A review by ashtonbakerreads
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
3.0
I've read a couple books on writing before. The ones that have stood out are Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott and On Writing by Stephen King. While I have not read either in a while, I know that I enjoyed them and learned from them. I was curious after seeing online recommendations for Writing Down the Bones. I love learning about my craft.
This book was, in part, interesting. I took a highlighter to portions I thought helpful. Personally, I don't have a lot of highlights here. There were definitely sections I will go back to from time to time, but I highly doubt I will read it in its entirety again.
It was repetitious, and after getting approximately halfway through the book, I found myself losing interest. Still, even then I found a line or two that was insightful and that I would like to remember.
The main idea I walked away with was to just let yourself go. Sit down, write, don't think about anything, just write. Don't let your hand stop during that timed writing. Don't listen to the inner critic. Just do it!
There were times that I felt distant from her, the writer, as she spoke to me, a fellow writer. I don't want to say she spoke too poetically, too flowery, too much on Zen or Buddhism (which are very interesting to me and I understand their importance to those who practice). I just didn't feel the connection to her that she seems to feel with the world. I felt more inclined to skim many sections that delve deeply into them.
I do recommend that writers check this book out and hear her advice. There were valuable parts to be certain. Since we're all so different, we're all going to take away different portions, highlight or copy different sections, love the book or dislike it or regard it as I do: not my favorite, but a book I'm glad I read.
This book was, in part, interesting. I took a highlighter to portions I thought helpful. Personally, I don't have a lot of highlights here. There were definitely sections I will go back to from time to time, but I highly doubt I will read it in its entirety again.
It was repetitious, and after getting approximately halfway through the book, I found myself losing interest. Still, even then I found a line or two that was insightful and that I would like to remember.
The main idea I walked away with was to just let yourself go. Sit down, write, don't think about anything, just write. Don't let your hand stop during that timed writing. Don't listen to the inner critic. Just do it!
There were times that I felt distant from her, the writer, as she spoke to me, a fellow writer. I don't want to say she spoke too poetically, too flowery, too much on Zen or Buddhism (which are very interesting to me and I understand their importance to those who practice). I just didn't feel the connection to her that she seems to feel with the world. I felt more inclined to skim many sections that delve deeply into them.
I do recommend that writers check this book out and hear her advice. There were valuable parts to be certain. Since we're all so different, we're all going to take away different portions, highlight or copy different sections, love the book or dislike it or regard it as I do: not my favorite, but a book I'm glad I read.