This is another gem that I discovered on my quest to stir my stagnant creativity well. Let me tell you, it works!
The book covers a range of topics, from banishing your critic to mining your life for ideas. Each chapter ends with a "Set Your Timer" exercise that on the surface appears ultra-simple, but when finished leaves you with a sense of accomplishment. It celebrates the brief moments of writing that occur when you can slide them in among the daily grind and also advises on how to carve out larger chunks of time to create.
The writing pulls you in and talks
to you like a best friend and mentor. Try it! You'll be glad you
did.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Before You Begin
The three chapters under this subheading assure you that the desire to write is all you need to get started, that whether you're young or old, age is really not a factor in the "success" formula for writing, and that your inner critic can be made to cooperate. The freewriting exercises at the end of each chapter help you internalize the main points.
Getting Started
There are ten chapters under this subheading, all short and easy to read, but so full of nuggets of writing wisdom that, if you're like me, you stop every few sentences to write down something you really want to remember.
Among the topics discussed: making the most of "stolen moments" to write, why freewriting is valuable, how to fill your creative well, collecting resonant words, generating and using first lines, creating written snapshots to capture moments and why they are better than using a camera, learning to see common things with a fresh eye the way children do, making and using lists, how to squelch your critic by starting small, and doing research to "take you away from yourself and serve as a tool of inspiration."
Tools and Rituals
Eight inspiring chapters explain the value of a ritual to start writing and what some authors have adopted as rituals, different writing instruments and how experimenting with different ones can open new doors, figuring out what your best work space is, the creative value of walking, why a place that is "anonymous, temporary, and has few distractions" can help you progress, the difference between notebooks and journals and why both are important, how sound can help you work and why it should find its way into your work, and finally why and how to find a supportive writers group.
Mining Your Life
The seven chapters here discuss how writers "know there is power in the darkness they've lived through or have seen through the eyes of others and [are] willing to harness that power and stream it into words," how to celebrate the quirks that sometimes set us apart from the mainstream, how to use the people around you in your work without offending them, overcoming a non-literary background, the sheer power of words, how life imitates art and how that is "life-affirming," and how other obsessions and hobbies can enhance your writing.
Craft
Fifteen chapters deal with different aspects of the writing craft, and again offer you an exercise at the end of each to practice. The author says, "The chapters in this section should give you a taste of the various elements that go into good writing, but they aren't intended to be the final word on the subject of craft." Included are topics on: form and how the scope of your idea determines content and structure; to plot or not before you write; how to create tension; establishing voice and style; how to play to your writing strengths; POV; creating titles; building characters; compassion and how it makes you a better writer; writing dialogue; establishing a vivid setting; how poetry can teach writers of fiction and non-fiction; how details make writing come to life; tackling revision; and reading to learn craft.
Overcoming the Obstacles
The ten chapters under this heading tackle major issues, such as time stealers, internal angst, and finding support for your writing. Topics include: warnings about "that black hole: TV;" how to find a comfortable balance between clutter and cleaning--"Both clutter and cleaning can drain your energy and interfere with your writing. Only you can find the right balance"--; how to conquer addiction to e-mail (and by extension blogs! LOL!); how to see an idea through to the end by avoiding getting sidetracked by new ones; how to handle rejection; coping with envy and turning it into something positive; trusting fear; finding mentors; why it can be dangerous to talk too much about a project; and coping with a significant other who is either indifferent or downright opposed to your writing.
Living the Life
The final four chapters deal with marketing your work, making sacrifices that help you grow; finding a literary agent; and believing in yourself and your writing.
Acknowledgments
Suggested Reading