Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity

As a writer of non-fiction myself, I have recently rediscovered Bradbury. I read his science fiction before I ever started writing (forty-some years ago!)and I am delighted to be led to him again by my Fiction Writing teacher, Marshall Cook, who recommended this book. It is not only informative but also a great inspiration and aid to beginning writers as well as experienced ones. Reading this book sent me back to the store for MORE BRADURY!
Elizabeth M. King

This book is amazing!!! I'm more of an artist, less of a writer, but the principals in here can be applied to any form of creativity. He gives you good tips on how to harness creative energy and blast it out into the world with "zest. gusto."
If you are a creative person and want a new perspective on being inspired, this is a must read!

the word "writing" can be a placeholder for anything you want to do well in life. unlike other writing manuals, this book teaches more of a philosophy on how to approach writing than it teaches how to formulate a grammatically correct sentence. it's definitely a must-have for all writers and creatives.

What fun it is to be able to peer into the mental space of a literary giant! That's what this book attempts...and largely achieves. It would have helped if I had been more familiar with Bradbury's stories -- I haven't read them all. But his methodology for generating creative ideas can be useful to writers at all levels of experience.

This is a wonderful book I tracked down a hard copy of, for which I needed expedited delivery. The seller (Inglenook) went above and beyond in personally making sure I got the book overnight. The book arrived mint condition and is one of the more positive books I have read about the craft of writing.

Ray Bradbury's book is so easy to read and he shares his thoughts on writing with such passion, energy and enthusiasm that it is hard not to be excited by his ideas and inspired by his suggestions. Made me want to read his stories anew.

I love this collection of essays from a 30-year period of Ray Bradbury's writing. It is an intentional compilation by the author, and is inspiring, insightful, and delightfully practical. It has a strange title, but the reference to Zen, I believe, is to denote the "essence" of a thing.

Ray Bradbury melds together, here, the story of his life and the events that inspired him to write. He had developed brilliant techniques, which he elucidates for us, that kept his imagination flowing all of his life. Bradbury reveals the sources of a great many of his works and even their titles, and encourages us as we are pulled along for the ride. It's a whirl of a book. And at times it will make you laugh out loud.

I love this man's style. Humorous, honest, deep. If you write, or crave to write, this book will certainly inspire and motivate you. His generation were the wordsmiths of our living memory. It is up to us to now continue this legacy.

I love this collection of essays from a 30-year period of Ray Bradbury's writing. It is an intentional compilation by the author, and is inspiring, insightful, and delightfully practical. It has a strange title, but the reference to Zen, I believe, is to denote the "essence" of a thing.

Ray Bradbury melds together, here, the story of his life and the events that inspired him to write. He had developed brilliant techniques, which he elucidates for us, that kept his imagination flowing all of his life. Bradbury reveals the sources of a great many of his works and even their titles, and encourages us as we are pulled along for the ride. It's a whirl of a book. And at times it will make you laugh out loud.

I love this man's style. Humorous, honest, deep. If you write, or crave to write, this book will certainly inspire and motivate you. His generation were the wordsmiths of our living memory. It is up to us to now continue this legacy.

Ray has a way with words. Not in the word smith-y sort of way. But he makes the mundane sound brilliant. There's honesty in the way he presents his advice (or pointers) on how to kickstart writing career.

If you're interested in writing or need some inspiration to take your writing to another level, this book is for you. Many pros already have their own methods for getting good words on a page. But beginners, like me, sometimes need a little push. Here's your push.

If you're already a Bradbury fan, you'll probably enjoy this book. If you're not a devotee, you run the risk of recognizing this book for what it is: a manifesto on how awesome Bradbury is, written by the subject. Not highly recommended.

Instead of a writer's how to, this is a history of Bradbury's writing career. One must extrapolate the Zen methodology. So one must have at least an awareness of Zen to gather the method. Circular or möbius strip, or even mirror gazing. Read it and decide for yourself if you can slog through the first few chapters.

I love Ray Bradbury's fiction, but this book isn't well served by being in the style of his fiction. It would be interesting as insight into his specific books, but it isn't presented as being that. I was disappointed because I was really looking forward to one of my favorite writer's thoughts and advice on creativity and the creative process, but there's very little of that to be found.

Well, I'm sure glad he liked writing. That much was obvious from this collection of essays. I think this book is largely for people who have...actually read his books. I saw this on the store for cheap and got it, without realizing that all the essays referenced his previous works. And when I say reference, I mean like every other sentence.

So yeah, not my favorite read, but oh well.

Ray Bradbury was one of my earliest writer heroes. I read a lot of his work when I was a teenager and young man. Along with Asimov, Clarke, Aldiss, Heinlein and Wyndham he was one of the authors who created my love of science fiction.
I hadn’t come across this collection of essays aimed at other writers in the genre until a couple of weeks ago, when I happened on a post on the blog, ‘Books: Publishing, Reading, Writing’, about the blogger’s rereading of Zen in the Art of Writing. I was at once inspired to buy a copy.
More importantly, as a writer, I was inspired to read it. Ray Bradbury’s work is poetic, exciting, evocative, enthralling. So I assumed his ideas on writing would be as rewarding, and I was right.
The book consists of a series of dated essays that recount his experiences, influences, motivations and encounters as a writer. You will not find advice on technique or marketing, language or grammar, story structure or characterisation in these pages, although some of these topics are tangentially referred to along the way. This is a book about what it is to be a writer, what drives that urge to put words on paper, what matters to the author.
I’ve been writing fiction in various forms for more years than I care to consider. Without knowing it, I’ve approached my writing in the same way that Ray Bradbury approached his, except I lacked the luck to be writing in America at the time he started. It was the golden age of science fiction, when the reading public suddenly began to understand that science fiction, far from being a genre for kids who liked comic books, was and is actually a field full of ideas, questions and possible solutions. I was interested to note that Ray advises his readers of this book to acquire a copy of another of my favourite writing books; ‘Becoming a Writer’ by Dorothea Brande. Along with the more recent work by Stephen King, ‘On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft’, these are the only books I urge would-be authors to read before they attempt their first work.
Reading this book has re-ignited my early enthusiasm for writing. Not that I ever lost the urge, but that, over the years, the motivation can dim a little. Ray’s words of wisdom, written in his effortlessly poetic style, empower authors with his idea that the prime emotion you should feel when writing is excitement. If you feel this, the reader will be infected with the same exhilaration. And, it’s true. The emotional state of the writer seeps onto the page, no matter what the scene describes, how the character feels. It is the writer’s state of mind that creeps into the mind of the reader. That’s why honesty is fundamental to good fiction. Any attempt to dupe the reader with an author’s false feelings will seep onto the page and undo that effort.
I’m so pleased I came across this book. I wish I’d read it earlier. It’s good to know that, instinctively, I’ve been following Ray Bradbury’s advice and suggestions for much of my writing life, but reading this book has inspired me to renew my approach to the work of the author, to make sure I enjoy the work and pass on my enthusiasm to my readers. Thank you Ray Bradbury. I’ll now revisit your back catalogue and find the works of yours I didn’t read as a young man and see how many I can read now that I’m older.

I am a bit disappointed with this book. I read many reviews and many said it was superb. Well for me I have a different opinion. The book in general was well written. It was like a memoir or something like that . The ideas were nice but you have to find them and extract them, since most were hidden and presented in indirect way. This book is for beginners. If u have a previous knowledge and read many books about writing, then this book is not for you.

A lot of proselytizing about how ideas just pop up "it's that easy!" kind of stuff.

Also more of a summary of moments within his career rather than the practical elements of being a writer.

A few good tidbits, but not really worth it.

I was very disappointed in this book. It was advertised as new, but the pages are yellow with age and several pages have been turned back. There is a price on the reverse and on the inside cover of $6.50; however, I paid over $28 ($24.38 for the book and $3.98 for shipping. This was to have been a birthday gift for my son--I paid a lot for something that appears very cheap.

Should I start with the good or the bad about this book? Eh, I'll just let it flow as it comes to me.

This was the paperback. The font was so tiny and the spaces between lines was tiny. I could only digest a page or two at a time.

This is written by a male who only spoke of mankind. Oh, he spoke of his wife a couple times. Once he said, and I can't find it to quote exactly, that his wife was appropriately quiet in response to his great idea. I know this was a time when women should be the rib and mothers of men. Not real people with their own minds and abilities. This macho writing was what my reading diet was as a young girl. This is why I look so hard for Bechdel approved work. And I don't just want two fems that talk a little to each other. I want fems of all shapes, sizes, ages, and belief systems. Please! Not another high-heels bimbo! But I digress. (ME?)

