Cultivate a state of mind to help your writing flow with acclaimed writing instructor and Giller Prize finalist Sarah Selecky.

Celebrated author Sarah Selecky brings the spirit of her popular online writing school to the page in Story Is a State of Mind. Short, personable essays deliver gentle coaching, practical advice, and heartfelt encouragement, alongside writing exercises and meditations that offer abundant opportunities to build awareness, confidence, and technique.

Designed for authors seeking support on individual projects or their practice as a whole, this book is overflowing with tips and tools to develop and support creative curiosity and whole-minded writing.

"A brilliant, soulful, transformative guide to the craft of writing.—Theresa Reed, author of The Cards You're Dealt

SARAH SELECKY’s breakout debut collection, This Cake is for the Party, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book, and was longlisted for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. Her stories have been published in The Walrus, Elle Canada, The New Quarterly, and The Journey Prize anthology, among other publications. She is also the creator of the beloved online creative writing school (and MFA alternative) Story Is A State of Mind.

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Praise for Story Is a State of Mind

"Through generous counsel, illuminating exercises, and a big helping of magic, Story is a State of Mind by Sarah Selecky shows us how creativity can be cultivated and sustained for a fertile—and joyful—writing process. It also happens to be terrifically well-written. In warm, humorous prose, Selecky gently reconnects us with creative curiosity, asking a fundamental question: What if you approached your writing as play? Read this book, and I promise you will find the answer."—Emily Urquhart, author of Ordinary Wonder Tales and The Age of Creativity

“A thoughtful, meditative guide to storytelling that will help bring focus to creatives who are feeling lost in our noisy world. Story Is a State of Mind will bring ease to your writing practice and help you answer the creative call.”—Carly Watters, literary agent and co-host of The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing podcast

"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 illuminates the sacred intersection between craft and consciousness. Sarah Selecky guides writers to approach their work with both rigor and reverence, offering practices that engage body, mind, and spirit. This guide shows us how to blend technical skill with intuitive wisdom, turning the act of writing into a transformative practice. An essential companion for anyone seeking to write with magic."—Maia Toll, author of The Illustrated Herbiary and The Night School

"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

"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)

“The accumulated inspiration and practical wisdom in this book, so essential to writers, is as wide-ranging and comprehensive as it is accessible; in fact, what Sarah Selecky offers here is nothing short of remarkable. As a true companion and ally, her two decades of intimate writing, listening and teaching can be found on every page. Given that there is nothing else quite like it, the only thing left to say is read it and write!”—Peter Levitt, author of Fingerpainting on the Moon

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