Rating: 
Summary: One more tool to get you writing
Review: The Artist's Way, Bird by Bird, and Writing Down the Bones all cover much of the same territory -- tell your truth; don't edit yourself silent; write for the joy of writing and not to become rich and famous; write every day; make time and space for yourself, for your writing. Anne Lamott and Natalie Goldberg are more earthy and witty about it than Julia Cameron is. I don't think that jealousy toward other writers is spiritually advanced, and I don't indulge it -- but occasionally I feel a twinge of it. Julia Cameron has some very useful ways of exploring that jealousy and learning from it. Anne Lamott and Natalie Goldberg make antic jokes about the horrible people who write when you can't, acknowledging the jealousy and defusing it. Natalie Goldberg also has a number of real writing exercises in her book, like "describe your relationship with inanimate objects." She has a wonderful way of leaving you at the end of every chapter firmly placed at a table with your pen and paper, eager to write.
Rating: 
Summary: It's a good book, but overrated.
Review: A few months ago, around the time when I bought Goldberg's 'Writing Down the Bones', I was just starting to consider myself a serious writer. At first, I was attracted to Goldberg's warm and friendly voice and I felt like a member of her free-spirited writing posse, along for the magic carpet ride, venturing to far away cafes. I once thought of this book in the same frame of mind that so many kind, uncritical reviewers here have; as a kind of 'writer's bible.' Now that I am a few months older and wiser, I am able to see that the book is just a string of well-meaning encouragements that when putting pen-to-paper, are not as instrumental and helpful as you might think. One good thing happened as a result of my reading this book; I have made writing a practice, using notebooks as Natalie suggested. The best, and if I may say, most fruitful and promising path to good writing is reading the words of those who have walked before us. Read and absorb the styles of others, THEN let the pen write directly and honestly from your heart. Write your own 'writer's bible.'
Rating: 
Summary: Writing Never Has Been More Nutritous
Review: Many of you might be familiar with Katagiri Roshi, whom Natalie Goldberg studied under for several years in Minnesota. Katagiri Roshi always encouraged her to take up writing, and somewhat as a result this book came into being. The book discusses how very insightful our own writings can be; they can even unlock previously misunderstood teachings to us in amazing ways. Reading helps us progress in our own writing, a point Natalie touches on as a key to good spiritual writing. Reading helps cultivate new ideas and unexplored territory which we can delve deeper into with our own pen and pad. This book is essentially the art of writing, Zen style. Enjoy it!
Rating:
Summary: Filled with great advice and .......
Review: .....much encouragement for beginning writers. Goldberg's primary piece of advice is to "keep your hand moving", i.e., let yourself keep writing and let your thoughts keep flowing. This exercise is crucial to removing the internal censor within that seeks to control what we attempt to write. It's this "going with the moment" and loss of control over our thoughts that Goldberg says will "free the writer within" as the book's title suggests. And I agree with this basic premise and have found that it works in my own writing. Goldberg emphasizes how much of oneself a writer offers to his/her writing and it is clear that this self is not to be tapped without the effort of practice and letting your thoughts come through. Once the novice writer has this basic concept down, Goldberg offers helpful hints to actually improve the quality of the writing. She offers examples (often in the form of sharing her own personal experiences as a writer) of how to trust yourself as a writer, how to make your writing more detailed, how to show what you are trying to say (instead of merely telling), how to be specific, among numerous other tips. I have read many books on writing technique and I believe that what Goldberg offers that many others don't is an acknowledgment that the meaningful events we seek to share and write about can be found deep within us. They merely must be appropriately tapped, which is attainable through some of the exercises she offers. This process gives writers the encouragement they need to actually initiate their writing and will form the basic foundation upon which the writing develops. I recommend this book particularly for those novice writers that have trouble "getting started".
Rating:
Summary: Natalie gently coaxes us to show ourselves and our writing
Review: This is the best book on writing I have ever read. As a future high school English educator, I will share Natalie's wisdom with my students. Goldberg takes her Jewish background and blends it with her Zen Buddhism religion, her life experiences, and her enthusiasm to help us all lose our fears and write. By helping us realize that we all possess enough knowledge to write--without adding anything--she teaches us to have confidence in our experiences and abilities as writers. I liked best her descriptions of poetry written by women who were mentally ill, the piles of spiral notebooks of writing she used for practice, and her gentle suggestion that writers should write instead of abuse their bodies with drink and food.
Rating:
Summary: A Writing Classic
Review: Natalie Goldberg's insights about writing as a spirtual practice are just as valid today as they were in 1986 when this book was first published. Her suggestions to writers work, both for beginning writers and for writers who depend on words in order to make a living. I recommend this book to the emerging writers I mentor as a must-have reference second only to a good dictionary. As a professional writer who has written over 20 books and 500 magazine articles, I've given Writing Down the Bones away several times after mistakenly deciding that I'd outgrown it. Just as often I've had to go out and buy another copy to remind myself that there's more to the writing life than rejections, and royalties. Every time I reread it, I find something new. Last year I read Goldberg's memoir, Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America, which provides insights about how she came to her beliefs about writing and spirituality. I suggest reading both books.
Rating:
Summary: A classic, a must have for writers
Review: This book is a classic on writing and for good reason. Natalie, in her zen style, cuts right down to the essence. I go back to this book and find poems and song that I penned while reading a section stuck inside. There can be no greater compliment to a book that was meant to inspire to write that it has. Natalie is friendly and down to earth. Her advice is always practical--she knows you have a busy life outside of writing. Would I love to bump into her in the library or one of her cafes? You bet. Perhaps I could ask her for pointers on my next novel, or what she thought of "Forever Retro Blues," but whatever the information, I'm sure I would treasure it.
One thing I disagree about it her attachment to sprial bound notebooks. True, they are inexpensive, but when on the left page, my hand (I'm right handed) keeps bumping into the spirals and interrupts my flow. I find "composition" books just as inexpensive, stay bound together, and don't have the annoying spiral in the center. Natalie seems to have soften in "Thunder and Lightening" because she comments that whatever works for the individual--including computer journaling for those of us very comfortable at a keyboard--is acceptable. Brava, Natalie, hope you sell a million more.
Rating:
Summary: Obvious "ten" for creative writing or even personal musings.
Review: Question for Ms Goldberg: I've gone through hundreds of ink cartridges to write pounds of scribbled text. Most of it is plain old junky practice writing which was the initial objective. But reading back through these rambling, Shaeffer-inked creations, I've found nuggets of inspiration. I mine my own gold to form short stories, essays and even the family Christmas letter. Your advice has allowed me to become a dedicated writer, but there is just one thing: When I spoke with Tobias Wolff at a recent book signing - his, not mine - he said that writing longhand definitely puts me into the minority. I know that using my computer would save a lot of time in transcribing, but it just doesn't seem to let the juices flow. The machinery interrupts my writing process, which ends up being a thinking and editing session. Natalie, why is this so? I guess I'll have to read it again to find out why, but that will be with pleasure. I remember gold on every page. It's simply the best book out there, teaching how writing can be as timeless and basic as meditation and prayer.
Rating:
Summary: Good starting point
Review: I really enjoyed the way this author wrote. Her tips are easy to follow and her suggestions make sense. Overall a very good book for a new writer.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing book
Review: There were a few times I had to stop reading this book, putting it down until the emotions passed. While it may not be the best writing instruction book out there, this is an invaluable read for writer's who are feeling alone, frusterated or just generally down on their luck. Goldberg has a wonderful voice and her words seem to hit home every time; each chapter has at least one wonderful quote that will get you back to writing in no time!
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