In spite of those problems of reading an old book, I found a lot of inspiration toward my own writing. In fact, the best chapter was called, On the Shoulders of Giants. I wanted to quote many line from that. I want to re-read it often. The book is worth the read if only for the tidbits in this section.

My favorite idea found in this book is his interpretation of science fiction and its importance to life itself. Sci-fi is the think-tank for science. Then science invents what we dreamed and it becomes a never-ending idea machine...and fems can add to that in great numbers and less wars!

A great collection of essays on writing and how to juggle the various expectations life throws at you. The only problem I found in this book was the enthusiasm and energy with which Bradbury presents each of these essays. It is as if each sentence is practically maxim-worthy, brimming with the energy and explosion that should just be evident in one small snippet rather than in a whole book. I can forgive Bradbury for this, as these essays are collected from single-article appearances in a variety of other publications. As you make your way through this book, this energy seems like its completely unsustainable when the articles are read back-to-back, and of course they are. They were never meant to be read in this manner! That said, the nuggets of information hidden in this absolute excitement about the craft are extremely valuable, and I found the personal stories interspersed throughout the collection to be inspiring as I find myself struggling with many of the same aspects of my work contrasted with the demands of work, parenthood, marriage, and thousands of other demands. I enjoyed this book, but perhaps the syntax and tone should be taken with a grain of salt as long as you're aware of the original intent and location of each of the pieces contained within. What we're dealing with is a man whose enthusiasm for writing is second only to his enthusiasm for life...that's the best outcome I could hope for - I hope one day that my essays overflow with such vitality and saccharine sentimentality for my craft and for living.

While it might not separate out into easy bullet-lists of suggestions, there are a lot of great ideas here. Word associations, letting things percolate through your mind, honestly editing your work… Bradbury couches everything in examples from his own life and work. He loads everything up with context. Perhaps most importantly, he lends his words a vibrancy, a poetry, a life that speaks far louder than any dry essay on writing ever could! He talks of love and hate, and how emotions drive good writing. He speaks of work and relaxation, and how both are necessary at once. All of this in beautiful, easy-to-read language that you can easily cruise through in a day.

It’s hard not to come away from this book without a sense of this man: a whimsical, driven, fire-breathing soul of wit and humor and great understanding. I normally have little interest at all in meeting famous people, but I wish that I could have met Mr. Bradbury. Certainly his work has inspired many a dreamer, and all writers of the fantastic owe him and his work a great debt.

"If you’re not happy with the way your writing has gone, you might give my method a try. If you do, I think you might easily find a new definition for Work. And the word is LOVE."

I cannot recommend this writing book highly enough. It isn’t just helpful – it’s inspiring. The passion that flows through the words is contagious. The energy and enthusiasm are catching! I cannot imagine a single author that could not be improved by reading this book.

Ever since I read "Fahrenheit 451" in high school -- arguably the best book I was ever required to read for a class -- I've fallen in love with the writing of Ray Bradbury. He is one of the masters of the craft in my mind, with both a beautiful writing style that grabs you by the throat and won't let go, and with something very valuable to say about the world and humanity's place in it. I admit that there's a lot of his work I haven't read, but that's simply because the man has written SO much in his life that it's bound to be nigh-impossible to read it all in a lifetime. I love his "Martian Chronicles," his "Something Wicked This Way Comes," and many of his short stories, and I hope to be able to read more. So it only makes sense that, as a writer myself, I would admire his work enough to read his "Zen in the Art of Writing," a collection of essays about his craft and his words of advice for fellow writers.

While not an advice and style guide per se, "Zen in the Art of Writing" is still an illuminating look at the creative process and the story behind some of his most famous works. And it's as poetically and brilliantly written as any of his fiction.

Most of these essays are simply an effort to give inspiration and encouragement to fellow writers -- advice on keeping your creative "muse" fed and active, caution to avoid writing solely to make money, and writing every day to keep your creative muscles strong and limber. A few of these essays deal with his own writing experiences, however, and reveal the seeds that would eventually blossom into some of his most famous works -- "Dandelion Wine," "Something Wicked This Way Comes," "Fahrenheit 451," "The Martian Chronicles," the stories and plays he wrote about Ireland, etc.

While not exactly a biography/writing manual as Stephen King's "On Writing" was, this book does reveal intriguing snippets of Bradbury's life as well as his inspirations, and gives us a curiously intimate look at one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. I came away from this book with a much better appreciation for his writing, as well as the desire to explore even more of his work. And I'm very willing to take his advice to heart -- he was very much a master of his craft, and knows exactly what he's talking about. Some of his advice might be better suited to the short-story writer than the novelist, but much of it is relevant no matter what sort of writer you are.

The book closes with a collection of his poetry, which is strikingly evocative and lovely. Now I'm curious to see if he ever put out a collection of poems...

A fantastic little gem from a beloved writer, "Zen in the Art of Writing" is a must-read for any writer. If you enjoyed King's "On Writing," "Zen in the Art of Writing" is also a valuable read, both for its insight on its author and for its valuable advice.

I LOVED this book!!

I saw Katytastic talk about this book on her channel. It took me a bit but I finally bought it. You know what, besides this, I haven't read any Ray Bradbury.... I know!! I have to remedy this soon!!

This is a collection of essays so you can jump back and forth between them. But the first time you read it, I'd say go front to back. It's really best to read that way and take it all in. Yes, I said, the first time. I already know this will be one that I'll go back to. It's definitely a memoir vibe but also gives advice and tells how he did it and gives inspiration. I felt a huge urge to write while reading and after each story. I'm not sure what else to say. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It inspired and motivated me and helped to light a fire under my butt.

If you're a writer, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book!! Or even if you love Ray Bradbury. But especially if you're a writer!!

5 STARS!!

This is more of a conversation with Ray Bradbury than a book on writing. What you glean from Bradbury's essays will vary, but what he does well is instill a sense of wonder, a child-like need to explore, and a steadfast insistence that you must enjoy every bit of being a writer or you are doing something wrong. You get a good look inside the master's head here. You gain a better understanding of this literary giant's process and what writing MEANS to him.

I think this book is an inspirational read for writers. It may provide the impetus you need to get up and pound on those keyboards. Unfortunately, it will impart little technically useful. No tried and true methods. Just the correct mindset.

While this is valuable, it is incomplete. More of a supplement than a manual. You SHOULD read this. Especially if you are a genre writer. Then you NEED to read other, more specific and careful guides like the books below:

1) Successful Novelist: A Lifetime of Lessons about Writing and Publishing by David Morrell
2) On Writing by Stephen King
3) Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Second Edition: How to Edit Yourself Into Print by Browne and King
4) Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by Weiland
5) Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror: Speculative Genre Exercises from Today's Best Writers and Teachers
6) How to Write Tales of Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction by J. N. Williamson
7) Dark Dreamers On Writing (Necon Non Fiction Book 1) by Stanley Wiater and Jason Wojtowicz
8) Dark Thoughts on Writing: Advice and Commentary from Fifty Masters of Fear and Suspense by Stanley Wiater
9) The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear by Ralph Keyes
10) The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E. B. White

THEN take a trip to Anne Rice's Youtube channel and Chuck Wendig's blog for excellent writing advice. And, of course, read Bradbury's fiction. His short fiction in particular.

Hope this helps. Write well. Write for you. Write to make Bradbury proud.

Through all ten essays and a brief collection of poems, the elation of master craftsman Ray Bradbury is infectious. Zen in the Art of Writing is pure joy; a celebration of the craft and labor of storytelling. There is not much in the way of writing advice here, but I was inspired nevertheless.

In the essay "The Joy of Writing," Bradbury encourages writers to execute their craft with zest and gusto, with a sense of love and fun. For if you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, and without fun, you are only half a writer.

In "Run Fast, Stand Still," he reveals one of his strategies for getting started as a writer—create a list of nouns. Specifically, things that interest you, exhilarate you, or scare you and then use them as story prompts. Some of Bradbury's nouns included THE LAKE, THE NIGHT, THE CRICKETS, THE SCYTHE, THE CARNIVAL, THE SKELETON, THE MIRROR MAZE, and many more.

Bradbury relates how he reached back into his childhood memories from Illinois to create his famous novel, Dandelion Wine in the essay, "Just This Side of Byzantium: Dandelion Wine."

In "The Secret Mind," he reflects on his dreadful time in Ireland writing the screenplay for Moby Dick for director John Huston, only to later discover that his experiences in Ireland inspired several short stories and plays.

While writing a two-act drama based on his hit novel, Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury recalls when—unable to write at home due to the distraction of his children—he rented typewriters in the basement of the UCLA library at the rate of 10 cents for every 30 minutes in order to write the novel. All of this is told in the aptly titled essay, "Investing Dimes: Fahrenheit 451."

