Foolsgold: Making Something from Nothing and Freeing Your Creative Process

by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge

In this personal, inspiring guide to a creative life, Wooldridge shares her own journey of the heart�from loss and grief to a return to wholeness and joy. Offering poetry exercises, journal writing, and other practices to encourage creative play�including foraging and assembling collages with found objects�Foolsgold: Making Something from Nothing and Freeing Your Creative Process will motivate you to reevaluate what�s most important in your world.

Through intimate stories about transforming what life brings your way, the book will help open your heart to more creativity�DELIGHT AND VITALITY�whether it�s through photography, dance, gardening, cooking, songwriting, or poetry. Foolsgold includes dozens of suggestions to help you free the artist within by cultivating a creative lifestyle that will not only expand and inspire you but may also ground and heal you.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Memoir, Poetry, Self Help, Art, Creative

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 5, 2007

About the author

Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge is a poet and teacher who conducts workshops privately, as well as in the California Poets in the Schools program.
They have also published under the name Susan G. Wooldridge.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was good (it's bristling with post-it flags), but not as good as Poemcrazy. It does tackle tough subjects, such loss, grieving, and feeling stuck.

[Andrea Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time read-September 2012- This is a five star book because it resonates with every fiber of my being. I am so fortunate to have found this book on the shelves of my local library. Foolsgold is a monumental book for me as a writer, a creator and a person. "The under-song lives in us at any age."p.163

"Although it won't make the news the under-song is brimming with an upwelling of soul and spirit just below the surface, tumbling out alive in our children and elders, hidden in everyone." p.164

These are just some of the gems that I have found in this book and I also write about it in my blog on wordpress. Thank you Susan for taking me into a new world of understanding and freeing me from my hard-fast rules.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Second time read- June 2013 Reading this book again is like a breath of fresh air. I feel like I can be myself again. I can be playful,have fun and create things at the same time. foolsgold is one of my "touchstones", a sacred text in my life. I can see how being true to my nature helps me to contribute better to the world. Thank you once again Susan for reminding me to live from my heart and soul. If you are in need of slowing down and getting in touch with yourself I highly recommend this book.

[Cherie Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you need a dose of mirth and whimsy, Susan Wooldridge is your gal.

[Danielle Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not read this whole book, however the parts i had read to me (which were many) were delicious!

[Michael Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to reading this, since one of her other books, poemcrazy, is one of my all time favorites. I wanted to see what Wooldridge's take on creativity would be and if it could help me with the book I am working on.

It disappointed me and didn't deliver. The sub-title, "Making Something from Nothing and Freeing Your Creative Process" is somewhat deceiving. It spends plenty of time discussing her creative ideas, but not very much about her creative process. I also think this would have been stronger if she explored how other creative individuals approached the process. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for a different person.

It does have nice, lyrical writing throughout the book and does produce a few good writing exercise ideas:
What can I learn from... (page 27)
Ask life expanding questions everyday... begin with the words: "I wonder" (page 48)
What do you collect now? As a child? Why do/did you collect these things? (page 58)
"What in your life, your body, your job, your business, your world, is dammed up that needs freeing? What beliefs or ideas or judgments have you been holding that might need to be released? It may well be ideas you feel sure about. A position you're proud to hold. You might want to write, 'I believe [list five things] because…'" (page 89)
"Where in your life do you feel boxed or fenced in?" (page 155)
"What's breaking your heart?" (page 197)

[Yaaresse · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I finished A Book of One's Own: People and their Diaries, I wanted to read something diary-ish. I picked up The Red Leather Diary and was disappointed. THIS is the book I should have picked up first. The difference between the two is the difference between self-absorbed and self-supportive.

I realize most people read this as a creativity how-to book. That was the intent of the author, and it does contain the now-obligatory "tips and prompts" at the end of the very short chapters. Frankly, I didn't pay much attention to them because that's not why I was reading the book. I was drawn to it by Woodbridge's lovely way of playing with language and the imagery she uses to describe her surroundings and feelings.

In the forward, the author says that this book came about as she was grappling with the death of her father and the end of a 30-year marriage. She writes about the process of coping with these changes, how she used spontaneous art (in form of collages) to process her emotions, and the way that art helped her grieve and move forward. My rating reflects my enjoyment of the book as a memoir, a peek into the intimate musings of a creative person who understands that art, no matter how humble its origins, can heal and that beauty is a matter of attention.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This made me cranky in the way Julia Cameron books often make me cranky. Too far up its own ass, to laser focused on its own lint filled belly button, etc. etc. I tend to enjoy creative memoirs and I LOVED Poemcrazy but this felt impenetrable to me. Mulling over the death of a parent and the end of a marriage all while art-ing your way through it, yes, fine, good, but all through this haze of eclectic woo-woo spirituality lite with a dash of Judaism here and there and oh she lives in some communal situation with a bunch of fellow woo-woo ladies who are similarly inclined!!! They gather together and write their intentions on little scraps of paper and light candles and plant plants and that sort of thing. Must be nice?? But I felt very far away from--and quite annoyed by--all of it. A matter of being at a different stage of life and also a very different tax bracket, possibly. I think there's a way to write about your life, if that is your life, and not be so up your ass about it. I am thinking now of Natalie Goldberg, whose books I have revisited over and over again since I was very young. And Poemcrazy!!! But Foolsgold will not be joining those books on my very special shelf.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book as much as I did Poemcrazy.

