Writing Down The Bones
September 22nd 2009 09:33
When I was 16, my aunt gave me a book written by American Poet, Artist and Novelist Natalie Goldberg called Writing Down The Bones. As a 16 year old I devoured the lessons and tools inside the books cover and set out to become the best novelist I could be.
Over the years I've done many courses on freeing the creative writer within but this is one book I continue to return to year after year.
Natalie has a conversational style to the words she has in this book. Chapters are short and sharp, and very rarely are they over 2 or 3 pages in length. Teaching by experience she lays her own insecurities bare as she advises writers to get to the truth, write what you know, and allow your energy and creativity to put pen to paper.
Regardless of whether or not what you produce is diamond or dung pile every word, every image, every experience you convey is a step towards the realisation of your goal. I have a cupboard full of journals, pages upon pages borne from the tutelage of Ms Goldberg's teaching.
Filled with wisdom and peace, I wonder if an alternative title of "Zen and The Art of Just Writing" ever crossed her mind when she released this book in 1986.
Writing Down The Bones began a revolution and currently has sold over 1,000,000 copies world wide with translations into 14 different languages.
If you are looking for a how-to book that is going to tell you how hard it is, how the words you write are written by others and how being published is such a difficult journey this is definitely not the book for you. (and on a side note sitting on my bookshelf is a book on how to write a novel that actually spends 90% of it's pages telling you it's too hard to do)
I highly recommend Writing Down The Bones to any aspiring writer, be you poet, novelist, screenplay writer or just someone who loves to write long emails to friends and family.
For further information on Natalie Goldberg, her writing, her art and her workshops please click the link below.
Natalie Goldbergs Website
Till Next Time
Mike
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