No examination of Bradbury's work would be complete without taking "The Long Road to Mars." In June 1949, Bradbury was invited to New York City by writer Norman Corwin, who introduced him to Walter Bradbury (no relation) of Doubleday Books. During the conversation, the topic of Ray's "Martian stories" came up and Walter suggested that he find a common theme among them to create a novel—and The Martian Chronicles was born.

These are but a few examples of the engaging essays that left me, a burgeoning speculative fiction writer, feeling renewed and reenergized toward my craft and possibilities that lay ahead.

Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You
Review by Richard L. Weaver II, PhD.

Ray Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing is a collection of ten essays and eight poems from his past writings that illustrate his views on what a writer should do and be. His views on the psychology, philosophy, and purpose of writing are still relevant, captivating, and enlightening. In reading Stephen King's On Writing along with this one, you will discover both appeal to the intuitive writer and not to the methodical one, and you quickly discover the love both authors have for their readers and their craft. What I found most impressive in this work is how Bradbury inspires. You quickly discover his passion for writing just as, by example, he makes the point that passion is, indeed, the key ingredient to success in the field. Excellence in writing
springs from the subconscious, or the muse, as Bradbury explains it. Thus, for writers to be successful, they must find their muse, feed it, and keep it active. In this short book (150 pages), you get a peek into his publishing life, his methods for inspiration and developing stories, and relish in his enthusiasm and love of words. As one reviewer said, "It cuts through the tedious, mind-numbing, literary algorithms of writing seminars and classes." This is an exceptional guide that teaches the basics of the creative writing process.

Writing about writing is wrought with woe, because a clever few words gathered by one writer may become muck in the minds of some readers.

However, here goes. Good conversation is based on a genuine interest in others. But, the key to good writing is a genuine interest in good ideas. Bradbury loves ideas, he is a master of wonderful "what if?" flights of fancy. For example, who else could see a fallen harbour pier and imagine it into a lovelorn dinosaur?

Bradbury uses words and ideas the way Thomas Edison used science and ideas. But what launches such talent? In Bradbury's case, a wondrous magician with a seedy two-bit carnival who took time to listen to the great ideas of a 12-year-old boy.

Complicated? Stephen Leacock once said about writing, "You just jot down ideas as they occur to you. The jotting is simplicity itself -- it is the occurring which is difficult."

So, how does Bradbury do it? Basically, his life is a fun adventure; he enjoys life; facing his day's work is not a burden, for him writing is always the fever, the delight, the ardor of life itself. He has the spirit of wonder, adventure and mischief of a seven-year-old. Think 'Calvin' of comic strip fame, and you appreciate the mind of Bradbury. If this seems odd, it is only because 'Calvin' is a cartoon boy instead of a white-haired old sage. Bradbury's ideas underwent a similar evolution from fantasy to relevance in the 1950s, when librarians and scientists awoke to see the genius inherent in science fiction.

A second element, which Bradbury downplays, also relates to Leacock, "I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." Bradbury enjoys his work with the delight 'Calvin' has in playing. If there isn't a 'Hobbes' in Bradbury's life, it's only because he hasn't told us of it yet.

A third element is Bradbury's love of books. In his early career, he wrote in the basement of a library. For a break, he went upstairs to the library and, in his words, "There I strolled, lost in love, down the corridors, and through the stacks, touching books, pulling volumes out, turning pages, thrusting volumes back, drowning in all the good stuffs that are the essence of libraries."

This book is much more than "zen", it celebrates "love" in a way that is almost lost in today's world . . .. . but which nonetheless has profound meaning. Romance novels are about the quest for love; Bradbury is someone who celebrates a love of new ideas every day.

Few books about writing are this good.

Ray Bradbury is a prolific creative writing genius, known primarily for his science fiction stories like Fahrenheit 451. In this book he shares with great passion his insights on the creative writing process, and there is nothing fancy about it. Basically, you need to write constantly about things you love or hate. The sources of your inspiration will come from your experiences, consciously or subconsciously. Bradbury has a tremendous memory, claiming to go back as far as his birth. He also has a fantastic imagination, as demonstrated by the characters and plots he creates. But lesser lights can also strive to achieve creative writing success by relying on their own imagination and their own experiences. Bradbury gives an example of an exercise he sometimes uses, where he simply starts listing out nouns that somehow interest him. Over time, and with certainty, those nouns start stringing themselves together into a story. Bradbury also cautions against writing for money or for acknowledgement. Bradbury's bottom line of writing success is the same as other writers' - you must write a lot and do it no matter what the circumstances, and you must pursue whatever inspirations come your way.

This superb collection of essays by Ray Bradbury gives you an unfettered view of his writing technique. Equal parts brainstorming/word association and playing "What If," Bradbury's method of getting words on the page is deceptively simple. Fortunately, Bradbury also goes into detail about how to stock your supply cupboard with people and images and emotions so when the time comes to use them (or they come out to be used), you'll have them at hand. While the book is more geared to the art of short story writing, the overarching theme of writing with gusto works for novelists as well.

Bradbury admits to using the reference to Eastern philosophy as a hook to get readers (those accepting of it as well as those indignant at the notion, yet curious enough to find out what he's talking about). Ultimately, Bradbury doesn't advocate switching from Western to Eastern thought, nor are koans sprinkled throughout the book, but he does address coming to a point where you can work without laboring and achieving a state where your words flow from you and through you effortlessly. In this way of becoming one with the universes of your creation, Bradbury is certainly a Master.

The one area where the book falls short, though, is in handling the revision and editing of your work. It's all well and good to talk of writing with verve and gusto (and it is well and it is good to do so), but Bradbury doesn't explain how to look at it after the fact objectively and with a critical eye. Granted, this isn't a how-to primer, but the enthusiasm of writing the story can be all too easily quashed by rejection notices if what is written well isn't well-written.

Nevertheless, Bradbury's message is inspirational, and if his method has worked for him for 50+ years there's no doubt it can be a successful technique. Even if you come away from the this book without being prepared to follow in his footsteps, you will still be inspired to be passionate about your work.

I know Ray Bradbury from reading his novels, notably The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451. Bradbury has written much more. Short stories, plays, screenplays, poems - Bradbury's contributions have spanned the spectrum of writing genres. This book was written in 1990, when he was seventy years old. He was already a legend, revered for his books, short stories and television shows. In this book, Bradbury reflects on his career, and attempts to answer questions about his inspiration for writing. Here is a creative genius, offering trail markers for those who would follow his path.

The book is composed of a series of short essays, some almost prose poems suggesting different aspects of how his muse works. The last chapter is a set of poems on the theme of encouraging creativity to emerge from within yourself. All of the writing in this book is aimed at encouraging the reader to follow his or her heart, to release the creativity within, and follow your dreams. He talks about having the courage to follow your inner calling, to know yourself, to draw on your personal history, to admit your failings, and take up the challenge of working through difficulties to reveal the truth that may be known only to you

At times the writing becomes almost ephemeral, as he talks about contacting the inner self, knowing your subconscious, and feeding the muse. As I said, there is a feeling of the prose-poem in some of the essays. Overall, the book is inspiring. I confess that I love Bradbury's work. I could be biased, but I give this book five out of five stars.

What can you say about a writer who wrote over a thousand words a day every day of his career? Ray Bradbury was certainly a writer's writer. This book is a collection of essays written over a thirty-year period. It gives insight into his personal history and trials and successes as a writer. As he says himself, "If anything is taught here, it is simply the charting of the life of someone who started out to somewhere-and went."

These essays provide insight into his writing process and use of word association as he started to write each and every morning. His best advice to an aspiring writer is to write, write, and write "one-thousand or two-thousand words every day for the next twenty years. At the start, you might shoot for one short story a week, fifty-two stories a year, for five years. You will have to write and put away or burn a lot of material before you are comfortable in this medium. You might as well start now and get the necessary work done."

Overall, I found this book more inspirational than tip-wise informative. If you're looking for more of the later I recommend Steven King's On Writing. Speaking of which, I found it interesting that King and Bradbury share the same viewpoint regarding plot. In Bradbury's words, "Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run my on their way to incredible destinations. Plot is observed after the fact rather than before."

This is a great read for anyone interested in writing, but most especially for an aspiring science-fiction writer.

"Zen in the Art of Writing" might not separate out into easy bullet-lists of suggestions the way many writing books do, but there are so many great ideas here. Word associations, letting things percolate through your mind, honestly editing your work... Bradbury couches everything in examples from his own life and work. He loads everything up with context. Perhaps most importantly, he lends his words a vibrancy, a poetry, a life that speaks far louder than any dry essay on writing ever could!

