In local bookstores, there are lots of "fix it fast" guides, from writing a screen play in thirty days or how to turn an idea into a best selling novel overnight.
Dennis Palumbo's Writing from the Inside Out is different. He's going to tell you there's no magic formula for writing. As a successful screen writer and a licensed psychotherapist, Palumbo has a unique perspective on what makes a writer tick, and what makes them shut themselves up in dark rooms and feel sorry for themselves.
Here is some of his wisdom in short form: Writer's block is a signal that you're ready to write something deeper and more challenging, but you're stalling. Find a buddy who understands what the highs and lows of the writing life really feel like. Understand that many of the criteria for picking a writer for a job has almost NOTHING to do with you, so try not to take rejection personally.
I met Dennis Palumbo in Pittsburgh several years ago. He's originally from Pittsburgh and was a guest speaker at the Creative Nonfiction conference. He struck me as someone who knows the writing business, still has a sense of humor about the craft, and has a lot of wisdom he's passing along about how to live a meaningful writing life.
This book helped me through rough patches. When I forgot how much I love to write, Palumbo's words kept me stringing words together. The story he tells at the end never ceases to inspire me. There are some books every writer simply has to read, and this is one of the best.

