Reading: Why We Write edited by Meredith Maran

Why We Write is a book I never expected to read.  I had seen it in bookstores and I had seen it online but never had a want to pick it up.  Only when someone gave it to me as a graduation gift did I commit to finally reading it.  To my surprise, the book was a complete delight!
The entire book consists of a bunch of authors writing short chapters that explain what they believe writing is and why they love to write so much.  Each chapter begins with some quick facts about the author including their birthday and education, etc.  The author then proceeds to write about their writing experiences and why they enjoy their craft so much.  There is a real sense of freedom as you read the book.  Each author puts their own personal touch on the book, making it an eclectic read.

Each author teaches you a lesson from their own experiences.  For example, author David Baldacci wrote that the way he found agents was by looking through his favorite books and writing down agent names from them.  He would then proceed to send his manuscripts to these agents.
My only fault with this book is that all of the authors were all award winning and successful.  While I
think that is great, I wish there were also lesser successful authors talking about their writing career and why they write.  My hope is that another book is published with the same title, Part 2.  That would be great!
Overall, the book offers incredible stories, great tips, and has a variety of different writers to give you a full grasp of what it means to be a writer!  This review is short but I don't have much else to say.  I will give it 5 out of 5 stars!