He talks of love and hate, and how emotions drive good writing. He speaks of work and relaxation, and how both are necessary at once. All of this in beautiful, easy-to-read language that you can easily cruise through in a day.

It's hard not to come away from this book without a sense of this man: a whimsical, driven, fire-breathing soul of wit and humor and great understanding. I normally have little interest at all in meeting famous people, but I wish that I could meet Mr. Bradbury. Certainly his work has inspired many a dreamer, and all writers of the fantastic owe him and his work a great debt.

I cannot recommend this writing book highly enough. If you're looking for dry suggestions to help you get published look elsewhere, but if you're looking for inspiration, this is the place to find it. The passion, energy, and enthusiasm that flow through the words are contagious. I cannot imagine a single author that could not be improved by reading this book.

Zen in the Art of Writing is my favorite kind of writing book. One that doesn't tell you how to write, but how to be a writer. Those are the best kind. A collection of essays from various sources and points in his career, Bradbury gives us many glimpses into the kind of writer he is, touching on such subjects as how to keep and feed a Muse, where ideas come from and what it takes to be a writer.
You won't find any discussions of plot, character, pacing, etc. here. Instead you'll find inspiration, ideas, passion and a little bit of who Ray Bradbury is. Just like a story.
A few excerpts:
You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.
If you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer.
A good idea should worry us like a dog. We should not, in turn, worry it into the grave, smother it with intellect, pontificate it into snoozing, kill it with the death of a thousand analytical slices.
At heart, all good stories are the one kind of story, the story written by an individual [writer] from [her] individual truth.
And finally...
WORK
RELAX
DON'T THINK!
Zen and the Art of Writing remains an excellent book for any artist to read. It would be almost impossible to not catch Bradbury's enthusiasm, running down the pages as it does. Again, just as in good fiction.

When you say Ray Bradbury most people think Fahrenheit 451 and respond - science fiction writer, easy categorization miles from describing the man. Bradbury was an artist, a commercial writer who produced a body of award winning work, including Prometheus and Bram Stoker Awards, an O.Henry Prize and Pulitzer special citation, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Accolades in recognition of mastery in multiple genres and disciplines; recognition of a body of work that stretched a lifetime. "I wrote at least a thousand words a day every day from the age of twelve on." -R.B. He was an apostle of the church of Just Write, and write a lot, you can sort it out later. "This afternoon, burn down the house. Tomorrow pour cold critical water upon the simmering coals. Time enough to think and cut and rewrite tomorrow." -R.B.

Bradbury was a nuts and bolts professional capable of working within audience needs and time constraints - his first paying job was writing for the Burns and Allen Show at the age of fourteen. The demands of Bradbury's prolific production would have worn out most other writers, driven them to burn out, to the death of their enthusiasm. Not that Bradbury ever lost his love of the craft, of the art, of moving people to pause. It was never a job to him, it was no chore, although, I'm sure there were bad days. I know this now, after reading Zen In the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity. I know too, we would be lucky to have a fraction of the fun he had.

If forced to sum up the book in a very few words, I would say, Be Joyful in Your Art! I don't mean to only write about the bright and beautiful, about love; hate and darkness have power too. It is about writing with passion, having fun with it, which I believe the crux of Bradbury's message. "Life is short, misery sure, mortality certain. But on the way, in your work, why not carry along those two inflated pig bladders of Zest and Gusto." -R.B. The capital letters belong to Bradbury. He thought we didn't use those words enough anymore, Zest and Gusto. Qualities he believed all great artists possessed. "Everywhere you look in the cosmos, the great ones are busy loving and hating." -R.B.

Ray Douglas Bradbury died a little more than two months ago, at the age of 91. I missed the news, as did most of the main stream media. That's a shame, we should celebrate Ray...and then get busy with the loving and hating! It's what he would do. He was one of the great ones.

This book may be more for the word than the Zen practitioner, but it is for anyone wanting affirmation and inspiration for the craft of writing. Herein Bradbury provides us with the techniques and processes he used since the age of 12 to bring life to words; his deep love of writing and incredible memory, pour from each page making the reader almost drunk (on Dandelion Wine.) After reading this book you too will feel like you can and should write anything albeit with patience and practice.

Whether Bradbury realizes it or not, the discipline of writing is akin to the discipline of Zen as seen in consistent practice of that which we want to achieve, be it a novel or enlightenment. He shows us his method of confronting his childhood fears and shadows while also recommending that not thinking is essential to the creative flow of words that becomes a written product and how wonderful to read of his experiencing the sacred muse.

This book seemed like it would make great high school reading material to encourage young people who so need to express themselves, and it made me feel like using an old fashioned typewriter again, his pre-word-processing tool of hand to paper. It is short and easy to read, full of zest for life and of course the thrill of writing!

A man opens up his heart, lays bare his soul and takes us on his journey. It's fascinating storytelling of the child who later becomes the well-known author. I'm transported with him as I follow the young child to his knowings, his thirst for life, the zest, the gusto, the passion that must be put down on pieces of paper. He wrote a thousand words a day since the age of twelve.

It's captivating his stories how the characters emerged and had their way on the page. And how writing brings back memory, memories back from as early as a few days old.

A delightful book to read in a hammock on a summer day or on a boat bobbing gently, the sun and breeze adding to the enjoyment one more author gives us in this lifetime.

I like that he likes Hemingway and T.E. Lawrence. And I like that the store.com provides a forum to express appreciation of authors, books, films and other such things that make up delightful moments in the year 2011.

This book is a wonderful collection of essays on writing by Ray Bradbury. The essays span about 20 years. They are mostly about the creative process. He provides inspirational advice on how to care for and feed your Muse. He discusses the methods that work for him. He tells us stories about how he came to write some of his more famous short stories and novels - e.g. how he was driven to tears, writing his first great short story "The Lake".

The book is probably most valuable for accomplished writers, because he assumes that the reader has already mastered the mechanics of writing and story structure. There is no discussion of plotting, character development, how to sell your work.

If the book has a fault it is that Bradbury is too talented. In the book, he tells the story of writing the first draft of Fahrenheit 451. He wrote it over a few days at a pay typewriter, a dime at a time, in a UCLA library! What works for a genius such as himself, may not work for other writers. He can sit down at a typewriter, commence a prose poem on a noun and miraculously have a story appear on the page. Most other writers do not have the natural command of storytelling. They need to work in a much more structured fashion.

If you've ever felt like a writer who is torn between simply wanting to write but feeling like you should be writing for the sake of pleasing others? Then read this book. Bradbury gets right to the core and literally writes that you should write not for money or fame or notoriety of literary elites. Instead, write for you, because you love it, because you can't live without it. Write because you have to - must - tell YOUR story, not an imitation of another writer's style or what's in vogue at the present time. It's such a simple concept, yet it seems rarely taught to artists of any kind.
The Zen aspect of the book comes in the form of WORK, RELAXATION, DON'T THINK. In otherwords, get to work on your writing, then your mind and body should become less stressed and your body more or less takes over. You're thinking, but no longer overanalyzing every little thing. I think it's safe to say that you're "in the zone" as Woody Harrelson said in White Men Can't Jump.
In short, this is must read for any writer. It was incredibly liberating and it certainly re-fueled my Muse. My confidence and reassurance to be a writer was absolutely rejuvenated.

This book is a wonderful collection of essays on writing by Ray Bradbury. The essays span about 20 years. They are mostly about the creative process. He provides inspirational advice on how to care for and feed your Muse. He discusses the methods that work for him. He tells us stories about how he came to write some of his more famous short stories and novels - e.g. how he was driven to tears, writing his first great short story "The Lake".

The book is probably most valuable for accomplished writers, because he assumes that the reader has already mastered the mechanics of writing and story structure. There is no discussion of plotting, character development, how to sell your work.

If the book has a fault it is that Bradbury is too talented. In the book, he tells the story of writing the first draft of Fahrenheit 451. He wrote it over a few days at a pay typewriter, a dime at a time, in a UCLA library! What works for a genius such as himself, may not work for other writers. He can sit down at a typewriter, commence a prose poem on a noun and miraculously have a story appear on the page. Most other writers do not have the natural command of storytelling. They need to work in a much more structured fashion.

What else can I say? This book was nearly unbearable. Seriously. From beginning to end, the author spends page after page so immersed in poetic metaphors to show how gifted he is (sorry, that's the impression I got) and how glorious his life as a writer has been that there's hardly any space left for the useful information I was hoping to find in this book. I felt him pushing, forcing his readers to be inspired rather than inspiring his readers. Yes, I was inspired at first, for a moment, but that soon faded. The constant bragging about his ASTONISHING talent and dedication (though I think that what he sees as dedication, such as writing 1000 words a day since the age of 22, is more of a compulsion) got old by the time I was done with the first of a dozen essays. There are some nuggets of wisdom here and there, but the syrup-soaked rhetoric the readers must endure to find these tiny treasures isn't worth reading the book, if you ask me.

