The forest for the trees cover

The forest for the trees

by Betsy Lerner

"The shelves are crowded with books on how to write. But as Lerner says, she doesn't plan to Strunk you over the head about style. Instead, on the basis of her close work with writers, she attempts to describe the writer's psyche. Here are stories about those writers who typically help or hurt their own cause as they seek publication. In the first half of the book, she identifies six classic personality types and their attendant behaviors. Lerner understands the anxieties and concerns of writers just getting started as well as those stalled mid-career. In the second half of the book, she takes readers through the publishing process from first contact to first contract to first glowing or gutting review."--BOOK JACKET.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?