Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within: Amazon.ca: Natalie Goldberg: Books

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Wherein we discover that many of the "rules" for good writing and good sex are the same: Keep your hand moving, lose control and don't think. Goldberg brings a touch of both Zen and well... *eroticism* to her writing practice, the latter in exercises and anecdotes designed to ease you into your body, your whole spirit, while you create, the former in being where you are, working with what you have, and writing from the moment. --Ali Perry-Gallagher --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From School Library Journal

YA Goldberg will catch readers interested in writing with her opening confession that she was a ``goody-two-shoes all through school'' and should hold them until she pulls the last page from her typewriter, one ``Sunday night at eleven.'' Part writing guide, part Zen philosophy, and part personal diary, this book has the smooth, fast flow of a conversation with a good friend who, while struggling with her own writing, has picked up more than a few tips that she eagerly shares. Definitely not another ``how to write better themes'' or a rehash of the writing process, Goldberg's short, quirky chapters give the finer points of how to write in a restaurant and why bother to write at all. The earnest, slightly Bohemian, occasionally vulnerable voice will endear her to young writers who are looking not so much for a teacher or text as for validation that they can write and for some simple but intriguing tips to get them started. While there are the required chapters on using detail and keeping a journal, the most important thing Goldberg has to say to young people is that ``we have lived. Our moments are important. This is what it is to be a writer: to be the carrier of details that make up history. ''Carolyn Praytor Boyd, Episcopal High School, Bellaire, Tex.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

121 Reviews

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4.3 out of 5 stars (121 customer reviews)

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars May be helpful for you, but useless for me., April 23 2002

By

Steven D. Ward "Editor" (Seoul, South Korea) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Writing Down the Bones (Paperback)

I turned to this book when I had the idea for my first novel, thinking it would help inspire my creativity and get my story from my brain to the page. Rather than offering practical advice, I found the book romanticized the process. At the time I read it, I was looking for a guide similar to Vicki King's How to Write a Movie in 21 Days (except for novel writing). I have yet to find that sort of a book, but I just completed the first draft of my novel mostly on the advice from Stephen King's On Writing, and a few select parts of Jack Bickham's work. If you actually want to get some work done, read the aforementioned books. If you would rather read about writing (or are looking for advice like, "Try writing at a coffee shop"), then you might try this book.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Writing Never Has Been More Nutritous, Mar 12 2004

By

Swing King (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Writing Down the Bones (Paperback)

Many of you might be familiar with Katagiri Roshi, whom Natalie Goldberg studied under for several years in Minnesota. Katagiri Roshi always encouraged her to take up writing, and somewhat as a result this book came into being. The book discusses how very insightful our own writings can be; they can even unlock previously misunderstood teachings to us in amazing ways. Reading helps us progress in our own writing, a point Natalie touches on as a key to good spiritual writing. Reading helps cultivate new ideas and unexplored territory which we can delve deeper into with our own pen and pad. This book is essentially the art of writing, Zen style. Enjoy it!

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A Mixed Bag of Bones, Dec 5 2001

By

J. Jones "petrijones" (Indy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Writing Down the Bones (Pocket Classics) (Paperback)

I align myself more with the negative reviews of this book. It's easy to get caught up in some of the philosophical warm-fuzzy rhetoric of Ms. Goldberg. Akin to watching Oprah pull at an audience's heartstrings, Ms. Goldberg pulls readers in with story after story trumpeting the same message of writing from the heart. The initial reaction is to feel that there's nothing to question about what Ms. Goldberg says.

When I purchased the book, I saw nothing to indicate that it was specific to one particular form of writing, but after reading it, I feel that the author speaks much more to poetry than other forms of writing. The author on several occasions admonishes us to write in the moment and not dwell on ideas we've had in the past. She relates an experience of one student who had a fully-formed idea while out jogging but couldn't reproduce it when s/he got home to the blank page. Goldberg went into a spiel about how we should just let go of those thoughts that are not inspired or conceived in the moment that we sit down to write. That's where I have a fundamental disagreement with her and feel her philosophy becomes almost destructive to new writers. Perhaps poetry functions that way. Perhaps someone has to have that spontaneous quality about their work in order for it to be fresh and exciting. I don't know. I'm not a poet. However, for novels, short stories, and longer works, you would be a fool to let great ideas get away. Personally, I like to let some of those ideas percolate for weeks and even years. Yes, we mature and our perspectives change, but in a lot of cases that only means that we can approach a subject in a different way as we grow older. It doesn't make the subject any better or worse to write about.

Bottom line: I came away from the book with mixed feelings. In my opinion she crossed over the line of reason too often in the book to put forth her spiritual views. It was like a one day seminar that gets you pumped up, but then you get home and review your notes, and realize, sadly, that it was mainly hype with very little substance. I can summarize her tome with three bullet points: Be true to thine ownself. Always observe the world around you. Make writing a habit in your life.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book
I can't recommend Natalie Goldberg's book "Writing Down the Bones" enough. This is a great book and every aspiring writer should take the time and read it.

Published 17 months ago by Andrew Frenette

5.0 out of 5 stars Let's start writing right now!
"Writing down the Bones" is just about the best book to encourage a new writer. Not only is it fun to read - I often pick it up just for entertainment - but it really encourages... Read more

Published on April 25 2010 by R. Kellhammer