Only Ray Bradbury could use short stories to inspire the way this book did. Mostly a compilation of random short stories written over time on the writing process and how he worked. It is simple - he believes in WORK - do the work - everything else will fall into place. He is definitely a 10,000 hour man of his craft - which is why he is such a great writer. All of the stories are fun to read - you wont be disappointed in this book and hopefully you will be inspired.

If ever I came across an author who was a master of both the art of writing AND life, it is Ray Bradbury. This small work summarizes where his inspiration, continuing motivation, and love and excitement of life all stem from. This isn't just a book encouraging and goading beginning and long-time writers alike; Bradbury presents his philosophy for life. The two go hand-in-hand and if you haven't figured that out yet... read the book. That may be the key you're still seeking as a writer.

The very way you choose to live your life affects all of your goals and dreams alike. Take charge of it all, and your writing achievements are limitless.

If only I had the time to read everything this man has written. If only I could shake his hand and say, as just another admirer, "You've figured it all out; thanks for sharing it with the rest of us."

Although the whole book is excellent, the essay "On the Shoulders of Giants" is, for me, the most important part of Bradbury's message. Bradbury is not writing only about writing and the "creative process", he is also making a more personal argument against censorship and for the wisdom and understanding of children. In this time of debates over Harry Potter's place in the classroom and "zero-tolerance" policies that lead to children being suspended from school for pretending that a chicken nugget is a gun, it is so refreshing to read essays by a man who likes children, trusts children, and believes that children are capable of teaching adults a few things.
Bradbury, in the clever disguise of giving advice to beginning writers, also makes a powerful case for the legitimate literary value of science fiction, fantasy, and even cartoons and comic strips. My only small (very small) quibble with this is that he is more than likely preaching to the converted. Unfortunately, the message needs to be spread more widely.

I recently picked up a copy of Ray Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing", partly out of curiousity, and partly out of an initiative to re-focus my writing.
I can not say enough good things about this book. It is cheap, and it is a quick read. I finished it over the course of one weekend - a weekend that has re-defined my writing like no weekend has in a long time.
Whether you write songs, stories, or jot notes in your journal, this book will open up new possibilites. Even non-writers might benefit from some of the insights, particularly the one that discusses science fiction, problem solving and education.
And it isn't even anything overtly "brilliant". Some of what the author presents is simply common sense stuff that we tend to miss in our busy lives. I identified many parallels in my own life that related to the experiences described in this book, and I'm sure you will too. I also enjoyed the complete lack of mamby-pamby, feel-good new agey attitude that is prevalent in some writing and creativity guides.

Writers on writing - it is such a pleasure to discover

another case of a writer so excited about his craft

AND willing to allow his readers into his "inner sanctum" -

thus teaching us all in the process.

I have never read any of Bradbury's science fiction:

it is the title of this book, the name recognition, and

the differentness of its format that attracted me.

Like books which inspire writing by Julia Cameron

Natalie Goldberg and Dorothea Brande, this volume

does not belabor grammar, structure and form.

Instead, it works as an opening - and this is where

as a writing teacher I find there is the most struggle.

If you are interested in a discussion of grammar,

structure and form, you can check out Strunk and White

or Woe is I or Elephants of Style.

If you want a book which will usher you into a deeper

experience of writing, get this book and add it to

your library. Given Bradbury's success and the

huge quantity of his writing, there is something to

be said for the purity of his approach and the

commitment to purely getting words on paper.

It was fascinating to read here the writing autobiography of one of the favorite authors of my youthful self. Bradbury's reflection on his boyhood literary influences easily triggered my own look back to the time when he was mine. Zen, by the author's admission, was a very new concept for him (just a few weeks old) when he wrote the title essay in this collection. And also, he confesses, used as his title the way a medicine show barker would use "calliope, drum and Blackfoot Indian," to get the audience's attention. As for his actually doing the Zen thing, that would be a longer story, and the subtext of this book. Bradbury recounts the catalytic events of a long literary life, the necessary attention to the memory-material within, the introspective silence and the stepping out of bed onto a fresh metaphorical landmine each morning, the links back through time to smells and sights and fears and loves that shaped the stories he came to tell. Living like a lizard: full tilt boogey or unblinking on a rock. Details of formative events as disparate as the writing of his best known novel, FAHRENHEIT 451, in the basement of the L.A. Public Library or an early encounter with Mr. Electrico, a sideshow performer in a second-rate carnival paint a vivid self-portrait of a writing life. ('451 was written on a pay-per-use public library typewriter which required a dime per half hour, and the finished original manuscript cost Bradbury $9.80. Not a bad investment for a bestseller turned movie script which is still in print forty-five years later. And, of course, 451 tells the tale of a future day when all books are burned by official edict, starting with the libraries... Mr. Electrico zapped him with the news that he had lived before, and was immortal.) As a practical writing guide, ZEN pales compared to "DEEP WRITING, 7 PRINCIPLES THAT BRING IDEAS TO LIFE (Tarcher/Putnam, 1999) by Eric Maisel but this is a far better story: electrified, blazoned with color, and drunk while in charge of its own bicycle. A real treat for current or one-time or future Bradbury fans.

I'm calling this review What You'd Expect From Bradbury, and when I say You, I do mean You. It's typical Bradbury, which for me is heart-poundingly, jaw-droppingly, emotion producingly powerful. I think Bradbury's metaphor really communicates with me, tugs at my mind and heart. I find I'm not alone in this sentiment. However, I know it's also not universal. If you yawned your way through Dandelion Wine, then, alas, I fear this book is not for you. And if you are looking for a textbook on technique, with easy answers and sound-bite size "Tips," keep browsing, my friend, and good luck. But if you are looking for a book that can remind you WHY you took up writing to begin with, that can reawaken your passion for writing on those days when you feel like smashing in your word processor, that can express, as only Bradbury can, why are all so vain and foolish as to persue this ridiculous enterprise we call "writing," then grab this, buy it, snatch it up now, and put it where you'll find it when you need it.

Ray Bradbury takes you on mind journeys into his past, and perhaps into your future. He treads on the edge of reality, sneaking glances over the precipice, knowing that to jump means to fly.
I bought this book in Miami Beach. I picked it from among other writing-related books when I opened it and saw a chapter entitled "Drunk, and in Charge of a Bicycle."
This book is not about writing mechanics or technique. It forces you to face two absolute requirements for being a writer:
(1) You must love to write and do it every day, and
(2) You must use your own voice.
According to the author, the desire for fame, money, or literary elitism is as useless as a computer without software. (I would suggest that it's more like a program without a computer. Whatever.)
The last chapter, and the concluding poems, are inspiring. Mr. Bradbury knows that writers despise untruths. I finished his book in two evenings. When I put it down I said, "Yeah." Next morning I would be up dark and early. Writing is hard. Everything else is harder.

Ray Bradbury's "Zen in the Art of Writing" was first released in 1990 and his views on the psychology, philosophy and purpose of writing are still relevant, captivating and enlightening. Much like Madeleine L'Engle's book "Walking on Water," highlighting the best parts is an exercise in futility as the aspiring writer would have to dip the entire book in yellow ink. Treasures wait on every page.
It is interesting to read Bradbury's book hand-in-hand with Stephen King's "On Writing." Both books appeal to the intuitive writer as contrasted with the methodical writer, both author's love their craft and their audience, and both books are refreshingly honest. However, as King is a garrulous, yet beloved Dutch uncle, Bradbury is the writer's Delphic oracle.
If the writer-[beginner] is not inspired to write after reading this short, but valuable book, maybe he had best seek another line of work.

Ray Bradbury wrote the book on writing. (Okay, okay; cheap joke, I know.) But, if you plan to learn writing from someone, who better?

In the introduction to this series of essays, Bradbury dives in, "What, you ask, does writing teach us? First and foremost, it reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right. We must earn life once it has been awarded us. Life asks for rewards back because it has favored us with animation."

If you want a fire lit under you and your pen, if you seek words that with draw more words out of your fingertips, this book promises to inspire just that. Just to be clear, though, this book is not a detailed, step-by-step strategy guide to how to write well. In terms of improving your writing, though this is no instruction book, I have no doubt that reading this book will inspire the practice necessary to create a good writer.

