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Natalie Goldberg

Natalie Goldberg Quotes

Author

Natalie Goldberg is an American author recognized for her work at the intersection of Zen Buddhism and creative writing. Born in 1948, she has authored several books that delve into the fusion of mindfulness and writing, with 'Writing Down the Bones' being particularly influential.

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Famous Natalie Goldberg Quotes

“I'm never ashamed to read a book twice or as many times as I want. We never expect to drink a glass of water just once in our lives. A book can be that essential, too.”

Want Book Reading Water Our Lives Drink Essentials Glasses Ashamed Book Reading Never Expect

Book:Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft

Source: Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft

“Even an ice cream parlor - a definite advantage - does not alleviate the sorrow I feel for a town lacking a bookstore.”

Feels Doe Book Sorrow Advantage Towns Ice Cream Lacking Definite Ice Cream Bookstores Alleviate Parlor

Book:Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft

Source: Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft

“[T]he one thing I want for you is to recognize when you are really singing in writing practice and honor that. Trust that. When you were screaming on the page. Maybe that doesn't make a whole book but that is the true seed.”

Want Writing Book Whole Practice One Thing Honor Pages Singing Seeds

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Let's say I've directed that [writing] energy into writing my latest book but suddenly, I really want to write about an onion. I don't say to myself, "No, you have stay on the subject," because I know that the longer I stay on the subject the more boring I get. So, if my mind wants to write about an onion, it might be a deeper way to go into what I'm working on, even though it might seem irrelevant. This is how I've learned to follow my mind.”

Ifs Knows Way Want Writing Mind Book Seems Might Energy Subjects Boring Deeper I've Learned Irrelevant Onions

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“I came out with a book called The True Secret of Writing: Connecting Life with Language. It's a book that describes how writing is a practice and how my teaching is part of that practice. I direct the writing and create books but underneath, there's always the river of practice happening. No good, no bad. Just do it.”

Writing Book Language Secret Practice Teaching Happenings Rivers Direct Connecting Just Do It

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“The odd thing is, that I wrote The Great Spring while I had cancer and it's not about cancer. It was after I was done with cancer that I wrote a book about it.”

Book Done Spring Cancer Odd Odd Things

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“I think book publishing is fun, but I also know I've been very lucky.”

Thinking Knows Book Fun Lucky Publishing Book Publishing

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Friends open the door for me to write. Then I get paid attention to and it allows me to write other books. The Great Spring and the thirtieth anniversary of Bones just came out and while I'm happy and excited about that, I've already finished a new book. That's what practice does. You don't get caught.”

Writing Doe Book Attention Practice Doors Spring Paid Caught Excited Bones Finished New Books

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“I have students that I tell, "If your book doesn't sell or you can't publish it, write another book. Quit sitting around." The publishing world is a business, but it's not any big deal. An editor is not your guru. Your agent is not your guru.”

Ifs World Writing Book Bigs Deals Students Sitting Sells Quitting Agents Editors Publishing Publish Big Deal Guru Sitting Around

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“In the past few years I've assigned books to be read before a student attends one of my weeklong seminars. I have been astonished by how few people -- people who supposedly want to write -- read books, and if they read them, how little they examine them.”

People Ifs Want Writing Years Littles Has Beens Book Past Students Seminars

Book:Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft

Source: Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft

“To encounter a fine book and have time to read it is a wonderful thing.”

Book Wonderful Fine Encounters Wonderful Things

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“If you read good books, when you write, good books will come out of you.”

Ifs Writing Book Good Book Good Writers

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Read books. They are good for us.”

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

About the Author

Born: 1948
Known for: Author
Quotes: 195

Related Topics

Writing Ifs Mind Thinking Practice Want Knows World Needs Way Book Feels Hands Stories Earth People Cancer Details Firsts Moments

Popular Topics

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Books & Sources

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer WithinRelated source material

Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s LifeRelated source material

Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s CraftRelated source material

Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in AmericaRelated source material

Wild Mind: Living the Writer's LifeRelated source material

Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing MemoirRelated source material

The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to TruthRelated source material

The Essential Writers Notebook: A Step-By-Step Guide to Better WritingRelated source material

The True Secret of Writing: Connecting Life with LanguageRelated source material

Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's CraftRelated source material

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