In this long-awaited sequel to her bestselling books Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind, Natalie Goldberg, one of the most sought-a...
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reviews
Nov 28, 2011
Hope
rated it: 
This is a good book. I must admit that I did not like it quite as much as Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Truthfully, I wish I would have read this book first, and then Bird by Bird. It would have been the prefect sequence. This is a powerfully honest and interesting book about the creative process, and I enjoyed the unfolding of it as it went along page by page. I did find the Zen aspects of the book to be a nice philosophical touch, even if it seemed to come on a little bit heavy at times. I thin
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Aug 24, 2010
Carmen
rated it: 
Goldberg excels at dishing the real dirt on being a writer - the frailties, insecurities, fears, and abject misery. She questions whether writing is "a dumb dream" and asks why most writers seem so depressed.
"Bareboned, you are on the path with no markers, only the skulls of those who never made it back," she warns. "But I have made the journey, and I have made it back — over and over again. I will act as your guide."
And what an excellent gui More...
"Bareboned, you are on the path with no markers, only the skulls of those who never made it back," she warns. "But I have made the journey, and I have made it back — over and over again. I will act as your guide."
And what an excellent gui More...
Mar 12, 2009
Meghan
rated it:
quotes to keep a finger on:
"I rarely think about a book I'm working on. To think too much about it while I'm not physically working on it usually lmeans to worry, to toss around discursive ideas. The real writing comes from the abdomen, from my whole body in the act of writing it."
"Can we write this way? 'She walked in the room.' No countermotive. Let the story unfold by itself. Write one pure statement -- and then another. Don't cover up, backslide, explai More...
"I rarely think about a book I'm working on. To think too much about it while I'm not physically working on it usually lmeans to worry, to toss around discursive ideas. The real writing comes from the abdomen, from my whole body in the act of writing it."
"Can we write this way? 'She walked in the room.' No countermotive. Let the story unfold by itself. Write one pure statement -- and then another. Don't cover up, backslide, explai More...
Apr 27, 2011
Jan
rated it: 
Natalie Goldberg is most famous for her book Writing Down the Bones, and although I've read every one of her books and liked them, I love Thunder and Lightning the best. I'm not being critical of her. I have taken five of her workshops in Taos and know her personally. She is no-nonsense when it comes to writing. I like that about her. Just do it -- she says. But there is something about Thunder and Lightning that spoke to the writer in me more deeply than the other books. Most of her books have
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Sep 09, 2011
Jennie
rated it:
Thunder and Lightening has been one of the mainstays in my writing collection for more than a decade. I find it impossible to read more than one or two in this collection of essays without putting the book down and starting to write. Goldberg delivers helpful advice in a distinctive voice, and taps into much of the challenge of writing and continuing to write.
Oddly enough, I don't enjoy her two earlier writing books nearly as much, and I've never been able to pinpoint exactly why.
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Oddly enough, I don't enjoy her two earlier writing books nearly as much, and I've never been able to pinpoint exactly why.
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Feb 12, 2012
Anthony
rated it:
This book was hard to put down. A symbolic group of short stories that at the surface gave me very little at the surface but at a subconscious level was one of the best help books I have ever read. Her journey took me through a portion of her literary life and actually made me feel hopeful of my writing. This book is not a practical exercise book if that is what you are looking for. By her observations I learned of a mindset. I say me and not you because it's my belief Natalie Goldberg's book af
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Dec 20, 2010
The main three headings of the book
Structure
Reading
Reining in your wild horses
What can I say, I love reading about writing.
I also like reading lists. Natalie includes a long, long list.
Two of the titles:
The Stupids Die
The Stupids Have a Ball
She's obsessed with Southern writers, as am I. She recommends a bio of Carson McCullers. The Lonely Hunter
Of course most of the book refers to zazen. So p More...
Structure
Reading
Reining in your wild horses
What can I say, I love reading about writing.
I also like reading lists. Natalie includes a long, long list.
Two of the titles:
The Stupids Die
The Stupids Have a Ball
She's obsessed with Southern writers, as am I. She recommends a bio of Carson McCullers. The Lonely Hunter
Of course most of the book refers to zazen. So p More...
May 16, 2010
Jeana
rated it:
There are things I like about all of Natalie Goldberg's writing books. She really has a love of writing and that is infectious. However, every writer has a different method and different things that work for them. Her methods are not what work best for me. As I read, I could accept that she was describing her method and I was thinking how that wouldn't work in my situation. I particularly did not like that she said you shouldn't be thinking about the story you're writing unless you're sitti
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Sep 16, 2011
Amy
rated it:
Natalie is brutly honest when it comes to writing and how she was effected by her first book writing to the bones. It is nice to know that it is okay to feel disenchanted by writing and that we each need to find our own way back to doing what we love even when we aren't sure what that is anymore.
Sep 08, 2011
Michelle
rated it: 
I couldn't get into this book as much as Writing Down the Bones, or Wild Mind. I require much more around writing a novel, structure-wise, than provided here, and found the drifting off to Goldberg's love of American Southern writers just too local for me.
Nov 20, 2010
Cherie
rated it:
A- Great book for writers, on how to pull things together, edit, how Natalie Goldberg lives as a writer. Also makes me want to live in Taos.
Jun 01, 2011
Therese
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i love natalie's writing - i feel like i'm sitting in a coffee shop with her every time i read her work.
Sep 13, 2011
Paula
rated it:
Like all of Natalie's books, this is another super instruction and motivation on the writing life.
May 16, 2011
Clara
rated it:
She did it again! A Must read if you are a writer and want to grow in the craft.
Sep 10, 2009
Rebecca
rated it:
Always an inspiration; I get something new from Goldberg every time I turn to her.
Nov 10, 2008
Goldberg is a Zen Buddhist. Good book about the spiritual side of writing. Well- maybe it's not all spiritual- but she connects writing to something inside us. That's stupid. I'm just making shit up here. Check the book. I started using a yellow highlighter about 2/3rds of the way through it. She talks a lot about writing practice. It's just what it sounds like. Practice. Basically free writing for set periods of time. She even recommends that new writers do writing practice for two
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May 27, 2008
Needleroozer
rated it:
This is a book about the process of writing. It tells how writers write...or at least it tells how Natalie Goldberg writes.
I like Natalie Goldberg's books about writing a lot. I like the way she goes ahead and rips herself open and shows the reader what is inside of her, even when what's inside is fussy and scared and not so noble.
Writers should read Natalie Goldberg, whether or not they agree with her and her writing methods. She really does have a lot to teach.
I like Natalie Goldberg's books about writing a lot. I like the way she goes ahead and rips herself open and shows the reader what is inside of her, even when what's inside is fussy and scared and not so noble.
Writers should read Natalie Goldberg, whether or not they agree with her and her writing methods. She really does have a lot to teach.
Dec 26, 2010
The Reading Countess
rated it:
This is a fantastic, self-affirming book written by a writer who understands the pains it takes for someone to even put pen to paper. Full of wonderful anecdotes the reader can relate to, I especially was happy to see not only the nod to habitual writing, but habitual reading as steps to forming a skillful writer.
Aug 09, 2010
Debbie
rated it:
I LOVE Natalie Goldberg. This book has so much in it for writers that I would go so far as to say that anyone who aspires to write should read it.
Jun 28, 2009
Kristin
rated it:
love this book! I listened to it on tape for the second time. Very inspriational and helpful.
