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Zen in the Art of Writing [Mass Market Paperback]

Ray Bradbury (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

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From Publishers Weekly

As the title suggests, science fiction master Bradbury occasionally sounds like a Zen sage ("You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"), but for the most part these nine lightweight, zestful essays dispense the sort of shoptalk generally associated with writers' workshops. The title piece aims to help the aspiring writer navigate between the self-consciously literary and the calculatingly commercial. Other essays deal with discovering one's imaginative self; feeding one's muse; the germination of Bradbury's novel Dandelion Wine in his Illinois boyhood; a trip to Ireland; science fiction as a search for new modes of survival; and the author's stage adaptation of his classic novel Fahrenheit 451. Eight poems on creativity round out the volume; noteworthy are "Doing Is Being" and "We Have Our Arts So We Won't Die of Truth."
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Famous science fiction author Bradbury here collects ten essays and eight poems from his past writings that illustrate his views on what a writer should do and be. Included are his reflections on the experience of writing, particularly the writing of such well-known works as Fahrenheit 451 and Dandelion Wine. Much autobiographical information is provided in this collection as well. As in his 500 short stories, novels, plays, and poems, Bradbury's warmth and cordiality will charm readers.
- Katherine Thorp, St. Louis Univ.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
21 reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The Fire of Bradbury's Enthusiasm Mar 24 2004
By H. Grove
Format:Mass Market Paperback
"Zen in the Art of Writing" might not separate out into easy bullet-lists of suggestions the way many writing books do, but there are so many great ideas here. Word associations, letting things percolate through your mind, honestly editing your work... Bradbury couches everything in examples from his own life and work. He loads everything up with context. Perhaps most importantly, he lends his words a vibrancy, a poetry, a life that speaks far louder than any dry essay on writing ever could!

He talks of love and hate, and how emotions drive good writing. He speaks of work and relaxation, and how both are necessary at once. All of this in beautiful, easy-to-read language that you can easily cruise through in a day.

It's hard not to come away from this book without a sense of this man: a whimsical, driven, fire-breathing soul of wit and humor and great understanding. I normally have little interest at all in meeting famous people, but I wish that I could meet Mr. Bradbury. Certainly his work has inspired many a dreamer, and all writers of the fantastic owe him and his work a great debt.

I cannot recommend this writing book highly enough. If you're looking for dry suggestions to help you get published look elsewhere, but if you're looking for inspiration, this is the place to find it. The passion, energy, and enthusiasm that flow through the words are contagious. I cannot imagine a single author that could not be improved by reading this book.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for real writers Sep 14 2003
By KTB
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Zen in the Art of Writing is my favorite kind of writing book. One that doesn't tell you how to write, but how to be a writer. Those are the best kind. A collection of essays from various sources and points in his career, Bradbury gives us many glimpses into the kind of writer he is, touching on such subjects as how to keep and feed a Muse, where ideas come from and what it takes to be a writer.

You won't find any discussions of plot, character, pacing, etc. here. Instead you'll find inspiration, ideas, passion and a little bit of who Ray Bradbury is. Just like a story.

A few excerpts:

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.

If you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer.

A good idea should worry us like a dog. We should not, in turn, worry it into the grave, smother it with intellect, pontificate it into snoozing, kill it with the death of a thousand analytical slices.

At heart, all good stories are the one kind of story, the story written by an individual [writer] from [her] individual truth.

And finally...

WORK
RELAX
DON'T THINK!

Zen and the Art of Writing remains an excellent book for any artist to read. It would be almost impossible to not catch Bradbury's enthusiasm, running down the pages as it does. Again, just as in good fiction.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Just go for it! Mar 6 2004
By isala
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Already the first page of this book contains revelations that other books lack. Bradbury does not offer any fancy techniques or anything like that, he just - as the title promises - tells us to go back to the basics. Write about what comes up, what you care about. Even if you do not agree with him the book will stir up emotions, and help you create.
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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to Zen in the Art of Writing. Now Start Writing.
"... to gently lie and prove the lie true..."

This is the devastatingly accurate description of fiction writing provided by an accomplished master of the craft. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Scoopriches
5.0 out of 5 stars Most Excellent
I recently picked up a copy of Ray Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing", partly out of curiousity, and partly out of an initiative to re-focus my writing. Read more
Published on Jun 3 2002 by Jeremy dePrisco
4.0 out of 5 stars A Book On Writing By A Man Who Loves The Craft
Ray Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing" was first released in 1990 and his views on the psychology, philosophy and purpose of writing are still relevant, captivating and... Read more
Published on May 15 2002 by Craig Alan Loewen
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply wonderful
Ray Bradbury's creative genius is evident in this book which consists of a collection of short articles and essays written by him regarding the writing life. Read more
Published on Dec 26 2001 by Liora Hess
5.0 out of 5 stars Zen and the Art of "Ahh, Now I Get it."
I've just started this book and I have already, by direct inspiration of Mr. Bradbury's examples, taken my earliest childhood dream and created a sci-fi story. Read more
Published on Dec 21 2001 by BJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Zen + Writing + Bradbury = Success
Zen in the Art of Writing is a collection of essays by Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury wrote them throughout his life between the years 1961 and 1986 to tell aspiring authors how to... Read more
Published on Dec 7 2001 by Jonathan A. Marshall
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent reference tool for aspiring writers!
Ray Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing" should be read by all aspiring writers. He discusses how he was inspired to write such classics as Fahrenheit 451 and Dandelion... Read more
Published on April 24 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars Teachers ought to read this, IMHO...
Although the whole book is excellent, the essay "On the Shoulders of Giants" is, for me, the most important part of Bradbury's message. Read more
Published on Mar 30 2001 by A.J. Chodan
4.0 out of 5 stars Writing Scenes from a Memory
Dipping into the subconscious to pull out memories, dreams, and ideas for writing is the main theme of Ray Bradbury's book, Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the creative genius... Read more
Published on Dec 7 2000 by doomsayer
5.0 out of 5 stars What You'd Expect From Bradbury . . .
I'm calling this review What You'd Expect From Bradbury, and when I say You, I do mean You. It's typical Bradbury, which for me is heart-poundingly, jaw-droppingly, emotion... Read more
Published on Aug 11 2000 by Turnaround365
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