"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a land mine. The land mine is me. After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the piec...
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Aug 16, 2007
If you're looking for the book that finally teaches you everything you ever wanted to know about writing - the book that will finally give you the key to the famous author's success - this one isn't for you. On one hand, no such book exists. On the other, Ray Bradbury's "Zen and the Art of Writing" is less about the craft and mechanics of writing than one man's passion and zeal for good old-fashioned fun stories.
Bradbury has been criticized for being overly sentimental and More...
Bradbury has been criticized for being overly sentimental and More...
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Mar 09, 2008
Jim
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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May 30, 2011
Lins
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As others have said in reviews of this book, it is not a 'how-to' guide, it will not teach you how to write best sellers, it will not give you the top ten ways to reach a publisher... it is a look into the writing process of Ray Bradbury, a writer with a keen mind and a brilliant turn of phrase.
This book is made up of a series of essays, each with a different focus. There are certainly a few excellent tips contained within these pages, and and aspiring writer would I think glean a fe More...
This book is made up of a series of essays, each with a different focus. There are certainly a few excellent tips contained within these pages, and and aspiring writer would I think glean a fe More...
Jan 04, 2011
Tom
rated it: 
Read this while sitting in the basement of the Camden, NJ courthouse, wearing my Juror badge, and trying not to hear CNN's droningly repetitive news coverage (although, have you seen the image of all the dead birds in Arkansas? Jesus, the plagues have begun) and I picked it because it was pocket-sized and figured to be an easy read. Which it was. Not to say it was particularly fulfilling or interesting. There are a handful of pages in here that have legitimate, useful writing advice, althoug
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Dec 16, 2010
Mckenna
rated it: 
Ray Bradbury's text, Zen in the Art of Writing, has been on my shelves for many years. Unread. It is one of those highly recommended texts, touted as a great text on writer's blogs, writing sites, conferences, and writing groups. Originally published in 1973, it reflects the writing/publishing industry of the big publishers and literary agents. Recent editions have not been updated to account for newer industry trends, but that information is available elsewhere.
Bradbury's text is val More...
Bradbury's text is val More...
Dec 21, 2010
Amy
rated it:
While I'm a huge fan of Fahrenheit 451, I have not read extensively Bradbury's fiction - a short story here and there, but never particularly moved. Couple that with a writing process I can not relate to, I have to give this pocket size book of writing philosophy only three stars. He's intelligent, granted, and incredibly focused on his work, but I can't imagine writing 52 stories a year and publishing each one! Then again, I've written roughly 35 columns since April of this year - one a week. M
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Apr 03, 2011
Astrid
rated it:
"And what, you ask, does writing teach us? First and foremost, it reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right. "
it's not a technical book that would describe how-to , 10 keys to or such thing.
it's purely a little bit "behind the scene" of the writing passion of Ray Bradbury . I haven't read any of his book. And maybe that's why I was reading this book without any specific valuation of his writings. That kind of help me to like More...
it's not a technical book that would describe how-to , 10 keys to or such thing.
it's purely a little bit "behind the scene" of the writing passion of Ray Bradbury . I haven't read any of his book. And maybe that's why I was reading this book without any specific valuation of his writings. That kind of help me to like More...
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Feb 19, 2012
Jessica
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"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you."
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Sep 19, 2010
This is a delightful, inspiring and extremely useful book on writing. Bradbury talks his evolution as a writer -- what he discovered writing 2000 words every day from the age of 12 to 22, publishing short stories every week in his twenties, and eventually creating novels such as Farenheit 451, Dandelion Wine and the Martian Chronicles.
Here is Bradbury’s writing routine:
“All during my early twenties I had the following schedule. On Monday morning I wrote the fir More...
Aug 03, 2009
Shane
rated it:
There are a lot of reviews written about this short but excellent book written in the tradition of Stephen King's "On Writing", or the other way around, given that Bradbury wrote his tome first. Yet there is an energy in this book that is infectious and it points the finger to us as writers to say - "get serious about this art or get out." His prescriptions for writing are no less demanding:
1) Write one short story a week for 5 years. Perhaps after this rigour, some goo More...
