Perspective

As discussed in the section on the author in "Important People," she is a noted (and award-winning) writer. As such, she clearly has expertise in her field, and conveys her ideas with the authority of having not only experienced but deeply considered what she's writing about. In terms of her reasons for writing the book and her intended audience, then, there are two possible alternatives, one of which is clearly indicated and the other is implied. In terms of the former, the plaintive cry of "Who will teach me to write?" quoted by the author at the end of Chapter 4, juxtaposed with the author's answer, suggests that on some level she may be writing for those interested in writing. It may be, in fact, that in describing the torturous process she goes through (and, by implication, gone through by other authors, albeit in different ways), she is in...