the Toulmin model of argumentation. This is not a book I feel a need to own, but I liked it well enough to put it on my "for later" list in my public library online account so I can reserve it and check it out again if I want to.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the encouragement and humor.

On writing:
Exercise imagination.
Conversation between reader and writer.
Embrace changes.
How can I make this best for my reader?

On revising:
Compose then repair.
Love the piece while composing.
Outline after finishing draft #1.
Fall out of love with the piece while revising. Let the work rest for 3 days before revising. ("On day one...Eyes glaze over with the love of the newborn.")
Read through the entire piece out loud before making changes.
Make structural changes first while rereading is fresh in mind. Add transition sentences for flow.
Stay in the paragraph until you finish the job.
"Self evaluation needs to be not harsh, but just." Criticism can be sharp and shrewd, but never cruel.
Writing is recursive. The process is not a straight line but folds back and loops around.

OWL

"If you write, you are a writer."
"Don't hide your light."

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not bad.

I don't blame the author, but it seems like he really found his niche after the success of How to Read Literature Like a Professor and he's going that route now. It's a little long for the information it provides, despite the fact it's good information.

It's also pragmatic, as opposed to other guides out there that border on the fantastical when describing searching for the muse or things like that. (He suggests hard work, without which, the muse never arrives anyway.)

If you're an aspiring writer, it could be a beneficial read.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the digital galley of this book.

In this book, Thomas C. Foster guides the reader through the basics of writing, some of which you were never taught in the first place. Practical advice with anecdotes, the books takes you through the entire process of writing, regardless of the type of writing and the intended audience.

I love a good book about books or book about writing, so this was a fun read for me. I feel like there’s always something else to learn or insight to gain in readi g other peoples’ processes and advice. I got a few good tips from this one, whether I ever write anything creatively again or not.

[G · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is best suited if you’re a college student learning to write papers and have some free time, or if you’re a nonfiction writer.

For fiction writers, there are some good insights here that will be helpful to keep in mind, but fiction writing is definitely not the focus of this book.

I also found my eyes glazing over on the chapters about grammar, to the point where I would actively skim through them to get to the next chapter.

Overall though I liked it for the insights that spoke to me, and you’ll likely find something that speaks to you if you’re a writer.

[Fivel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's chock full of great ideas and concepts, and importantly is very accessible and encouraging. The author's voice is a little grating in it's quest to toss the reader zinger after zinger. That said, I appreciate how straightforward the book feels. The author wants writers to overcome technical and emotional hurdles, while busting myths about the process.

[Amber Erasmus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I set out reading this book with the hopes of writing my dads memoirs, but what I got was so much more. I’ve been inspired and challenged in all my different roles as a writer. Thomas C Foster provides his readers with the tools to write better and with more confidence. He ends wth some encouraging words, “if you write, you are a writer,” … no matter what sort of writer you are, be proud of it.”

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first half. It's full of valuable writing missives, both philosophy and strategy. The second half became repetitive: at one point, I had to check to see if I moved my bookmark because I was sure it had already read the section. Reading the second half felt as if Foster became bored with the project but had a page obligation to fill.

[Tony Teri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terribly written book. The title gives the impression that you are going to learn about writing. This book's title should be called "The author loves himself and anecdotes about his life.". This tome reads more like a self help book.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fun and informative read. I appreciated the suggestions not only for writing but for living the writer's life. With so many outside influences telling me what to do or how to do it, it was refreshing to hear "do what works for you".

[Natalie Chickey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Probably should have read this while I was still teaching English! That said, I always look for practical ways to help struggling writers find their voice.

[Graydon Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a helpful and enjoyable read for writers. Foster offers great advice from a wealth of knowledge and experience!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the chapters were very helpful. And it was fun to read.

[Nina · Rating 2 out of 5]

an excuse for a memoir pretending to be something useful, with a couple good reminders thrown in that you unfortunately have to dig for