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Natalie Goldberg

Natalie Goldberg Quotes

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Famous Natalie Goldberg Quotes

“There's an old adage in writing: 'Don't tell, but show.' Writing is not psychology. We do not talk 'about' feelings. Instead the writer feels and through her words awakens those feelings in the reader. The writer takes the reader's hand and guides him through the valley of sorrow and joy without ever having to mention those words.”

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Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
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“First, consider the pen you write with. It should be a fast-writing pen because your thoughts are always much faster than your hand. You don't want to slow up your hand even more with a slow pen. A ballpoint, a pencil, a felt tip, for sure, are slow. Go to a stationery store and see what feels good to you. Try out different kinds. Don't get too fancy and expensive. I mostly use a cheap Sheaffer fountain pen, about $1.95.... You want to be able to feel the connection and texture of the pen on paper.”

WantFeelsShouldWritingTryingFirstsKindDifferentUseHandsAbleFeltPaperConnectionsStoresFeel GoodFasterFancyExpensivePensDifferent KindsFountainPencilsTextureFountain PensStationery
Author:Natalie Goldberg
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“Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make life so, right in the middle of it we die, lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce. In summer, we work hard to make a tidy garden, bordered by pansies with rows or clumps of columbine, petunias, bleeding hearts. Then we find ourselves longing for the forest, where everything has the appearance of disorder; yet we feel peaceful there.”

FeelsTryingHeartMatterHardLife IsDiesFallFunLosesMiddleHard WorkSummerGardenLongingFalling In LoveAppearanceLegsForestsPeacefulDisorderBleedingJarsOrderlyTidyPansiesBleeding HeartColumbinePetuniasApplesauce
Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life
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“Can we walk that thin line between constant change and continuation? And in the middle of this flux, feel gratitude but not hold on? Gratitude greases the joints to let us let go, and at the same time to stop and realize we received something. Gratitude is the most developed and mature of human emotions.”

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Book:The True Secret of Writing: Connecting Life with Language
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“Finally, if you want to write, you have to just shut up, pick up a pen, and do it. I'm sorry there are no true excuses. This is our life. Step forward. Maybe it's only for ten minutes. That's okay. To write feels better than all the excuses.”

IfsWantFeelsWritingStepsOur LivesMinutesTenPicksOkaySorryExcusePensFeel BetterShut UpI'm SorrySteps Forward
Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
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“Tulips come up in spring for no reason. Of course, you planted bulbs and now in April the earth warms up. But why? For no reason except gravity. Why gravity? For no reason. And why did you plant red tulip bulbs to begin with? For beauty, which is itself and has no reason. So the world is empty. Things rise and fall for no reason. And what a great opportunity that is! You can start writing again at any minute. Let go of all your failures and sit down and write something great. Or write something terrible and feel great about it.”

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Author:Natalie Goldberg
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