This book is for anyone who has always wanted to write about their life, but wondered how to get started, how to keep going, and whether it's even worth it. Veteran author and teacher Barbara Abercrombie explains how to put the messy details of the typical life into orderly, clear, and meaningful form. In reader-friendly language, she describes how to keep a journal, craft a personal essay, or write a memoir, autobiography, or work of fiction. The book includes lessons to embolden writers and practical guidelines for getting published, as well as a guide explaining how to "get real" with oneself as a writer and with one's expectations of getting published. Courage and Craft gives a nuts-and-bolts overview of the personal writing genre, exercises to keep the inner critic at bay, inspiration from writers who've been there, and practical advice for getting those words on the page and out into the world.