Today I finished reading “Writing Down The Bones” by Natalie Goldberg. It was a quick easy read. If you want to write more it is a book I would highly recommend. It’s not the kind of book that overflows with literary terms or provides analysis for every major book written. It deals more with the two hardest parts of writing. Finding your voice, and having the confidence in yourself and your writing to share it with other people. Many of the concepts she shares are borrowed from the teachings of Zen. She shares the same philosophy about writing like Stephen King. If you want to be a better writer there are only two things you really need to do. Read more and write more. It is that simple.
Here are some of my favorite ideas from the book:
Separate the Creator and The Editor.
The creator must have free space to breathe.
Write whatever you want. Essays, short stories, a novel. in the process, you will learn how.
“Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you want to go.”
Write every day. Just start and keep going. Do not go back to correct yourself or fi grammar and spelling. just open up a page and start writing.
We learn by doing.
Don’t hold to tight.
allow it to come out how it needs to rather than trying to control it.
Let go of everything when you write.
Try to express simply what you have inside,
Allow yourself to be awkward.
You are exposing your life. not how your ego would like to be represented.
Find your obsessions.
Obsessions have power.
Harness that power.
We have lived. Our moments are important.
Accept what is and put down its truth.