I discovered this book on my way out of the library and had to stop. I am glad I did. What a collection of essays! An essay on writing his version of the dime novel - writing at the UCLA library and putting a dime in the meter giving him time to write. An essay on how children introduced the science fiction genre to teachers. An essay on how a child of ten kept his intuitive side and let it make all the decisions for him. Another essay he discusses how seeing a battered wreck of a ship washed up on the shore gave him inspiration to write one of his greatest short stories. This is a book, not just to inspire writers, but anyone to do whatever they desire. I have been a Bradbury fan since I was eight and I have to admit this is one of my all-time favorites.

This book was given to me by someone years ago, and has been living unread on my shelf ever since. I've always adored Ray Bradbury's short stories, so once he died I thought it would be a fitting epitaph to finally read about his philosophy on writing. I definitely enjoyed it, at intervals. The margins are peppered with excited stars, dashes, and exclamation points. But I was surprised to find myself getting a little tired of it about halfway through.

Bradbury has a richly luxurious imagination, and a very P.T. Barnum-esque finesse for riding the waves of hyperbole. That is a hell of an asset in a fantasy/science-fiction writer, but doesn't always work for essays. It feels like he's writing at a breakneck pace, trying to keep the reader's attention with his relentless ranting momentum. As a result, a lot of his advice (though the concepts are definitely sound) is presented in a bit of a messy, slapdash way. He writes in a hearty, belly-laughing, conversational voice; and it feels larger-than-life but a bit forced. This is not the intimate voice of Ray Bradbury I was hoping for... maybe he doesn't want to let that kind of personal feeling out in his work without dressing it up a bit first. I am a huge admirer of honesty in a writer, especially for memoirs or other first-person-style narratives, so this was a bit disappointing for me.

I still think he's a brilliant writer. I still think that people should admire him for his resolve, his energy, his dedication to what he loves. He talks about ZEST and GUSTO in the first essay -- and those are glorious things. He calls them "inflated pigs' bladders" that one should wield in each fist -- that is glorious too. A blurb on the back cover stresses how exuberant and vibrant this book is (which is true)... but EXUBERANCE seems to be just steam that Bradbury is running on, and never quite getting to what he wants to say. He's got a great mind for flourishes of fantasy, but somehow it's hard to listen to him trying to talk sense.

I'm a huge Bradbury fan, so when I learned that he had written a guide on writing, I checked it out at the library and later decided to buy it.

The main reason that I turn to re-reading this book, is for inspiration. Bradbury writes with the fiery passion that turned many writer's to writing. Sometimes, those flames get lost in the long process it takes to finish a piece.

You learn a lot about Ray Bradbury through this book, it cites many of his other books, like Dandelion Wine, The Illustrated Man and Fahrenheit 451, he talks about many of his short stories turning into other books, because he hadn't quite grasped the full idea yet.

Mostly he writes about the passion necessary for creating the world inside of a book, he talks about using the things that scare you, that you love and the things you hate, or annoy you in order to create your works.

I personally loved it, but if you're looking for a tell-all guide to writing, with a specific process that you can work in, you won't find it here. I, like Bradbury, have learned that you have to use your own process to complete a story.

It closes with one message: WORK, RELAXATION, & DON'T THINK. Because over thinking is where you lose the journey and the passion.

Good Luck on your endeavors!
-Riles

This is a delightful, inspiring and extremely useful book on writing. Bradbury talks his evolution as a writer -- what he discovered writing 2000 words every day from the age of 12 to 22, publishing short stories every week in his twenties, and eventually creating novels such as Farenheit 451, Dandelion Wine and the Martian Chronicles.

Here is Bradbury's writing routine:

"All during my early twenties I had the following schedule. On Monday morning I wrote the first draft of my new story. On Tuesday I did a second draft. On Wednesday a third. On Thursday a fourth. On Friday a fifth. And on Saturday at noon, I mailed out the sixth and final draft to New York. Sunday? I thought about all the wild ideas scrambling for my attention, waiting under the attic lid, confident at last that, because of "The Lake," I would soon let them out.
If all of this sounds mechanical, it wasn't. My ideas drove me to it, you see. The more I did, the more I wanted to do. You grow ravenous. You run fevers. You know exhilaration. You can't sleep at night, because your beast-creature ideas want out and turn you in your bed. It's a grand way to live" (62-63).

He offers lots of suggestions for how to develop your writing, particularly on his chapter entitled, "How to Keep and Feed a Muse."

Here's a sample:

Write about what you love and also about what you hate:

"What do you love most in the world? The Big and the little Things I mean. What do you want more than anything else in the world? What do you love? Hate? Find a character who will want something or not want something with all of his heart. Give him running orders. Shoot him off. Then follow as fast as you can. The character, in his great love or hate, will rush through to the end of the story. The zest and gusto of his need, and there is zest in hate s well as love, will fire the landscape and raise the temperature of your typewriter thirty degrees" ( 6).

"Look for the little loves, find and shape the little bitternesses. Savor them in your mouth, try them on your typewriter" (7).

"... if you're going to be step on a live mine, make it your own. Be blown up, as it were, by your own delights and despairs" ( 15).

"The core of your creativity should be the same as the core of your story and of the main character in your story. What does your character want, what is his dream, what shape has it, and how is it expressed? What do I really think of the world, what do I love, fear, hate? and begin to pour this on paper."(43)

Read

"Read those authors who write the way you hope to write, those who think the way you would like to think. But also read those who do not think as you think or write as you want to write and be so stimulated in directions you might not take for many years" (39).

Take Walks

"To feed your muse, then you should always have been hungry about life since you were a child... I means you must take a long walks at night around your city or town, or walks in the country by day. And long walks, at any time, through bookstores and libraries" (42).

Perhaps most inspiring is Bradbury's passion for living and the way it informs his art. Her writes:

"We never sit anything out.
We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled.
The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out." (120)

If you've ever wondered, "Why aren't people more passionate about their work?" then you've never read 'Zen in the Art of Writing.' Whether or not you happen to like Ray Bradbury's work, you can't dispute his passion for writing, which is evident from page one.
Bradbury (who turns 82 this year) is a writer of enormous output. In this series of essays, the author lets us in on many of his secrets, but the bottom line is this: If you love what you do, and are excited about it, nothing can stop you. Much of Bradbury's writing is connected with his childhood experiences and memories, which allows him to jump into writing like a kid jumping into a swimming pool on a hot summer day. Bradbury recounts many of his writing experiences and influences in the book and they are all fascinating. I can't imagine any writer (or lover of stories) who would not enjoy this book. It can be read in an afternoon, but savored for a lifetime. Thank you, Mr. Bradbury, for a real treasure.

I have always wondered how great writers come up with their ideas. In this book, Bradbury explains his methods to writing a story. Some of them are extremely simple. He makes writing a process that any neanderthal could understand and use.
Bradbury has gathered a few of his old essays on writing that were collecting dust, and put them in this book for everyone to enjoy. He explains how he wrote his novels and how he barely got by in life writing short stories for various magazines. Some of his tales are quite amusing.
This is a great book for a aspiring author. It teaches great lessons on creativity, thought process, and imagination that you can't find anywhere else. What better way to learn to write than from the master himself.

Ray Bradbury is my favorite author. So much so that I named my Scottish Fold cat "Bradbury" in honor of him.
And it's all because of books like this.
Zen in the Art of Writing is classic Bradbury: the crisp, short sentences, the vivid mental imagery, the amazing insights into his own writings -- all of it. This book uplifts me, moves me and fills me with awe.
It is, without a doubt, the best book on writing I have ever read.
Why? Because what he shares seems as pertinent to me as if he wrote it FOR me. Example: Page 17. One day, he discovered that his story titles were nothing more than a list of nouns, such as The Lake. The Night. The Monster. The Town Clock. The Carousel. The Crowd.
Such simplicity. Yet, after reading this book I found myself creating my own mental list of titles the same way. Suddenly, just about anything seemed ripe for a story, and infused with some hidden, dark meaning.
The Man on the Corner. The Empty Room. The Ten Foot Oak Tree. The Noise in the Basement. The Tea Leaf. The Knight and the Bishop.
I don't know why it works for me, but it does. Each of those "titles" (that I just came up with as I'm writing this) could be fleshed out into a story. For some reason, when I see things as nouns, my imagination is uncorked and I begin to feel the urge to explore the thoughts invoked.
Try it sometime.
Another example: The chapter "How to Keep and Feed a Muse." Priceless. Magical. He shares ways to awaken the sleeping giant within...and set pen to paper with stellar results.
If you're a writer, you need this book. If you're a lover of Bradbury, you need this book. If you just want to know how one of the 20th century's most lauded authors achieved that status, you need this book.
I re-read Zen in the Art of Writing whenever I feel my muse begin to slip away like a wisp of fog caught by a sudden breeze. And she returns to me. Grudgingly, perhaps. But she returns.
I believe this book could do the same for you.

