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Natalie Goldberg

Natalie Goldberg Quotes

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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

“It is very important to go home if you want your work to be whole. You don't have to move in with your parents and collect an allowance, but you must claim where you come from and look deep into it. Come to honor and embrace it, or at least, accept it.”

Writing Home Writing Advice

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“It’s good to go off and write a novel, but don’t stop doing writing practice.”

Writing Practice Novel

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“No matter what a person does to cover up and conceal themselves, when we write and lose control, I can spot a person from Alabama, Florida, South Carolina a mile away even if they make no exact reference to location. Their words are lush like the land they come from, filled with nine aunties, people named Bubba. There is something extravagant and wild about what they have to say — snakes on the roof of a car, swamps, a delta, sweat, the smell of sea, buzz of an air conditioner, Coca-Cola — something fertile, with a hidden danger or shame, thick like the humidity, unspoken yet ever-present. Often when a southerner reads, the members of the class look at each other, and you can hear them thinking, gee, I can't write like that. The power and force of the land is heard in the piece. These southerners know the names of what shrubs hang over what creek, what dogwood flowers bloom what color, what kind of soil is under their feet. I tease the class, "Pay no mind. It's the southern writing gene. The rest of us have to toil away.”

Writing Heritage Southerners Southern Literature

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“What writing practice, like Zen practice does is bring you back to the natural state of mind…The mind is raw, full of energy, alive and hungry. It does not think in the way we were brought up to think-well-mannered, congenial.”

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Writers do like money; artists, contrary to popular belief, do like to eat. It’s only that money isn’t the driving force. I feel very rich when I have time to write and very poor when I get a regular paycheck and no time to work at my real work. Think of it. Employers pay salaries for time. That is the basic commodity that human beings have that is valuable. We exchange our time in life for money. Writers stay with the first step—their time—and feel it is valuable even before they get money for it. They hold on to it and aren’t so eager to sell it.”

Writing Art Success Time Money Writer Starving Artist

Book:Writing Down the Bones, Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones, Freeing the Writer Within

“This is the practice school of writing. Like running, the more you do it, the better you get at it.”

Writing Running School Practice

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Ultimately, writing is about trusting your own mind. It is an act of discovery.”

Writing Mind Discovery

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Writing is the crack through which you can crawl into a bigger world, into your wild mind.”

World Writing Mind Bigger Cracks

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

“We always worry that we are copying someone else, that we don't have our own style. Don't worry. Writing is a communal act. Contrary to popular belief, a writer is not Prometheus alone on a hill full of fire. We are very arrogant to think we alone have a totally original mind. We are carried on the backs of all the writers who came before us. We live in the present with all the history, ideas, and soda pop of this time. It all gets mixed up in our writing.”

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“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.”

Feels Writing Shows Feelings Hands Joy Psychology Reader Sorrow Guides Valleys Adages

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“In the middle of the world, make one positive step. In the center of chaos, make one definitive act. Just write.”

World Writing Steps Middle Chaos

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Writing can teach us the dignity of speaking the truth.”

Writing Teach Dignity Speak The Truth

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“[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

“When you write, don't say, "I'm going to write a poem." That attitude will freeze you right away. Sit down with the least expectation of yourself; say, "I am free to write the worst junk in the world."”

World Writing Attitude Worst Expectations Junk Freeze Expectations Of Yourself

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“I hear people say they're going to write. I ask, when? They give me vague statements. Indefinite plans get dubious results. When we're concrete about our writing time, it alleviates that thin constant feeling of anxiety that writers have - we're barbecuing hot dogs, riding a bike, sailing out in the bay, shopping for shoes, even helping a sick friend, but somewhere nervously at the periphery of our perception we know we belong somewhere else - at our desk!”

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

“So writing is not just writing. It is also having a relationship with other writers. And don't be jealous, especially secretly. That's the worst kind. If someone writes something great, it's just more clarity in the world for all of us.”

Ifs World Writing Kind Worst Clarity Jealous Relationships With Others Being Jealous Don't Be Jealous

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“In writing with detail, you are turning to face the world. It is a deeply political act, because you are not staying in the heat of your own emotions. You are offering up some good solid bread for the hungry.”

World Writing Faces Political Emotion Details Hungry Bread Heat Staying Offering

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“The only failure in writing is when you stop doing it. Then you fail yourself.”

Writing Failing

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

“In the end, you have to just sit down, shut up, and write.”

Writing Ends Shut Up

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“The deepest secret in our heart of hearts is that we are writing because we love the world.”

World Writing Heart Secret

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“Shut up and write anyway. Don't use anything as an excuse.”

Writing Use Excuse Shut Up

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life

“It used to be with chocolate. I would put chocolate in my studio and say, "You know, Nat, there's this chocolate you can have if you get over there." And usually if I got over there, I would start writing. Sometimes I need get out of the house and go to a café and write. Sometimes I'll write with other friends to get myself going. And sometimes I just say "Ok, Nat, enough. Go one hour. Keep your hand going." I'll do whatever it takes.”

