9780877733751

Natalie Goldberg's word-of-mouth hit has sold well over half a million copies. Goldberg, who has conducted writing workshops for both beginners and professionals all over the United States, sees writing as a practice that helps us comprehend the value of our lives. With insight, humor, and practicality, she inspires writers and would-be writers alike to take the leap into writing creatively and well.

Natalie Goldberg is the author of ten books. Writing Down the Bones , her first, has sold over one million copies and has been translated into twelve languages. For the last thirty years she has practiced Zen and taught seminars in writing as a spiritual practice. She lives in New Mexico.

Foreword

xi

Acknowledgments

xv

Introduction

1

(4)

Beginner's Mind, Pen and Paper

5

(3)

First Thoughts

8

(3)

Writing as a Practice

11

(3)

Composting

14

(2)

Artistic Stability

16

(3)

A List of Topics for Writing Practice

19

(4)

Fighting Tofu

23

(3)

Trouble with the Editor

26

(1)

Elkton, Minnesota: Whatever's in Front of You

27

(3)

Tap the Water Table

30

(2)

We Are Not the Poem

32

(2)

Man Eats Car

34

(2)

Writing Is Not a McDonald's Hamburger

36

(2)

Obsessions

38

(3)

Original Detail

41

(2)

The Power of Detail

43

(2)

Baking a Cake

45

(3)

Living Twice

48

(2)

Writers Have Good Figures

50

(2)

Listening

52

(3)

Don't Marry the Fly

55

(2)

Don't Use Writing to Get Love

57

(2)

What Are Your Deep Dreams?

59

(2)

Syntax

61

(5)

Nervously Sipping Wine

66

(2)

Don't Tell, but Show

68

(2)

Be Specific

70

(2)

Big Concentration

72

(2)

The Ordinary and Extraordinary

74

(3)

Talk Is the Exercise Ground

77

(2)

Writing Is a Communal Act

79

(3)

One Plus One Equals a Mercedes-Benz

82

(1)

Be an Animal

83

(2)

Make Statements and Answer Questions

85

(2)

The Action of a Sentence

87

(3)

Writing in Restaurants

90

(5)

The Writing Studio

95

(2)

A Big Topic: Eroticism

97

(2)

A Tourist in Your Own Town

99

(2)

Write Anyplace

101

(2)

Go Further

103

(2)

Engendering Compassion

105

(3)

Doubt Is Torture

108

(2)

A Little Sweet

110

(1)

A New Moment

111

(2)

Why Do I Write?

113

(4)

Every Monday

117

(2)

More About Mondays

119

(2)

Spontaneous Writing Booths

121

(3)

A Sensation of Space

124

(3)

A Large Field to Wander In

127

(4)

The Goody-Two-Shoes Nature

131

(4)

No Hindrances

135

(3)

A Meal You Love

138

(2)

Use Loneliness

140

(2)

Blue Lipstick and a Cigarette Hanging Out Your Mouth

142

(1)

Going Home

143

(4)

A Story Circle

147

(3)

Writing Marathons

150

(4)

Claim Your Writing

154

(3)

Trust Yourself

157

(2)

The Samurai

159

(3)

Rereading and Rewriting

162

(5)

I Don't Want to Die

167

(2)

Epilogue

169

(2)

Notes

171

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Writing down the Bones : Freeing the Writer Within

Writing down the Bones : Freeing the Writer Within

0877733759

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials