Story Is a State of Mind
Writing and the Art of Creative Curiosity
Sarah Selecky
Cultivate a state of mind to help your writing flow with acclaimed writing instructor and Scotiabank Giller Prize finalist Sarah Selecky.
For over a decade, Sarah Selecky has been running an online writing school as a compassionate alternative to MFA programs for writers of all genres who want to write well. Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and the Art of Creative Curiosity is the logical next step: a gentle guide to help writers strengthen and tap their inner resources in service of a limitless writing practice.
For Selecky, writing is both an art and a contemplative practice, and her approach as an instructor is literary and intuitive. Writing exercises and guided meditations are interwoven with practical advice and heartfelt encouragement to help writers find a groove, and to build awareness, confidence, and technique. Story Is a State of Mind goes beyond offering solutions to individual writing problems, and helps writers settle into a mindset that allows them to see possibilities and discover new connections in their work—and beyond.
This is a book that encourages presence, urges us to slow down and get centred, and asks us to embrace a wholeminded writing practice through study, craft, and play. Pair it with Sarah Selecky’s Story Is a State of Mind Deck of 50 writing prompts for maximum inspiration!
Praise for Story Is a State of Mind
"Savvy and persuasive, prize-winning fiction writer Sarah Selecky takes readers on a magic journey through the world of writerly craft. Both beginning writers and veterans will find useful tips and insights in her charming book about the art of transforming the blank page into a story."—Susan Swan, author of The Dead Celebrities Club
"This generous exploration of the creative process inspires you to create the beautiful empty space in which you can breathe and write. Sarah Selecky’s practices are deceptively simple—and they apply to many art forms beyond writing. She teaches that the most important instrument an artist possesses is curiosity. To wonder, explore, and discover that which you didn’t even know you knew!"—Stephen Nachmanovitch, author of The Art of Is and Free Play
"Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and The Art of Creative Curiosity by Sarah Selecky is a brilliant, soulful, transformative guide to the craft of writing. Filled with powerful exercises and practical wisdom, Sarah helps writers explore their creativity, set boundaries (my biggest challenge), and cultivate the discipline needed to finish their work (my second biggest challenge). Having had the privilege of teaching alongside Sarah, I can personally attest to her talent and deep understanding of the writing process. I'm currently working on my eleventh book and struggling to find my groove, so this book comes at just the right time for me! Story Is a State of Mind is an essential companion for anyone serious about their writing journey."—Theresa Reed, author of The Cards You're Dealt - How to Deal When Life Gets Real: A Tarot Guidebook
Praise for the Sarah Selecky Writing School
“The Story Course by Sarah Selecky walks you through, encourages you, practically feeds you muffins, and more.”—Margaret Atwood
Writing and the Art of Creative Curiosity
Sarah Selecky
Cultivate a state of mind to help your writing flow with acclaimed writing instructor and Scotiabank Giller Prize finalist Sarah Selecky.
For over a decade, Sarah Selecky has been running an online writing school as a compassionate alternative to MFA programs for writers of all genres who want to write well. Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and the Art of Creative Curiosity is the logical next step: a gentle guide to help writers strengthen and tap their inner resources in service of a limitless writing practice.
For Selecky, writing is both an art and a contemplative practice, and her approach as an instructor is literary and intuitive. Writing exercises and guided meditations are interwoven with practical advice and heartfelt encouragement to help writers find a groove, and to build awareness, confidence, and technique. Story Is a State of Mind goes beyond offering solutions to individual writing problems, and helps writers settle into a mindset that allows them to see possibilities and discover new connections in their work—and beyond.
This is a book that encourages presence, urges us to slow down and get centred, and asks us to embrace a wholeminded writing practice through study, craft, and play. Pair it with Sarah Selecky’s Story Is a State of Mind Deck of 50 writing prompts for maximum inspiration!