[Louisa Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend both Foolsgold and Poemcrazy. SW speaks to readers candidly about her suffering and the beauty that arrives in spite of pain. In short, she has done emotional labor of being a genuine human.

I appreciate her instructional wisdom, collections of quotes, and invitations to play. Here are pages full of humility and mirth!

“… the blunderings, giving ups, breakdowns, in spite ofs, chance encounters, shatterings, letting gos and mess-ups— that has led to most of the creativity in my life… not feeling in control. It’s the opposites, listenings, buzz hums, the falling (leaping) down the rabbit hole, the stepping through the looking glass, barefoot, with no suitcase…” (page 88)

[mmmm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me cry more than any other book in 2020, but fair warning that's largely because I loved all the poetry by kids. I found it deeply charming.

This is NOT a beginning book about creativity. It does not give step-by-step ways to begin and sustain a serious ongoing process. (Try The Artist's Way for that.) However, if you already have a connection to your creative self, this book may inspire you to try some different things.

As someone who does a bunch of different arts, I find her life and approach inspiring.

[Marge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Foolsgold is the process that the author took to mentally cleanse her mind of melancholy.

[Mallory · Rating 2 out of 5]

she went cosmic on me

[al · Rating 2 out of 5]

out of nearly 50 chapters meant to free the creative process, there were maybe a dozen i found useful or, at the very least, interesting to read. as many times as i've gone back to poemcrazy, wooldridge's other book, and found inspiration and suggestions i needed on dry or dreary days, i was sure foolsgold would be another essential member of my bookshelf. unfortunately, on the whole, it's left me very disappointed. this is not to say i won't read another of wooldridge's books or even that i will never pick this one up again and skim a part i found useful when i need it, but there's a huge chunk in the middle that i probably won't revisit any time soon.

one good thing i can say about this book is that, in conjunction with keri smith's blog, it has encouraged me to keep a new kind of journal - one that focuses on gathering inspiration and promoting creativity instead of just describing my day-to-day activities. since starting it, i've written, sketched, or taped something in it almost every day. i feel excited to sit down with it every day.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's nice, one of those books I bought when it came out and wanted to like... but then it sat on a shelf unread for eight years. I picked it up again and decided it's time to gift it to another reader. I wasn't the right audience, however i did like the chapter on making collage boxes, it was a short instruction and also an off the cuff retelling of a story, which i appreciated more than some huge long books of how-tos.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book spoke to me. The words soared off the page.Inspiration and motivation were abundant. The author expertly explains the process of poetry , the practice of poetry and how it can make an impact on writers. I loved this second book by Ms Woolridge even more than the first...a must read for every poet or instructor of the craft.

[Relyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea behind this book is great, but in practice it's pretty repetitive and it drags a bit. Susan Wooldridge definitely knows how to string words into a beautiful necklace. I really enjoyed her poems and will definitely be looking for her poetry books. But, this book got a bit dull. It seemed an ode to her journal. Not for me unfortunately.

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This ended up being a book that looked at both creativity and grief. It consisted of short essays. I expected more of an artist's manual, with exercises. I enjoyed the quotes at the beginning and end of each chapter. This book didn't resonate with me that much. I felt compelled to read it, but I think I've read a lot of books with similar themes.

[Drew · Rating 1 out of 5]

Susan Wooldridge's first book, Poemcrazy, is my favorite book of creative inspiration. Foolsgold, however, is a big disappointment. It has none of the wonder and magic of her first book, and is instead repetitive and dull. I highly recommend PoemCrazy. I do not recommend Foolsgold.

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is great. But, I kept comparing it to Poemcrazy so that's the reason why I gave it 3 stars. It does have nuggets of wisdom and advice on creativity and poetry and writing. There are some dull and sad chapters in the book...so I had to skim through those.

[Bonita Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

highy recommended by my friend Kari, www.artsymama.blogspot.com this look like one excellent book!

[Ginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me think differently about my creativity and how I can share it better through art, or writing, or anything. Also read Poemcrazy if you want to see words in a whole new way.

[Nessa McCasey]

Great book! Lots of inspiration and also I enjoyed the biographical aspect of this book, too.

[Clarity Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a touching and inspiring and lively look at writing, loss and turning life into a beautiful fuel for words.

[M.A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too whimsical at times.

[Kathryn Dechairo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nuggets of inspiration between the pages of this book but, like many other reviewers here, I found her other book Poemcrazy had more to offer.

[Cathy Lentes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second reading. I like the beginning chapters best.

[Lydia Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author of poemcrazy. Delightful and vitality arose in me. Joy! (2017)
I re-read this book again two years later (2020)

[Julie Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more than a creativity "how to". Beautiful and moving journey through grief and renewal.