Writing Down the Bones

• How one book inspired folk singer Kerri Ough to think about writing in a new way

With insight, humour and practicality, Natalie Goldberg inspires writers and would-be writers to take the leap into writing skillfully and creatively. She offers suggestions, encouragement, and solid advice on many aspects of the writer's craft: on writing from "first thoughts" (keep your hand moving, don't cross out, just get it on paper), on listening (writing is ninety percent listening; the deeper you listen, the better you write), on using verbs (verbs provide the energy of the sentence), on overcoming doubts (doubt is torture; don't listen to it) — even on choosing a restaurant in which to write. Goldberg sees writing as a practice that helps writers comprehend the value of their lives. The advice in her book, provided in short, easy-to-read chapters with titles that reflect the author's witty approach ('Writing Is Not a McDonald's Hamburger,' 'Man Eats Car,' 'Be an Animal'), will inspire anyone who writes — or who longs to. (From Shambhala)

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The Next Chapter1:30Bedside Books: Kerri Ough on "Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie Goldberg

Kerri Ough of The Good Lovelies on why she finds Natalie Goldberg's "Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within" so inspiring.