Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity

Loved this book! Bradbury is quite wonderful. A lot of his perspective on writing is specific to his personality, but it’s still great advice in general, and these essays are a lot of fun to read.

Ray Bradbury's undoubtedly an American Master of Literature. From "The Martian Chronicles to "Dandelion Wine", he captures feelings, thoughts, fears and hope- all on the printed page. For the Writer- Aspiring or Established, "Zen in the Art of Writing" is a great resource of insight, wit, and what it takes to write. A collection of his essays, it should be on every writer, and every fan of Bradbury's bookshelves- with a bit of wear, from reading it for advice and inspiration.

Bradbury expertly motivates anyone who wants to be a writer by reminding them that the only thing standing in their way is themselves. His constant reminder to not overthink the writing process and get out of their own way and let the story write itself. The separation into essays makes it an easy read, and makes it easy to sit down and reread an essay whenever you're looking for a little motivation. As an avid Bradbury fan, he truly shows why he's one of the greats and anyone looking to be a writer will benefit from this book. He reminds us that when you truly love what you do, work quickly turns into an act of relaxation, and you'll soon find yourself succeeding with more fervor than ever before.

Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity is 170 pages of fun. Mr. Bradbury advocates play as a means of freeing the subconscious, and encourages the writer to relax into the art of writing. Favorite quotes: * You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. * The first thing a writer should be is--excited. * Passion often saves the day. * Life is short, misery sure, mortality certain. But on the way, in your work, why not [incorporate] Zest and Gusto. * Read poetry every day of your life. * What we are trying to do is find a way to release the truth that lies in all of us. * Can we borrow cups of fire from the sun? We can and must and light the world. On revision: “The main thing is compression.” He says: “there are two arts: number one, getting the [story] done; and then, the second great art is learning how to cut it so you don’t kill it or hurt it in any way.” And: “The artist learns what to leave out.” This collection of essays doesn’t delve into craft mechanics, but does provide an encouraging overview of the creative journey.

Ray Bradbury was a Master Author. Most of the works I've read of his have been in the science-fiction category. His love and enthusiasm for his craft, as expressed in this book, is palpable. I only wish I'd come across this work decades ago. If you are interested in a career as a wordsmith, you MUST READ THIS (and the younger you are, the better). But do note, it is not about technique; or selecting a genre' to express yourself; nor is it about style; simply it is about his journey from novice to master. A journey of love, of enthusiasm, of 110% dedication. What a journey that was! ! !

I honestly don't think I've ever read a Ray Bradbuy novel. However, since becoming a full-time writer, I find I gravitate towards more books that will help me with my own writing. Zen and the Art of Writing is chocked full of essays written by Bradbury throughout his life. The imagery he provides is glorious and I find myself swept away in the pages. Even though I haven't notice him giving me step-by-step instructions on how to write, his wisdom is found intertwined in his words and I'm afraid when I finish this little book, I'll be left wanting more. Great read!

Content is exactly what I wanted. However the cover came bent and creased all up. The pages are close to tearing at that creased. The packaging came fine it was packed this way. Going to get an exchange.

I have been a writer (and been writing) for most of my life. My library of writing books is extensive but the one I turn to when I need inspiration, a break and even a few laughs is Zen In The Art of Writing. Bradbury doesn't give you rules or tell you how to create plots or build characters. He tells you how to use what you see, hear and live in/through every day as fodder for your writing. Sounds small but, as a writer, it is HUGE. I first realized that characters and plot lines could be drawn from the writer's own life when reading a biography of Mark Twain who incorporated most of his relatives and friends into his books. That was an aha moment for me. Bradbury's book was an aha experience - taking that sliver of information and exploding it into 11 essays that show writers why putting words to paper is such a joy. I wish I could find a first edition, hardback. I would give it to my grandson who is studying writing at Pitt. As it is, I gave him a paperback when he left for college and hope it helps him find his joy as quickly as it helped me retreive mine.

Best book ever!!! No soy fan de la ciencia ficción ni de Bradbury en general, pero este libro (que no es de ciencia ficción) pone al descubierto de forma honesta el desarrollo de la imaginación del autor.

This was an expensive book, but worth every penny. It is beautifully written, inspiring and full of enthusiasm and joy. I limited myself to reading one essay at a time and then taking a pause to ponder and absorb. He is a better writer than poet, but that is really to be a little nit-picky. I keep dipping back to re-read sections and remind myself not only to write with gusto, but to live with it too. And now I intend to go back and read a whole lot more of his other writing.

For anyone interested in creativity and the fun that lies in seducing the muse this book is for you. Clear, intelligent and friendly; this book reminds us all of our common difficulties and joys in the arena of creative endeavors. This book will remain one of my favorite gift ideas to good friends for many years to come.

I really have to stop loaning this out to people. It never comes back. Yes, I'd like a Kindle edition. :) Many writers have put out many memoirs about their writing lives. They've done a good job of covering the "what" (their subject matter, genre, form, influences) and the "how" (techniques, style, business, schedules), but none have done better than Bradbury at getting to the meat of the "why" of writing. I'm returning to writing after a long absence caused in part by the fact that it just became a drudgery every single day. After dabbling again for a while, I picked up this book and remembered why, as a child, I was drawn to writing in the first place. Bradbury was truly an artist.

Normalmente no suelo tener quejas con los envíos pero es el segundo libro que me llega doblado por el tránsito y no sé a que se debe. Espero que para futuros envíos tengan un poco más de cuidado con estas cosas.