Rating: 
Summary: A delightful read.
Review: Brenda Ueland's book is great fun. She's so encouraging to everyone especially to non-writers. Her excepts from her students are delightful and eye-opening. I would recommend it to anyone who could use some positive encouragement about art, writing or life in general.
Rating: 
Summary: A mystical treatise on the practical aspects of good writing
Review: Brenda Ueland's treatise on writing, "If You Want to Write," is a valuable addition to the library of those who want to do just that. While the language can seem a bit dated at times, the meaning shines clearly through; clearly she has taken her own advice or writing truly and focusing on the things one cares about or is passionate about. To read it is almost to become hypnotized by her major themes: you are talented, you have a story or an observation to tell, you can write really well if you are true (not trying to be writerly), you need to enjoy the act of writing and be lazy about it, you need to relax and enjoy the beginnings in hazy territory. This is a good book to read to get you back into old habits, or to help writers re-assess their long-held and perhaps erroneous beliefs about what it actually takes to be a good writer. Ueland excerpts student writing to show examples, and the pieces she uses are very compelling, strong and true. I recommend this to writers and as gifts for writers. But I wouldn't suggest it for someone younger than 25. There is something in it that would be offputting for someone too youthful, too inexperienced.
Rating:
Summary: A mystical treatise on the practical aspects of good writing
Review: Brenda Ueland's treatise on writing, "If You Want to Write," is a valuable addition to the library of those who want to do just that. While the language can seem a bit dated at times, the meaning shines clearly through; clearly she has taken her own advice or writing truly and focusing on the things one cares about or is passionate about. To read it is almost to become hypnotized by her major themes: you are talented, you have a story or an observation to tell, you can write really well if you are true (not trying to be writerly), you need to enjoy the act of writing and be lazy about it, you need to relax and enjoy the beginnings in hazy territory. This is a good book to read to get you back into old habits, or to help writers re-assess their long-held and perhaps erroneous beliefs about what it actually takes to be a good writer. Ueland excerpts student writing to show examples, and the pieces she uses are very compelling, strong and true. I recommend this to writers and as gifts for writers. But I wouldn't suggest it for someone younger than 25. There is something in it that would be offputting for someone too youthful, too inexperienced.
Rating: 
Summary: Quite boring
Review: I actually found "If You Want to Write" to be quite boring. I felt that the book was more about developing self esteem and learning that you are good enough to write. If you already are confident that you can write, but simply haven't opened the doors to your creativity, you may want to search for other reading material.
Rating:
Summary: It should have been named otherwise!
Review: I decided to read this book on the advice of another author, Harold Klemp. Well, I don't regret it! Being a French speaking reader, I usually take a long time to read an English book, but I took 4 days to go through this one! I used a yellow hightlighter pen, and when I finished it, it was mostly yellow! Indeed, the title of this book should really have been "The Art of Living." Even if it was written before my time, I think Brenda Ueland speaks for today's aspiring writer, painter, artist within, or creative entrepreneur... Through numerous examples, and some excellent quotes from William Blake or Van Gogh, Ueland shows you how to believe in yourself, and how to "live life fully!" I am nos recommending that book to all my friends! But, please don't believe me... experience it by yourself!
Rating:
Summary: It should have been named otherwise!
Review: I decided to read this book on the advice of another author, Harold Klemp. Well, I don't regret it! Being a French speaking reader, I usually take a long time to read an English book, yet I took 4 days to go through this one! I used a yellow hightlighter pen, and when I finished it, it was mostly yellow! Indeed, the title of this book should really have been "The Art of Living." Even if it was written before my time, I think Brenda Ueland speaks for today's aspiring writer, painter, artist within, or creative entrepreneur... Through numerous examples, and some excellent quotes from William Blake or Van Gogh, Ueland shows you how to believe in yourself, and how to "live life fully!" I am now recommending that book to all my friends! But, please don't believe me... experience it by yourself!
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring truth
Review: I first read this book 2 years ago but consult it frequently. Brenda Ueland speaks the truth and helps all of us searchers to look within ourselves deeper and bring out our true selves. It is not just for writers but for anyone wishing to lead a more creative, energized, spontaneous, and fulfilling life.
Rating:
Summary: The book of a lifetime
Review: I found this book by accident while browsing through a now-defunct Los Angeles bookstore/cafe. It was the luckiest accident of my life. At that point I had been a professional writer for more than twenty years, but I rarely enjoyed my work, and I felt all of it was disposable in one way or another. At first, reading "If You Want to Write" gave me an incredible, if unfamiliar, feeling of joy and self-confidence. Afterwards, I began to surprise the hell out of myself in terms of what I was able to accomplish. This simply written book states some of the most profound truths about life and creativity I have ever read. Whenever I get stuck on a project I go back and re-read it, and its warmth, generosity, and brilliance always inspire me to go on. It should almost be titled "If You Want to Live", because far more than being a how-to book on writing, it makes an eloquent argument that we all can live creative lives as long as we're true to ourselves.
Rating:
Summary: Influential, Worthy Read for Writers and Non Writers Alike
Review: I read this book on a whim and in it, I felt not only inspired by Brenda Ueland's writing, I can read and hear her echo in many of the writers who followed her.Its amazing to think, for example, that this book was written when my mother was 6 years old back in 1938. Makes me wonder what books are being written THIS YEAR that my six year old daughters daughter, at 41 will say, "Wow, this voice is from 1938? And she is so present to today!" As a writer and a teacher of writing myself, I have spoken words similar to these crafted by Ueland: "No writing is a waste of time-- no creative work where the feelings, the imagination, the intelligence must work. With every sentence you write, you have learned something. It has done you good. It has stretched your understanding." While the book is written in a sometimes rambly form that makes my left brained side shout "What was the editor thinking when s/he organized this darn thing?!" at the same time I think this exact feature is one which teaches by example as well. Rambly, unorganized, out of order, pieces dropped and not necessarily re-picked up... its ok. Its life. Its ok. As I just quoted "It has stretched your understanding." My copy is heavily underlined and dog eared... even though it is less than a year old I have gone back to favored sections repeatedly. Read this one and you will have a brand new " haven't we met somewhere before?" friend on your bookshelf to enjoy for a long, long time.
Rating:
Summary: If You Want
Review: I remember browsing the bookstore where I worked for a book to help me in my writing endeavors. I picked this book up for that purpose and found that it was about so much more! Substitute writing in the title for anything that you want to accomplish in life, especially if it is something like writing or acting that people who really do care at the core try to convince you isn't safe. Bullocks to that!
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