Ifs Knows Needs Writing Sometimes Enough Hands Used House Hours Studios Used To Be Chocolate Get Over Whatever It Takes One Hour

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“I don't know anything but writing practice, and so what I really do is direct that energy as if it were flowing down a river.”

Ifs Knows Writing Energy Practice Rivers Direct

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 consider writing a legitimate Zen practice.”

Writing Practice

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

“Shut up and write. Don't talk about writing, just physically do it.”

Writing Shut Up

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Understand that writing is like an athletic activity. To play tennis well, you expect to keep practicing, but for some reason with writing, you think you should come out fresh the first time.”

Thinking Should Writing Firsts Wells Reason Play Activity First Time Tennis Athletic

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“You don't need to go to a therapist, you don't need to do all kinds of things. If you want to write, you physically have to do it.”

Ifs Want Needs Writing Kind All Kinds Therapists

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“While I had cancer, I wrote these twenty-two personal essays about how I lived my life backed by Zen and writing.”

Writing Two Twenties Cancer Essays Twenty Two Personal Essays

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“In a way, the cancer became an ally because it stopped me from running around so much. I was able to settle down and write things I hadn't had a chance to before.”

Way Writing Running Able Chance Down And Cancer Settling Allies Settling Down

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“I don't mean to be flippant about cancer - it was hard, it was tough and it was scary. Then my next manuscript was about cancer because I had a whole new topic to write about. And because I wrote, it didn't take over. Writing took the chaos out of cancer.”

Writing Mean Hard Whole Next Tough Chaos Cancer Scary Topics Manuscripts Flippant

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“So even though I couldn't bear writing about cancer, I faced it every day.”

Writing Bears Cancer

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

“I still write with pen and paper and have someone type it on a computer. But rewriting I do by hand.”

Writing Stills Hands Type Paper Computer Pens Rewriting

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.”

Writing Speak Fear Willing Fearless Splits

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

“My goal is to write every day. I say it is my ideal. I am careful not to pass judgment or create anxiety if I do not do it. No one lives up to his ideal.”

Ifs Writing Goal Anxiety Judgment Ideals Careful

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

“Nobody cares much whether you write or not. You just have to do it”

Writing Care Nobody Cares

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Play around. Dive into absurdity and write. Take chances. You will succeed if you are fearless of failure.”

Ifs Writing Play Chance Succeed Fearless Absurdity Take A Chance

Book:Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Source: Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

“I wonder if I don't give too much of myself to writing: I am always half where I am; the other half is feeding the furnace, kick-starting the heat of creativity. I am making love with someone but at the same time I'm noticing how this graceful hand across my belly might just fit in with the memory of lilacs in Albuquerque in 1974.”

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

“It's okay to embark on writing because you think it will get you love. At least it gets you going, but it doesn't last. After a while you realize that no one cares that much. Then you find another reason: money. You can dream on that one while the bills pile up. Then you think: "Well, I'm the sensitive type. I have to express myself." Do me a favor. Don't be so sensitive. Be tough. It will get you further along when you get rejected. Finally, you just do it because you happen to like it.”

Thinking Writing Wells Reason Dream Happens Care Lasts Realizing Type Tough Okay Bills Favors Sensitive Rejected Just Do It No One Cares

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Writing practice brings us back to the uniqueness of our own minds and an acceptance of it. We all have wild dreams, fantasies, and ordinary thoughts. Let us to feel the texture of them and not be afraid of them.Writing is still the wildest thing I know.”

Knows Feels Writing Mind Stills Dream Practice Fantasy Acceptance Ordinary Uniqueness Texture Wild Dreams

Book:Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

Source: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life

“Sometimes people say to me, “I want to write, but I have five kids, a full-time job, a wife who beats me, a tremendous debt to my parents,” and so on. I say to them, “There is no excuse. If you want to write, write. This is your life. You are responsible for it. You will not live forever. Don’t wait. Make the time now, even if it is ten minutes once a week."”

People Ifs Want Writing Sometimes Kids Jobs Waiting Parent Forever Five Wife Week Minutes Ten Beats Responsible Excuse Debt Live Forever No Excuses Full Time Jobs

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“We are searching for the core of our lives; our culture intuits that writing, that ancient activity, might be the pathway...Awakening does not feed ego's needs and desires; it pulverizes the self. Our society couldn't knowingly bear such reduction, so we've tricked ourselves into the same path but call it writing.”

Needs Writing Doe Self Might Desire Culture Path Our Lives Bears Activity Ego Ancient Awakening Core Our Society Pathways Reduction

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“Know that you will eventually have to leave everything behind; the writing will demand it of you.”

Knows Writing Behinds Demand

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

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

“When I wrote and got out of the way, writing did writing.” (p.90)”

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“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.”

“The things that make you a functional citizen in society - manners, discretion, cordiality - don't necessarily make you a good writer. Writing needs raw truth, wants your suffering and darkness on the table, revels in a cutting mind that takes no prisoners.”

Want Needs Writing Mind Suffering Darkness Cutting Citizens Tables Manners Prisoner Discretion Good Writers Cordiality

Book:Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir

Source: Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir

About the Author

Born: 1948
Known for: Author
Quotes: 195

Related Topics

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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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