As a writer myself, I knew just from the title and subtitle of this book that this was a story I was going to want to read, and I was in no way wrong. I sat back midway through the day a few days ago to start reading this book and wound up sitting there for a few hours as I devoured the entire book in one sitting. While I probably did, I don’t remember even taking a break to stretch or drink water! It was a consuming story that I saw a lot of myself in—the drive and hunger for the arts, the desire to continue taking classes and surrounding myself with fellow artists, the interest in diversifying my experiences and openness to different forms of work, my actual love of rejection as one of my greatest teachers, and then again, my urge to quit when yet another literary agent or publisher declines my work—and I was inspired to hear of another artist who looked at the industry so much like I did… and for lack of better terms, “made it.” Though I agree with Doherty that “making it” is a fantastical concept and each success is a part of the journey, I’m still inspired by how much further along in the journey he is than I am and the success he’s found that I’ve so far only dreamed of. Dear Starving Artist, Get Something to Eat is essentially a craft book, a business book, and a professional development book all in one, presented in the form of a story (creative nonfiction). Doherty and Sanders have done a wonderful job here of presenting Doherty’s story from college through now, and most importantly, sharing tips that fellow creatives can use in a digestible, friendly, and conversational way. The tone, excitement, and general enthusiasm that leap from the page, one page after the next—it’s no surprise to me that Doherty became a teacher, and surely a wonderful one at that.