Written by one of the truly great writers of our time, Ray Bradbury encourages and imparts some solid tips for writing well. Definitely a must for any aspiring writer, Bradbury gives advice on how to come up with marketable story ideas and how to approach writing them. It's like being guided along by a great writer who you would never meet any other way. One of the tips he offers is that quantity leads to quality. So his advice: keep writing. He also tells us that fiction can be more truthful than nonfiction. Then he shows us how to write down meaningful words in our lives that could possibly lead to compelling stories. It's definitely worth your time to spend a few hours with a fiction master. You never know what you may take away from it. Great book!

Zen in the Art of Writing is a collection of essays by Ray Bradbury of how he developed his unique writing voice and style in a way which others can follow. It describes the development of an author's voice in a way that I've never seen a book do before. I believe in authors writing form the heart and developing their voices and own styles regardless of what's hot on the market at the time and so I loved this book. It is a fast read and I highly recommend it to not only all writers and aspiring writers but also readers who would like to understand a bit more of where these wonderful stories come from.

Zen. The practice of living fully in the now, paying full attention to being, and to doing.

Is this possible with writing? It is if you follow Bradbury's lead, and immerse yourself first in what he tells you about how HE writes, and then, put the book aside, and immerse yourself in your own daily writing practice.

Do it fearlessly, consistently, and mindfully, and allow your best to surface. You'll stop being so quick to judge what you write, and just let the writing flow (editing and rewriting come later)!

So go ahead, pick up the book and read a little. Then, pick up the pen, and follow your Zen.

I read this book because I finished On Writing by Stephen King and found myself both impressed but inspired, unfortunately this didn't meet that books mark. While it has some decent moments I found this book to be poorly edited and the format of several short essays been collected together I found clumsy. Overall I would not recommend this book for anybody but those looking to read all of Bradbury's works.

I thought when I saw the title and the author that the book would be related to just Sci-Fi writing, but it goes beyond that. This is one of those easy reads that provides pleasant inspiration.

Mr. Bradbury tells stories from his life and how those stories turned into some of his great fiction. He presents the information in a way that the reader gets to go "Ah, I can do that, too." And, isn't that what inspiration is really all about. Seeing or reading or hearing something and going, "Ah, I can do that," and then doing it in your own voice and time.

For Bradbury it comes down to a few simple elements: "Zest. Gusto. Curiosity." If you have those things you, too, can be a writer.

It's a cheap little paperback that's a must read for anyone looking for a little "Aha" inspiration.

A modest collection of essays and book introductions from one of the legends of genre fiction. The topic is something Bradbury knows very well - the art of writing fiction. Essentially, he recommends creating lists, practicing copiously, and approaching one's art with gusto.

Bradbury advises would-be writers to start with a simple noun that catches their interest and write prose poems on the subject until they find their characters. That accomplished, simply allow the characters to tell their own story. It works for Bradbury, but will it work for you? Not necessarily, since this reader can't recall any other writer whose work so much resembles prose poems as Bradbury's. And keeping that in mind, one might have hoped for a variety of strategies that took into account differences in writers, in genres, in the state of the publishing industry... perhaps one hoped for too much.

Bradbury's descriptions of the origins of some of his more famous stories were fairly interesting, but to readers only marginally familiar with his work, these would probably fall pretty flat. The chapter of poetry was not impressive at all. Best part of this book - the additional paragraphs written for Fahrenheit 451. Would-be writers who are seriously trying to write like Bradbury might find it worthwhile to learn about his methodology and garner some inspiration, but fans of his fiction will find little of interest here.

Ray Bradbury's creative genius is evident in this book which consists of a collection of short articles and essays written by him regarding the writing life. There are lots of gems here that most other books about writing don't give you. Ray doesn't go into the actual mechanics of writing so much as the creative process that leads up to it. He describes how he's come up with his ideas for stories, how he gets involved with life and stays hungry, how the wrong motives can't scare your "muse" away, and so on. A great read for any writer or aspiring writer.

Zen in the Art of Writing is a collection of essays written over the long career of Ray Bradbury. Each essay is like a little gift to the reader. He teaches us about writing on what we love, and what we hate and to always stay drunk on writing, because it saves us from reality.

Bradbury's single best piece of advice concerns, well, writing. He devotes a chapter on the mechanics of writing, the way he learned it. To become a successful writer according to Bradbury, one must write at least a thousand words a day until the process becomes automatic and the hand is no different from what it writes. It is simply fascinating to delve into the mind of one of the greatest science fiction writers on how the craft is done. This chapter alone is worth buying the book which seems to be quite cheap.

I am using this book as a reference for my research essay on fiction at Oklahoma State. It contains anecdotes and wisdom which will make you want to go out and write about everything you see. I couldn't recommend anything better for a beginning writer.

Dipping into the subconscious to pull out memories, dreams, and ideas for writing is the main theme of Ray Bradbury's book, Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the creative genius within you. Zen in the Art of Writing has no clear progression or organization, but is instead a collection of essays Bradbury has written over the years. Each "chapter" is a short story in itself, full of ideas and advice. Some include overlapping ideas; some are as similar as a dream and reality. All give methods for developing the "creative genius." One helpful tool that has worked for Bradbury thus far - word association - may help your writing if you have a creative block. Bradbury compiles lists of nouns, usually beginning with "the" as in "The Veldt," "The Skeleton," and others to use for titles. He then implements his own memories and thoughts to fill in the actual story. The book is full of interesting stories, but the advice in each chapter could be a little more direct. Bradbury often seems to just write about his books, which doesn't help the reader much. His writing style does help make it an enjoyable read, however. The writer having trouble developing story ideas will benefit from Zen in the Art of Writing. Bradbury's own experiences, stories, and style make this book approachable for anyone, and may give you enough know-how and advice to break out on your creative own and start writing about their own scenes from a memory.

When I was twelve, I ran across The October Country. Now at the age of thirty, I still go to that book for inspiration. That book, and now this one.

Bradbury is completely unpretentious and his sole goal is to to tell other aspiring writers that it's all right to be insecure and to have different ideas. There really are no rules to writing except being true to your own ideas. What I've learned from this little book is that you have a mind to swim in, so splash about.

Bradbury gives you ideas on how to sift through and play in the waters that swish about in your mind. Make it fun, don't make it labor. The world is yours.

The subtitle of this book is "Releasing the Creative Genius in You," the thesis that Bradbury empasizes the most in this highly readable, practical. and enjoyable book. On page 38 author Bradbury says, "When people ask me where I get my ideas, I laugh. How strange, we are so busy looking out to find ways and means, we forget to look in." From his own life, he recounts events and memories that years later became subject matter for his own writing--and suggestions for how he, as a writer, pewrsonally captured those memories and events and worked them into stories to share with the world.

This book is chock full of excellent writing advice, yet it is short and convenient to read. Bradbury urges writers to put their ideas into writing with zest, gusto, and fun, about subjects they either love or hate, either in a whisper or roar. He urges writers to stay true to themselves.

Like you probably have, I have read several books on writing. This is one of the best ones for me!

I've just started this book and I have already, by direct inspiration of Mr. Bradbury's examples, taken my earliest childhood dream and created a sci-fi story. In his book he gives simple approaches to inspiration. I often enjoy recounting certain life experiences to friends, (and strangers), but not until I read this book did I realize I'm sitting on an endless source of raw material to mold into speculative fiction- from my own memories.
I felt a bit like a parasite writer when a critic who read my first sci-fi mentioned that my story was "Ray Bradbury-ish". I scrambled to try to change my style for fear that someone would think that I'm trying to copy his style. When I read that much of his inspiration comes directly from the writings of other authors and poets I was relieved. I actually began writing another story that is almost the same as one of his more popular stories from the Martian Chronicles. Yet, I can confidently state that my story is still completely different.
I suddenly find myself with more story ideas than I can possibly write. This book is an absolute inspiration. Reading many of the technical "how to" books for writers has done nothing but make my brain smoke. There are stories all around me now- actually, they were always there. Suddenly I see. "Ahh. This is Zen."

What I like about this book is that I feel as if Ray Bradbury is talking to me across the table over a cup of coffee helping me, a writer, hone his craft. The collection of essays and articles over a lifetime of writing provides an evolutionary perspective that is inspirational and instructive.

This is not a book about craft, it is about the heart. Ray shares his heart and helps the reader, if he is a writer, tap into his own complex history of impressions, experiences, successes and disappointments. By teaching the writer how to "mine" their past, Ray helps him or her to imagine a different future and thus provide rich creative fuel. I am glad I bought the hardcopy and will have to soon buy the kindle version because I will soon wear out the pages.

