Marita Zakharova

I had the privilege of being a beta reader for the book “Hard One to Write!.” I took several writing lessons with Ekaterina, and when she told me she was going to write a book, I immediately got excited. Getting a glimpse into a writer’s inner kitchen — isn’t that a dream?

So for about six months, I watched the chapters evolve — how they changed, how the structure was built, how the title and cover were created. In short, I became fully immersed in the process. Before that, I had already read quite a lot of different books on dramaturgy, screenwriting, and writing craft in general. With Katya’s book, something strange happened: I kept wanting to put it down — just so I could go and start writing myself.

There are books that are engaging to read but hard to actually put into practice. “Hard One to Write!” is a completely different case. It offers practical advice, exercises, inspiring quotes, and Katya’s own compelling stories. And most importantly, there is a great deal of support and care — something especially important for beginning writers.

This year, the question of New Year’s gifts is solved: at least for all my writing friends, I’ll be giving this book.