SNOOPY’S Guide to the Writing Life edited by Barnaby Conrad and Monte Schulz

Is there anyone out there who doesn’t love the characters created by Charles M. Schulz? If there is I don’t want to know them. Sure, some strips are funnier than others, but I’d wager that the strips that don’t make you laugh today would crack you up tomorrow. That was Schulz’s magic; his uncanny ability to zero in on the highs and lows of life. You can never outgrow Peanuts because eventually every character—from Charlie Brown to Pig Pen—reflects a moment of our own evolution.

When I was a kid I couldn’t get enough of Schroeder. His reverence for the great classical composers and his innate skill fueled my dream of becoming a professional flutist. In time I discovered a musician’s life was not for me. To excel in any profession requires passion, patience and persistence: enter Snoopy.

No matter where you are in your journey as a writer, SNOOPY’S Guide to the Writing Life will help you celebrate your accomplishments, recharge your battery and take the sting out of rejection.

What I love the most about the Snoopy strips on writing is Snoopy’s unwavering faith in his own abilities. Sure, he often rewrites based on outside input.

You should write a self-help book…a story about pirates…a biblical novel.

But deep down he knows what works and what doesn’t.

I think this is going to need a little editing…my hero is a terrible bore.

Each time Snoopy tosses away “his little darlings” to face another blank page, I uncover my own courage to do the same.

As Snoopy says, good writing is hard work. When writers get in manuscript trouble they often turn to books on craft. Craft books and conference workshops have often been a boon for me. But one of my favorite parts of writer conferences are the Key Note speeches because the Key Note doesn’t dwell on the “how to,” they focus on the love behind the process. Key Note speeches reconnect us with what inspired us to go to the page in the first place.

SNOOPY’S Guide is a Key Note you can turn to again and again. In addition to the wisdom of the world’s cutest and bravest beagle you’ll find insights from bestselling writers like Sue Grafton, Elizabeth George and Elmore Leonard. You’ll never be at a loss for inspiration again.

Laugh and write on with SNOOPY’S Guide to the Writing Life.