Praise for Story Is a State of Mind
"Savvy and persuasive, prize-winning fiction writer Sarah Selecky takes readers on a magic journey through the world of writerly craft. Both beginning writers and veterans will find useful tips and insights in her charming book about the art of transforming the blank page into a story."—Susan Swan, author of The Dead Celebrities Club
"This generous exploration of the creative process inspires you to create the beautiful empty space in which you can breathe and write. Sarah Selecky’s practices are deceptively simple—and they apply to many art forms beyond writing. She teaches that the most important instrument an artist possesses is curiosity. To wonder, explore, and discover that which you didn’t even know you knew!"—Stephen Nachmanovitch, author of The Art of Is and Free Play
"Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and The Art of Creative Curiosity by Sarah Selecky is a brilliant, soulful, transformative guide to the craft of writing. Filled with powerful exercises and practical wisdom, Sarah helps writers explore their creativity, set boundaries (my biggest challenge), and cultivate the discipline needed to finish their work (my second biggest challenge). Having had the privilege of teaching alongside Sarah, I can personally attest to her talent and deep understanding of the writing process. I'm currently working on my eleventh book and struggling to find my groove, so this book comes at just the right time for me! Story Is a State of Mind is an essential companion for anyone serious about their writing journey."—Theresa Reed, author of The Cards You're Dealt - How to Deal When Life Gets Real: A Tarot Guidebook
Praise for the Sarah Selecky Writing School
“The Story Course by Sarah Selecky walks you through, encourages you, practically feeds you muffins, and more.”—Margaret Atwood
Writing and the Art of Creative Curiosity
Sarah Selecky
Cultivate a state of mind to help your writing flow with acclaimed writing instructor and Scotiabank Giller Prize finalist Sarah Selecky.
For over a decade, Sarah Selecky has been running an online writing school as a compassionate alternative to MFA programs for writers of all genres who want to write well. Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and the Art of Creative Curiosity is the logical next step: a gentle guide to help writers strengthen and tap their inner resources in service of a limitless writing practice.
For Selecky, writing is both an art and a contemplative practice, and her approach as an instructor is literary and intuitive. Writing exercises and guided meditations are interwoven with practical advice and heartfelt encouragement to help writers find a groove, and to build awareness, confidence, and technique. Story Is a State of Mind goes beyond offering solutions to individual writing problems, and helps writers settle into a mindset that allows them to see possibilities and discover new connections in their work—and beyond.
This is a book that encourages presence, urges us to slow down and get centred, and asks us to embrace a wholeminded writing practice through study, craft, and play. Pair it with Sarah Selecky’s Story Is a State of Mind Deck of 50 writing prompts for maximum inspiration!
Praise for Story Is a State of Mind
"Savvy and persuasive, prize-winning fiction writer Sarah Selecky takes readers on a magic journey through the world of writerly craft. Both beginning writers and veterans will find useful tips and insights in her charming book about the art of transforming the blank page into a story."—Susan Swan, author of The Dead Celebrities Club
"This generous exploration of the creative process inspires you to create the beautiful empty space in which you can breathe and write. Sarah Selecky’s practices are deceptively simple—and they apply to many art forms beyond writing. She teaches that the most important instrument an artist possesses is curiosity. To wonder, explore, and discover that which you didn’t even know you knew!"—Stephen Nachmanovitch, author of The Art of Is and Free Play
"Story Is a State of Mind: Writing and The Art of Creative Curiosity by Sarah Selecky is a brilliant, soulful, transformative guide to the craft of writing. Filled with powerful exercises and practical wisdom, Sarah helps writers explore their creativity, set boundaries (my biggest challenge), and cultivate the discipline needed to finish their work (my second biggest challenge). Having had the privilege of teaching alongside Sarah, I can personally attest to her talent and deep understanding of the writing process. I'm currently working on my eleventh book and struggling to find my groove, so this book comes at just the right time for me! Story Is a State of Mind is an essential companion for anyone serious about their writing journey."—Theresa Reed, author of The Cards You're Dealt - How to Deal When Life Gets Real: A Tarot Guidebook
Praise for the Sarah Selecky Writing School
“The Story Course by Sarah Selecky walks you through, encourages you, practically feeds you muffins, and more.”—Margaret Atwood
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Sarah Selecky is the author of Radiant Shimmering Light and This Cake Is for the Party, which was was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Commonwealth Prize for Best First Book in Canada and the Carribean, and was longlisted for the Frank O’Connor Prize. The New York Times called the stories “utterly fascinating.” She also runs the Sarah Selecky Writing School, a creative community of over 10,000 writers from around the world. Raised in Hanmer, Ontario and Evansville, Indiana, Selecky now lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.
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Publication date: January 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781998336012
eISBN: 9781998336029
Paperback: 256 pages
