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Quote by 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.”

Quote by Natalie Goldberg

Author

Natalie Goldberg

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. more

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“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

“Really you don't need more information. If you've lived twenty years, you probably have enough material for the rest of your life”

Ifs Needs Years Enough Information Materials Twenties Rest Of Your Life

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“I had cancer for fourteen months and wrote a memoir about the experience.”

Months Cancer Memoir Fourteen

Author:Natalie Goldberg

“I read Eve Ensler and thought it was fabulous. Not only that, but it was really the only thing I could relate to about cancer.”

Cancer Relate Fabulous

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