The book that changed how I write

If a writer loves and hates one thing, then it has to be writing. And why not? Begging your brain to give you words to fill up a blank sheet isn’t a pretty sight. Hating is, after all, an acceptable reaction here.

But, we, writers, love writing because finally at some point our brains give us the words we were looking for and the happiness of having clearly and beautifully expressed ourselves is incomparable.

Being a professional writer is escalating this love-hate relationship one notch up. Because now we add the pressure of deadlines and deliverables to this already complex mix.

There is always one word that I could have removed, or a comma that I should have added, or a sentence that could have looked at the audience straight in the eye than looking towards left.

Writing is squirmy and beautiful.

Gladly for me, the book — Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, came as a blessing. It helped me take out the work out of writing.

It glorified experimentation and unformed thoughts. It told me not to approach writing with fear. It made me focus more on the process because result is an eventuality, it will happen when the process is followed. It chucked out the hullabaloo around writing and told me to write for myself.

But, how did I apply this advice meant for creative writing to professional writing?

By accepting that the different forms of writing are the same at the most basic level; it’s all about accepting the thoughts that come to our minds, being patient and resilient, and then giving the writeup a better shape later.

These are the pieces of advice from the book that I am practicing in my creative and professional writing:

1. I should be an animal: I should read and add information to my brain for it to process, just like how an animal slowly reads the surroundings before pouncing on its prey. Research is important.
2. First thoughts: I must write down the first thoughts that come to my mind. I shouldn’t reject them, because that is my brain’s first impression of the topic and they’re very often interesting. At times, the impression could be weird, but it’s nonetheless an idea that I can use somewhere else in a separate context.
3. Muting the editor: When I write my first draft, I might be boring. No. I am definitely boring. But my mind need not know this while writing. I must edit only when the writing is done.
4. I am not the poem: If I am writing a piece that is good, great! If I am not, I should give myself some time to process my thoughts better, than beating myself up for not building up a masterpiece every time. Disassociating myself from the result of the writing actually makes the writing better.

This book is an endless ocean of inspiration and love for writers for whom the daily struggle of jostling with their brains is a lovable profession. If you’re a writer or wish to write, creatively or professionally, ‘Writing Down the Bones’ is a must-read.

I am rereading it for the second time. Do I need to say more?