The Mindful Writer: Noble Truths Of The Writing Life (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
The most noble truths in this slim book are contained in the quotes by writers on the writing life. Moore comments briefly on each quote and applies it to his own personal experience. I am not an adherent to Zen Buddhism, but there is much in Moore's advice that corresponds with the practice of mindfulness, compassion and humility in Eastern Christianity, so I found it confirming for me personally, though in a somewhat limited way. I checked this out from the library, but I will be purchasing a copy for home. As I was reading this, I found myself wishing some parts were longer, in part because I found many sections to be very insightful, but also because I was enjoying the book as a whole and didn't want it to be over so quickly. Here's the thing, though: no matter how many texts you read about Buddhism, eventually you just have to sit down and meditate. Reading about enlightenment is no more likely to bring it to you than reading about a million dollars would fatten your bank account. Likewise, no matter how many books about writing we may read, we ultimately become better writers only by writing. Moore offers us things to keep considering on our own, to carry into our own daily practice. The quotes he riffs off of in this book are meant to show the universality of the writing experience, that no matter how much or how much better we write, we're still going to encounter patches of doubt, stacks of pages that need to be tossed out, or times when we'd rather be doing anything besides writing. While this book didn't offer me a new set of exercises or an extensive discussion of craft, it did get me thinking about how I can be more mindful and more deliberate in my writing and challenged me to think about why it is I write. That, to me, was incredibly valuable. Though I checked this out of the library, I'll be picking up a copy to add to my collection and revisit when I need a reminder about why it is I do what I do.
What do You think about The Mindful Writer: Noble Truths Of The Writing Life (2012)?
Compact book of writing wisdom. Good for workshop students to read one or two per class and reflect.
—jess
Palm of the hand reflections on writing. I found some new favorites here.
—Sarah
Very nice little book I will revisit again and again.
—julia
