Customer Reviews

Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper: Gifting the World with Your Words and Stories, and Creating the Time and Energy to Actually Do It

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

SARK, poster child for Coloring Outside the Lines and succulence, has scored another hit, and this time she squirts her juiciness directly into the souls of life story writers. The lengthy subtitle of her fifteenth volume, Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper, is "Gifting the world with your words and stories and creating the time and energy to actually do it." In her inimitable style, words flow from her juicy pens in every color of the rainbow, enhanced with her trademark doodles and fillips.

Throughout the book, words tumble forth like frolicking children, That's how SARK is. Bubbly, Exuberant. Colorful and juicy. She makes readers believe anything is possible, because she has done the seemingly impossible herself. Like her other books, this one sounds like it's written by the nicest, most lovable cheerleader you could ever hope to meet. I felt like a kindergarten kid standing at a painting easel as I read, and although I've already written stacks and piles of stories and a growing list of books, she inspires me to write more, to keep "moving my tools," and trying new ways of writing.

Beneath the exuberant veneer, the book contains solid, useful advice, helping the timid get those tools moving through first drafts. She gives instructions for teaching friends and family how to be helpful. She explains how to fit writing into over-crowded schedules. She convinces us we do dare write about that! She explores ways of making our writing real and going deeper. She includes project management tips and oodles of writing prompts.

Although this is not specifically a workbook, she includes space to do some of the exercises she recommends, and peppers the pages with inspirational quotes. At the end of the book she includes interviews with five other writers, each with a uniquely visual style of writing. She tells how she produces her own books and fills eight pages with resources for writers including self-publishing sites, writing tips, inspiration, and supplies. She also lists writers' organizations, retreats, music for writers, and thirty-three recommended books.

It is worth noting that while SARK's wildly colorful, handwritten pages excite and inspire most people, some find their busy-ness overstimulating, even hard to read.

I have to start by saying that I have followed SARK since the first book came out. I even joined some Bodacious Wild Succulent groups. Much of what SARK wrote was inspiring and opened the windows to new awareness.
However, this book? I was so excited especially since I just finished Bird by Bird and wanted more books about writing. SARK's book was definitely fun to look at BUT it was empty and laid flat. 3/4s of the book is an introduction to the book with no real meat. The best of the book was the last couple of pages about the other creators and what inspires them and the links to different website. The activities were kind of fun but not very different from any other book that offers the same.
I then decided, which I never do because I LOVE books, to give it to a friend. Well, this friend is colorblind and couldn't even read many of the sentences. I will give it to the book drive so I can feel that the 15 bucks was worth it.
I am so sorry. I love SARK and all she has done for people and how she has opened the world of play, but this book didn't cut it. It's the first time I didn't dog-ear pages to remember quotes or ideas.

The journey of a writer needs and benefits from this book of SARK's...haha...at least MY journey does. SARK's unique and colorful pages reflect and remind that she courageously did it "her way" and she's been inspiring and delighting readers, artists and writers AND HUMANS for many years with sharing her dark corners and bright joy as she learns. With this book, she oh-so generously and gently invites and welcomes me to ponder, to practice, to tweak and to try. She reminds me that my writing is first of all for me. This is a highly practical learning book with rich resources, tools for your chest and en-couragement for your spirit. Thank you, dear SARK, for being here.

The bright colors and drawings in this writing book make it appear there is more content than there is in reality. It is written in the bright colors and hand printed like all of Sark's books, but this one is specifically about her writing. The first two chapters of the book are about her life and writing process. Chapters three and four are writing prompts, chapter five is about writing your story and chapter six has information from other writers. Sounds good, but it is pretty much all recycled. If you are looking for new ideas for writing, this book doesn't have it. If you are a Sark lover and want to know more about her, then you might enjoy reading the first two chapters.

Two things I did like about the book were the writing quotes spread throughout the book and some Internet sites that were listed in the final chapters.

I haven't even gotten all the way through this easy to read and wonderful book of SARK's. I've been savoring every page. I used some of her exercises in my journal, and I started writing "pieces," based of her inspiring words. Then I couldn't stop writing. This book has become my personal coach. I already have two stories about to be published! Susan, you are so inspiring and empowering!

Abby Caplin, MD, MA
Mind-Body Medicine and Counseling
San Francisco, CA

I have had writer's block for years, it seems, and this book snapped me right out of it. Simple advice and inspiration are the key - I felt accomplished with small steps instead of trying to write a certain number of pages, and I was able to silence my inner critic.

SARK's "Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper" is an engaging and delightful read. When I first picked it up, I had a hard time putting it down until I had finished it.

As well as being visually appealing and infused with playful humor, this book bursts with practical and simple exercises for the writer in overcoming creative blockages. Particularly inspiring are the portraits of other writers who share their insights on the creative process. Finally, the lists of writing resources at the end are worth the price of the book alone.

"Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper" will easily become a valuable tool for any new or veteran writer. I highly recommend it.

Once again SARK has created a book that is great for us grown up kids. As always, I love the look and feel of it. It's not only colorful and fun to read, it's easy for my visually impaired eyes to read without getting tired. Although I like the inspirational part of it, I think there was too much pep talk and not enough action. Someone said the book is pretty much an introduction to itself. I agree. I like most of the exercises and may do them, but I wish it were more of a real workbook. I just don't think there are enough real exercises in it for that. I didn't know whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. (I almost never give anything 5 stars.)

The title of this book alone is inspiration enough to get our own creative juices flowing, from the author/creative artist/workshop facilitator/coach who has done so much to encourage and nurture the artist in all of us. SARK's magic reaches into the secret place that yearns to share our stories with others. She guides us along the path to the fulfillment of our own dreams. Write from the Heart : Unleashing the Power of Your Creativity

Excellent! Fun! Effective! If you even have had a sigh of a thought to start to write - get this book. It left me feeling as if I had full permission to fully express myself with writing...with lots of juicy and effective tools to make it happen.