1) Write one short story a week for 5 years. Perhaps after this rigour, some goo More...
Aug 20, 2009
Angie
rated it:
Bradbury himself recommended this book to me.
"If anything is taught here, it is simply the charting of the life of someone who started out to somewhere--and went."
This book could have been better edited; some of the essays overlap too much and I feel like there's too much of an emphasis on Bradbury's own work. In a way, though, this feels genuine enough to the point that it doesn't smack of egotism; he makes it sound so simple to write that any well-meaning idio More...
"If anything is taught here, it is simply the charting of the life of someone who started out to somewhere--and went."
This book could have been better edited; some of the essays overlap too much and I feel like there's too much of an emphasis on Bradbury's own work. In a way, though, this feels genuine enough to the point that it doesn't smack of egotism; he makes it sound so simple to write that any well-meaning idio More...
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Mar 13, 2011
Brian
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One-quarter interesting anecdote.
One-quarter self-indulgence.
One-half helter-skelter explanation of how a writer could work.
Ray Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing fails miserably if you are a writer or a teacher looking for professional guidance, a few pointers, an exercise to hone your skills, or feelings of simpatico. A collection of essays, each uses one of Bradbury's flagship stories as the backdrop of what should be a useful central message.
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One-quarter self-indulgence.
One-half helter-skelter explanation of how a writer could work.
Ray Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing fails miserably if you are a writer or a teacher looking for professional guidance, a few pointers, an exercise to hone your skills, or feelings of simpatico. A collection of essays, each uses one of Bradbury's flagship stories as the backdrop of what should be a useful central message.
More...
Sep 04, 2011
Tom
rated it:
Largely a collection of essays written by Bradbury over the course of his career, this is an interesting look into the life of one of the century's best-known sci-fi writers, though writers looking for specific writing instruction might want to look elsewhere.
Like Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird," this is not a "How-To" book replete with bullet points and step-by-step directions.
Instead, it's a chronicle of a well-known writer's journey from 12 year-old More...
Like Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird," this is not a "How-To" book replete with bullet points and step-by-step directions.
Instead, it's a chronicle of a well-known writer's journey from 12 year-old More...
Jun 13, 2011
Zach
rated it:
The first couple essays were effective in jump-starting the creative energies, but the rest of the content drags along a bit, culminating with the last section, a selection of poems about the creative process that deserved a skimming at most. This book is a good source of positive thoughts about writing, contrary to the toilsome, world-hating image we sometimes associate with the writer. It should be praised for this, and if more intensive studies of craft possessed this same attitude, I think
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Jul 27, 2011
Todd
rated it:
Most books on writing are a variation on a theme: they explain several techniques to improve writing; they give examples of those techniques; and then they supply exercises for practice.
Ray Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing provides almost none of that sort of writing advice. The closest thing to that sort of writing instruction is a section in which Bradbury talks about how he makes lists of nouns and then reviews those lists as a source for ideas.
In this collection of es More...
Ray Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing provides almost none of that sort of writing advice. The closest thing to that sort of writing instruction is a section in which Bradbury talks about how he makes lists of nouns and then reviews those lists as a source for ideas.
In this collection of es More...
Feb 28, 2011
Eveningstar2
rated it:
The title is a bit misleading. This is not a book on Zen, and it is not a manual on writing or, as the subtext states, "releasing the creative genius within you."
It is a collection of essays, among which the eponymous essay is the only one that provides practical advice on writing. Don't read this book as a how-to guide; read it instead as a collection of the author's remarkably lucid and passionate thoughts on the nature of writing, on creativity, on the imagination.
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It is a collection of essays, among which the eponymous essay is the only one that provides practical advice on writing. Don't read this book as a how-to guide; read it instead as a collection of the author's remarkably lucid and passionate thoughts on the nature of writing, on creativity, on the imagination.
