You Are a Story: A creative writing guide by Laura Dockrill: Review

You are a Story was a book that I picked up not knowing what to expect since it is a guide to creative writing, not a story with a plot. I was pleasantly surprised to find this book was so amazing that I devoured it in two days! You Are a Story talks about creative writing as a tool for mental health. Not only that it gives ideas and exercises throughout the book to help you find your place in writing. Laura Dockrill also talks about her own experiences with mental health and what has helped her. 

What I loved as well was that she acknowledged that writing may not work for everyone and encourages all the readers to find what works for them. 

She also explains how powerful your writing can be and how much it can do in the world from inspiration to activism. She reminds us how we should all come with love not hatred towards everyone, which was the main message throughout the book. 

The only weakness I could find was that mental health is definitely a theme in this book but it is not present at all on the cover, which is odd as she talks about writing as a tool for mental health. Overall this book is an inspiration for all young people to find what they love and even if writing isn’t for you this book can still be a great read. Even as a non-writer myself, I am still amazed by this book and will encourage all other young people I know to pick it up and give it a go! 

Emer Cronin, 14