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Summary: Bradbury Is My Literary Grandfather
Review: When I was twelve, I ran across The October Country. Now at the age of thirty, I still go to that book for inspiration. That book, and now this one.
Bradbury is completely unpretentious and his sole goal is to to tell other aspiring writers that it's all right to be insecure and to have different ideas. There really are no rules to writing except being true to your own ideas. What I've learned from this little book is that you have a mind to swim in, so splash about.
Bradbury gives you ideas on how to sift through and play in the waters that swish about in your mind. Make it fun, don't make it labor. The world is yours.
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Summary: Outstanding!
Review: As a writer, this has helped me immensely find that creativity that I had never lost, merely scared off and misplaced. Kudos to Bradbury, a true artist in the field.
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Summary: So Much Said In So Little Words
Review: I just recently picked up a copy of this book and having read others like "Writing Down The Bones" by Goldberg and "Becoming A Writer" by Brande. What I found interesting was that what you find being said in many of the other books nowadays was already discovered by Bradbury back in the mid 1960's. His essays are 'to the point', without all the fluff in-between.In my opinion, this is a must read for every writer or would-be writer. Even if you've read every other book out there about writing, it would be well worth reading this one too.
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Summary: No Writer Should Be Without It
Review: If you've ever wondered, "Why aren't people more passionate about their work?" then you've never read 'Zen in the Art of Writing.' Whether or not you happen to like Ray Bradbury's work, you can't dispute his passion for writing, which is evident from page one. Bradbury (who turns 82 this year) is a writer of enormous output. In this series of essays, the author lets us in on many of his secrets, but the bottom line is this: If you love what you do, and are excited about it, nothing can stop you. Much of Bradbury's writing is connected with his childhood experiences and memories, which allows him to jump into writing like a kid jumping into a swimming pool on a hot summer day. Bradbury recounts many of his writing experiences and influences in the book and they are all fascinating. I can't imagine any writer (or lover of stories) who would not enjoy this book. It can be read in an afternoon, but savored for a lifetime. Thank you, Mr. Bradbury, for a real treasure.
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Summary: No Writer Should Be Without It
Review: If you've ever wondered, "Why aren't people more passionate about their work?" then you've never read 'Zen in the Art of Writing.' Whether or not you happen to like Ray Bradbury's work, you can't dispute his passion for writing, which is evident from page one. Bradbury (who turns 82 this year) is a writer of enormous output. In this series of essays, the author lets us in on many of his secrets, but the bottom line is this: If you love what you do, and are excited about it, nothing can stop you. Much of Bradbury's writing is connected with his childhood experiences and memories, which allows him to jump into writing like a kid jumping into a swimming pool on a hot summer day. Bradbury recounts many of his writing experiences and influences in the book and they are all fascinating. I can't imagine any writer (or lover of stories) who would not enjoy this book. It can be read in an afternoon, but savored for a lifetime. Thank you, Mr. Bradbury, for a real treasure.
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Summary: The ultimate movational for newbie and veteran writers alike
Review: In this book, Ray Bradbury, one of the greatest story tellers of all time, uses personal anecdotes to inspire both newbie and veteran writers alike. If you ever wondered why you have the compulsion to write, or need a swift kick in the pants to get the ink flowing from your pen (or words flowing from your keyboard, as the case may be), then this book is definitely for you.
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Summary: No book on writing offers so much
Review: Ray Bradbury is my favorite author. So much so that I named my Scottish Fold cat "Bradbury" in honor of him. And it's all because of books like this. Zen in the Art of Writing is classic Bradbury: the crisp, short sentences, the vivid mental imagery, the amazing insights into his own writings -- all of it. This book uplifts me, moves me and fills me with awe. It is, without a doubt, the best book on writing I have ever read. Why? Because what he shares seems as pertinent to me as if he wrote it FOR me. Example: Page 17. One day, he discovered that his story titles were nothing more than a list of nouns, such as The Lake. The Night. The Monster. The Town Clock. The Carousel. The Crowd. Such simplicity. Yet, after reading this book I found myself creating my own mental list of titles the same way. Suddenly, just about anything seemed ripe for a story, and infused with some hidden, dark meaning. The Man on the Corner. The Empty Room. The Ten Foot Oak Tree. The Noise in the Basement. The Tea Leaf. The Knight and the Bishop. I don't know why it works for me, but it does. Each of those "titles" (that I just came up with as I'm writing this) could be fleshed out into a story. For some reason, when I see things as nouns, my imagination is uncorked and I begin to feel the urge to explore the thoughts invoked. Try it sometime. Another example: The chapter "How to Keep and Feed a Muse." Priceless. Magical. He shares ways to awaken the sleeping giant within...and set pen to paper with stellar results. If you're a writer, you need this book. If you're a lover of Bradbury, you need this book. If you just want to know how one of the 20th century's most lauded authors achieved that status, you need this book. I re-read Zen in the Art of Writing whenever I feel my muse begin to slip away like a wisp of fog caught by a sudden breeze. And she returns to me. Grudgingly, perhaps. But she returns. I believe this book could do the same for you.
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Summary: Inspiring
Review: Ray Bradbury takes you on mind journeys into his past, and perhaps into your future. He treads on the edge of reality, sneaking glances over the precipice, knowing that to jump means to fly. I bought this book in Miami Beach. I picked it from among other writing-related books when I opened it and saw a chapter entitled "Drunk, and in Charge of a Bicycle." This book is not about writing mechanics or technique. It forces you to face two absolute requirements for being a writer: (1) You must love to write and do it every day, and (2) You must use your own voice. According to the author, the desire for fame, money, or literary elitism is as useless as a computer without software. (I would suggest that it's more like a program without a computer. Whatever.) The last chapter, and the concluding poems, are inspiring. Mr. Bradbury knows that writers despise untruths. I finished his book in two evenings. When I put it down I said, "Yeah." Next morning I would be up dark and early. Writing is hard. Everything else is harder.
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Summary: spirited and worthwhile
Review: The thinking person's alternative to any self-help writing book by other well-known authors. Ray Bradbury is eminently qualified to spin such a work and he does so elegantly and thoroughly. The inherent spirit of writing is captured nicely in these pages!
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Summary: Tremendously Inspiring
Review: There are two books on writing that truly inspire me: this one and Telling Lies for Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block. I keep them both at hand, and when my passion flags, I pick one of them up and read it, and they refuel my flame. This is really a collection of essays, mostly from introductions to other books. However, don't let that detract from their message. To write you must, simply, write. Write until it hurts, and don't stop just because you feel insecure. Bradbury's style won't work for everyone. He uses free-association to begin his stories. He simply types a word and goes from there. Not all of us can do that, but his passion and love for his work comes through the pages. He also encourages writers to find their own voice through practice, and to write until grammar and story structure become unconscious. This is a relatively quick read and one that will remain with you long after you finish it. "Now, go, and do likewise."
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