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Feb 10, 2012
Gary
rated it:
I enjoy reading Ray Bradbury, he's so inspiring. This is a great collection of essays that he wrote about his passion and love of the craft, not so much a how-to book. The great part about it though is that he kind of explains his feelings on the idea of how-to write books and the like. It is a wonderful read if you love to hear someone who has had tremendous success tell you that YES! You can do it too! I loved reading it and intend to purchase it in the future since I went Bradbury's route and
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Oct 18, 2009
Rauf
rated it:
In this book Bradbury shared his love for words and stories and writing. You can find some of his suggestions in other books. Write a thousand words a day, finish one short story per week. Bradbury said he wrote a thousand words per day for almost everyday for ten years before he finally wrote his short story, THE LAKE.
I haven't read it but Bradbury said when he finished it (in only 2 hours) he knew that he finally had written a real shiny story.
The most interesting thing I fou More...
I haven't read it but Bradbury said when he finished it (in only 2 hours) he knew that he finally had written a real shiny story.
The most interesting thing I fou More...
Dec 29, 2011
Camile
rated it:
Escrevendo com amor
Um ótimo livro para quem está iniciando no mundo da escrita. Nos ensina como devemos lidar com a criatividade e como dar os primeiros passos num mundo até então desconhecido. Bradburry enfatiza a escrita pelo amor, e não pelo lucro financeiro, pois só assim conseguiremos ser verdadeiros com o que estamos transmitindo para o papel. Recomendo.
**
Writing with love
Is a good book for who's starting in the writting's world. It teach us how we shoul More...
Um ótimo livro para quem está iniciando no mundo da escrita. Nos ensina como devemos lidar com a criatividade e como dar os primeiros passos num mundo até então desconhecido. Bradburry enfatiza a escrita pelo amor, e não pelo lucro financeiro, pois só assim conseguiremos ser verdadeiros com o que estamos transmitindo para o papel. Recomendo.
**
Writing with love
Is a good book for who's starting in the writting's world. It teach us how we shoul More...
May 07, 2011
Cornelia
rated it:
Zen in the Art of Writing is a collection of essays by Ray Bradbury of how he developed his unique writing voice and style in a way which others can follow. It describes the development of an author's voice in a way that I've never seen a book do before. I believe in authors writing form the heart and developing their voices and own styles regardless of what's hot on the market at the time and so I loved this book. It is a fast read and I highly recommend it to not only all writers and aspiring
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Aug 24, 2009
John
rated it:
This was somewhat autobiographical, and that is what made it so easy to read. Being a fan of science fiction, it was really great to hear about how Mr. Bradbury kept his imagination fostered over the many years that he has blessed us with his thoughts and visions of what is to come or the possibilities of impossibilities that we can overcome.
This is a great general book when it comes to learning how to write for yourself and keep yourself fresh. From one master to future generations, I high More...
This is a great general book when it comes to learning how to write for yourself and keep yourself fresh. From one master to future generations, I high More...
Nov 22, 2009
Libbie
rated it:
This is hands-down my favorite book about writing EVER.
Ray Bradbury showcases his dark, musical voice in this collection of previously published essays on writing. The essays span more than thirty years of his career. Throughout, one theme is common: If you want to be a writer, write every day. Each essay explores this theme in differing ways, and to differing depths, while also discussing other aspects of a writer's career. But Write Every Day is the lesson you take away from B More...
Ray Bradbury showcases his dark, musical voice in this collection of previously published essays on writing. The essays span more than thirty years of his career. Throughout, one theme is common: If you want to be a writer, write every day. Each essay explores this theme in differing ways, and to differing depths, while also discussing other aspects of a writer's career. But Write Every Day is the lesson you take away from B More...
