Writing Down the Bones

RavenWing’s recommendation: If you consider yourself a ‘writer’, if you aspire to becoming a ‘writer’, or if you just love using writing as a daily practice – this is a ‘must read’! Natalie Goldberg passionately passes on her writing wisdom to us in this book, it’s incredibly entertaining and takes you on a journey that beckons you to “Begin where you are” – her exuberance and love for the craft is embedded in every word.

With insight, humor, and practicality, Natalie Goldberg inspires writers and would-be writers to take the leap into writing skillfully and creatively. She offers suggestions, encouragement, and solid advice on many aspects of the writer’s craft: on writing from “first thoughts” (keep your hand moving, don’t cross out, just get it on paper), on listening (writing is ninety percent listening; the deeper you listen, the better you write), on using verbs (verbs provide the energy of the sentence), on overcoming doubts (doubt is torture; don’t listen to it)—even on choosing a restaurant in which to write.

Goldberg sees writing as a practice, akin to ‘Zen practice’, that helps writers comprehend the value of their lives. The advice in her book, provided in short, easy-to-read chapters with titles that reflect the author’s witty approach (“Writing Is Not a McDonald’s Hamburger,” “Man Eats Car,” “Be an Animal”), will inspire anyone who writes—or who longs to.

About the Author
Natalie Goldberg is the author of fourteen books, including Writing Down the Bones, which has changed the way writing is taught in this country. She teaches retreats nationally and internationally. She lives in New Mexico.