Review: Writing Down the Bones

When a book is recommended to me multiple times over the span of a couple weeks, I take that as a sign from the Universe, head straight to the used bookstore or Amazon or paperbackswap.com and dive in. That's what happened with Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg.

I used to love reading books about writing, but eventually I got tired of reading the same old writing advice over and over again. It may come in different packages, but it usually says the same thing. Not so with Writing Down the Bones. Sure, there's some the standard writing advice in there, but there's also advice on the writing life, on finding your center, on knowing yourself. Each chapter is short and sweet, making it a quick read, but I read through the entire book slowly, chewing thoroughly on every nugget of insight. The surface advice was enough to make WDB worth the read, but the deeper lessons made it an invaluable resource.

Unlike some of the writing books I've read in the past and then passed on to others, this one will stay in my library and be well-worn in no time. Some days I just pick it up and thumb through, randomly choosing a chapter to read. It never fails to refresh me, inspiring my writing, motivating me to get to work or to take a new look at an old idea.

If you're a writer (or want to be one) and you haven't read Writing Down the Bones, I highly recommend you pick it up.