Zen in the Art of Writing is a collection of essays written over the long career of Ray Bradbury. Each essay is like a little gift to the reader. He teaches us about writing on what we love, and what we hate and to always stay drunk on writing, because it saves us from reality.

Bradbury's single best piece of advice concerns, well, writing. He devotes a chapter on the mechanics of writing, the way he learned it. To become a successful writer according to Bradbury, one must write at least a thousand words a day until the process becomes automatic and the hand is no different from what it writes. It is simply fascinating to delve into the mind of one of the greatest science fiction writers on how the craft is done. This chapter alone is worth buying the book which seems to be quite cheap.

I am using this book as a reference for my research essay on fiction at Oklahoma State. It contains anecdotes and wisdom which will make you want to go out and write about everything you see. I couldn't recommend anything better for a beginning writer.

This is a unique little book of essays and poetry.

Bradbury's essential message is write, write, write. Writing isn't work: it's life.

He could have said it briefly, but instead spells it out in a series of essays he wrote over the years, for which the reader benefits. Largely biographical, Bradbury provides insight into his own creative process.

An inspiring book for anyone who writes or reads.

Jerry

In this book, Ray Bradbury, one of the greatest story tellers of all time, uses personal anecdotes to inspire both newbie and veteran writers alike. If you ever wondered why you have the compulsion to write, or need a swift kick in the pants to get the ink flowing from your pen (or words flowing from your keyboard, as the case may be), then this book is definitely for you.

This book is utterly inspiring. What I love is that Bradbury shows you what it is like to be a writer and that is so helpful for someone just starting on that path. The language was highly poetic and also had a strong quality of nostaligia. Bradbury looks to his own memories and insights to color his advice. And yes, this book does have a highly Zen quality.

To be perfectly honest, Bradbury has never been one of my favourite authors; i have always felt i ought to like him a whole lot better than i do, but turning that feeling into reality is not always the result of reading another of his books. This has once again proven to be the case. I thought that if i perhaps read some of his non-fiction i might find more to enjoy, particularly considering the subject matter. I hoped i would find a kindred ~ to a point ~ spirit, one with whom i could enjoy an anecdote or a reminisence. No. No, instead i found a self-righteous sort, who brags of having written a thousand words a day since he was in the womb ~ which, incidentally, he remembers. I found a man who invokes a kind of mysticism in the writing process: "There is only one type of story in the world. Your story. If you write your story it could possibly sell to any magazine." I found the same writer i've always known, whose writing both draws me and repells me ~ but the latter is still, i'm sorry, stronger.

This book is the real deal, Bradbury nails it. Call it parapfrasing what we all once knew, or tap into from time to time - but from Rainman it's a recipe, an axion, a reliable methodology! Never (almost never) have I felt connected, validated and understood at every page. Writing, like most of life and learning, is by nature. As we grow older and more analytical, and as we grow more attached to the physical world we move farther from the original spirit of our passions, as we learn, we forget. Bradnury makes it so easy to remember our dreams and live in the world that we as childrem, create for ourselves.

I bought this book and brought it into an adult writing class to show everyone. To my surprise, but not really, the teacher bought the book that same day!

Already the first page of this book contains revelations that other books lack. Bradbury does not offer any fancy techniques or anything like that, he just - as the title promises - tells us to go back to the basics. Write about what comes up, what you care about. Even if you do not agree with him the book will stir up emotions, and help you create.

I was expecting this to be a how-to on the art of writing. It's not. This is a journey with Ray Bradbury, and I've never been disappointed by his ability to carry me away. This is no different.The Tao Of Writing: Imagine. Create. Flow.

The thinking person's alternative to any self-help writing book by other well-known authors.
Ray Bradbury is eminently qualified to spin such a work and he does so elegantly and thoroughly.
The inherent spirit of writing is captured nicely in these pages!

Through these essays Bradbury restores an often distorted concept of writing and its role of personal, artistic expression. With vivid imagery as set forth in his essay on "feeding the Muse" and passion surging through his perspectives on the writing process - all writers (aspiring and pro alike) will find Bradbury's views to be a refreshing spray of acid on conventionalism. In other words - Bradbury's Zen is a perfect box cutting tool for thinking outside cardboard boundaries.

how well do you know your own life? this might just determine how well of a writer that you are..this celebration of writing..a gem of a book..it's a gift from a great writer to all us wannabees, or trying to be's or writers breaking free of the mental blocks..or successful writers..this is a gift that just keeps on giving..inspiring..encouraging..

I am no fan of science fiction or eastern mysticism, so this book was a surprise.
"Just This Side of Byzantium" is a tough read because it hits so close to home. It will make you miss your childhood; it will make you want to write.

I thought I had read every book Bradbury ever wrote. Came across Zen in the Art of Writing by a flook. Even though I am not a writer and do not aspire to be one, this book filled me with such energy, I just wanted to tackle every aspect of life with GUSTO after completing this easy, wonderful read. Calling him a genius does not even come close. Thank Goodness for Ray Bradbury!!!!

This book has been a powerful influence in both my writing and my teaching about writing. And I'm certain several of his concepts and ideas crept into my own book about writing, The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write. Bradbury is a master storyteller and a master teacher of storytelling. Long may he write!

This collection of essays is the most helpful "how-to" book on the market. There are great ideas from the start. For example, create a character, give him his own fears and hopes, let him loose, and follow as quickly as you can. That is how you create a story. Thank you Ray Bradbury.

I was disappointed in this book. I found Bradbury's advice to be obvious (e.g., write for yourself, not for the money or market) and his techniques to be simplistic. He does reassure readers that good writing may take awhile to cultivate. Common sense. Perhaps this book is better for the Bradbury fan and not for the ambitious writer.

I've read Bradbury's short stories, The Martian Chronicles, and Farhenheit 451 and as always, I'm interested to see what a famous author has to say about the experience of writing.

The essays in this collection tend to be repetitive with many of the same ideas propounded over and over again: word association, childhood memories, and writing a short story a week. Maybe this is what Bradbury had in mind when he said Zen in the writing -- constant, meditative, mind numbing repitition. Along with the essays on writings, he throws in some poetry, which I found lacking, wishing he'd stuck with prose.

The strongest essay in the book is the title piece, in which Bradbury discloses that he knows almost nothing about Zen Buddhism, but found some parallels in the art of writing and the practice of Zen. To fully flush out the Zen/writing connection, the books of Natalie Goldberg are excellent, particularly Writing Down the Bones.

The strength of Bradbury's essay though isn't on the comparison of writing to Zen, but on the observation that the writer yearning for commercial success and the writer yearning for acceptance in literary circles are still both yearning and that desire affects their ability to create art. I've always struggled and felt torn in my own writing between my desire for a literary masterpiece and a commercial success. Bradbury suggests that you forget about either and focus on the craft and in creating something that is uniquely you and if your talent and your work ethic are sufficient, then you may just achieve both. Bradbury, himself, has done this on occasion with his work, transcending pop science fiction culture into literary realms, which gives his argument validity.

I picked up this book because it kind of "jumped off the shelf." It was on a day that I was looking for inspiration in the bookstore and the other books on my list weren't in stock. This book had a nice low price, coupled with my teacher's discount, and was written by a literary master. All this is to say that it had the makings of a good book but I almost expected it to be boring since he's from the "old school". Well...the book was excellent! It was a breath of fresh perspective. Even though it's short (about 150 pages) it is filled with Bradbury's memoirs, lending a sneak peak into his publishing life, which to me is exciting. Although the author discusses his method for inspiration and developing stories, I did not feel as if the book taught me how to unlock my creative genius. For me the value was that it encourages you to keep writing despite rejections, through sharing personal experiences, because we can see who he is today. In my opinon, this wonderful book about writing only comes second to Anne Lammott's Bird by Bird.

This book is a good read for writers of any genre (including non-fiction). I wish I had found this book earlier in my life. Bradbury uses a series of lectures to talk about finding your voice, self-confidence, and "zest" for writing. I'll admit I am a graduate student and when I need encouragement to go finish that paper for publication, I turn to this book and read a chapter -- any chapter -- for inspiration.
All that being said, why on Earth would I give this 4/5 stars? Because if you're looking for a guide on writing, this is really not it. View this book as a a TED talk, and it's totally worth 5 stars. If you're looking for advice on how to polish your writing, you may want to consider something else. In a nutshell, I'm not sure this book is as universally relatable as a more basic style guide is but it's an excellent addition to your bookshelf -- especially if you need an inspirational boost.