Book Review: 1000 Words

In 2018, novelist Jami Attenberg, faced with a looming deadline, needed writing inspiration. Using a bootcamp model, she and a friend set out to write one thousand words daily for two weeks straight. They opened this practice to Attenberg’s online community and soon hundreds then thousands of people started using the #1000WordsofSummer hashtag to track their work and support one another. What began as a simple challenge between two friends has become a literary movement—write 1,000 words per day without judgment, or bias, or concerns about writer’s block, and see what comes of it.

1000 Words is the book-length extension of this movement. It is about becoming—and staying—motivated, discovering yourself and your creative desires, and approaching your craft from a new direction. It features advice from more than fifty well-known writers, including New York Times bestsellers, Pulitzer Prize winners, and stars of the literary world. Framing these letters are words of wisdom and encouragement, plus specific strategies, from Jami Attenberg on how to carve out a creative path for yourself all year round.

1000 Words will be published January 9, 2024. Simon Element provided an early galley for review.

Running the monthly writing group at our library, I know how important inspiration and motivation can be for those trying to get their stories out of their heads and on to the paper. This book provides quite a bit of that.

While many writers will likely have heard much of this advice before (it is not rocket-science), we all often need to be reminded of these things to help keep us focused and on-track. Hearing from other writers adds to the supportive foundation. Knowing that even published professionals struggle with the process now and again can actually be encouraging for the rest of us.