Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

There is nothing like rereading an old favorite. This time, I listened to this book on audio. The author read each chapter, and then popped back in to comment with thoughts about her book, from a distance of twenty-five years after the book was originally published.

If you can only read a few books on writing, let this be one of them.

THIRD READ THOUGHTS

Writing Down the Bones is my go-to book about writing. Whenever I need a little motivation, I pull out this book and reread a chapter or two.

Writing Down the Bones shares the idea of writing as a practice. Author Natalie Goldberg has six rules for writing practice:

1. Keep your hand moving. (Don't pause to reread the line you have just written. That's stalling and trying to get control of what you're saying.)
2. Don't cross out. (That is editing as you write. Even if you write something you didn't mean to write, leave it.)
3. Don't worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar. (Don't even care about staying within the margins and lines on the page.)
4. Lose control.
5. Don't think. Don't get logical.
6. Go for the jugular. (If something comes up in your writing that is scary or naked, dive right into it. It probably has lots of energy.)

Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Library) . Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

I keep these rules close to me when I do my writing practice.

There is a lot more wisdom in the book.

Katagiri Roshi said: “Your little will can't do anything. It takes Great Determination. Great Determination doesn't mean just you making an effort. It means the whole universe is behind you and with you—the birds, trees, sky, moon, and ten directions.” Suddenly, after much composting, you are in alignment with the stars or the moment or the dining-room chandelier above your head, and your body opens and speaks.

Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Library) . Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

Basically, if you want to become a good writer, you need to do three things. Read a lot, listen well and deeply, and write a lot. And don't think too much. Just enter the heat of words and sounds and colored sensations and keep your pen moving across the page.

Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Library) . Shambhala Publications. Kindle Edition.

This is an essential book for writers. So glad I read it.