Feb 26, 2009
Gary
rated it:
A book about writing from a master storyteller. This book was very influential to me in regards to my storytelling. A oral storyteller has to be creative and inventive to stay fresh. this book gave me all kinds of ideas. It also supplied me with several personal stories of his own that influenced his writing which after reading i wanted to tell. I wrote Bradbury and he kindly gave me permission to tell his personal stories that were listed in his book. Which I still occasionally tell when circum
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Aug 18, 2011
Dan
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Bradbury practices what he preaches. His advice to writers is simple without simplism, inspirational without exertion, autobiographical without self-consciousness. While not every page enlightens, Bradbury layers enough insight and exuberance to more than satisfy. I imagine Bradbury smiling in front of a rusted dime-typewriter as we listen to the click-a-clack of his master-fingers. The best essay is the last, for which the book is named, and the essay's mantra -- Work. Relax. Don't Think. -- ha
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Aug 18, 2011
Marissa
rated it:
Ignore the horrific cover design. This book was a fun meandering through one prolific and brilliant writer's thoughts on the joys of writing, and not half as cheesy as the obnoxious font and lavender background might lead one to believe.
This book is a compilation of eleven essays, written over a span of thirty years, that give insight into Bradbury's optimism and enthusiasm when it comes to the world of writing, publishing, and sci-fi. He discusses his first big breaks, and meeting h More...
This book is a compilation of eleven essays, written over a span of thirty years, that give insight into Bradbury's optimism and enthusiasm when it comes to the world of writing, publishing, and sci-fi. He discusses his first big breaks, and meeting h More...
May 05, 2011
Mark
rated it:
Zen And The Art Of Writing by Ray Bradbury
Completely different from any other book on writing, this book will show you how to take an average story and turn it into a great story.
Ray Bradbury spent ten years writing a thousand words a day before he sold a story.
Then he spent another ten years developing his writing skills to the point where he could write a truly fantastic story every time. This book will show you how to uncover the diamonds out of your subconscious More...
Completely different from any other book on writing, this book will show you how to take an average story and turn it into a great story.
Ray Bradbury spent ten years writing a thousand words a day before he sold a story.
Then he spent another ten years developing his writing skills to the point where he could write a truly fantastic story every time. This book will show you how to uncover the diamonds out of your subconscious More...
Jan 01, 2011
Chrissy
rated it:
I found this book to be one that you begin reading, but pause after the first page. Ray Bradbury's language, tone, and style speaks from a different era. It makes you pause because it is so different, 'higher' in a way than the standard, contemporary reads. Yet, even though he's speaking from a different era, the main points in each essay are still valid. Perhaps it's because these nuggets of knowledge stand out from the rest of his writing, the truth is it's the points that you do understand. I
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Jul 02, 2010
Rose
rated it:
I read through this within only an hour and some odd minutes, but Ray Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing" is a series of essays that accounts his journey as a writer, and imparts the advice that he wishes to give aspiring writers in their respective craft. I enjoyed reading it for the most part - part of it is a reflective memoir of how the process came for writing some of his most endearing works, while others address the reader directly as to how to hone their own skills.
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Dec 17, 2008
Tom
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This is the most fantastic collection of writing inspiration I've come across. There isn't a lot in the way of nuts and bolts (though what there is to be found goes beyond gold-plated. it's magical stuff that's transforming the way I approach my work). I think I've really found a kindred spirit in Bradbury. I just wish I'd run across him when I was seventeen. As it is, though, I love his "learn by doing" approach and his value of the subconscious.
"How to Keep and Feed More...
"How to Keep and Feed More...
May 17, 2010
Alison
rated it:
There is a small subsection of shelving in my house devoted to hardcover books about writing that relatives who don't know me very well have given to me after various graduations (high school, college), often as a rather expensive envelope for a fifty dollar check. I've always been grateful for these gifts. The proper southern upbringing foisted upon my by my conflicted Bohemian mother assured that I would both send monogrammed thank you notes and try to make the interior message clever, sincere
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