One Year to a Writing Life: Twelve Lessons to Deepen Every Writer's Art and Craft [Paperback]

Susan M. Tiberghien (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 7, 2007

Whether you are a writer of fiction or essays, or want to explore poetry or memoir, Tiberghien’s twelve fundamental lessons will help you discover and develop your own distinct voice. Tiberghien’s inventive exercises focus on the processes unique to each genre, while also offering skills applicable to any kind of writing, from authentic dialogue to masterful short-shorts. With vivid examples from literary masters such as Rainer Maria Rilke, Eduardo Galeano, May Sarton, Terry Tempest Williams, and Orhan Pamuk, One Year to a Writing Life is an essential guidebook of exercises, practical advice, and wisdom for anyone looking to embrace, explore, and implement creativity in everyday life.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Writer, December 2008
“A great introduction for those still wondering about how to start writing and get things down on the page so that they make sense.”

Blogcritics.org, 3/18/09
“If you enjoy writing but desire to go deeper, and be a better, more thoughtful writer, this guide will truly help you reach your core.”

About the Author

Susan M. Tiberghien is an American-born writer living in Geneva, Switzerland. The author of three memoirs, she has also published widely in journals and anthologies. Tiberghien teaches and lectures at graduate programs, at C.G. Jung Centers, and at writers’ conferences in the U.S. and in Europe.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (September 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600940587
• ISBN-13: 978-1600940583
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Weddings

More About the Author

Susan Tiberghien, an American writer living in Geneva, Switzerland, is the author of three memoirs--Looking for Gold, Circling to the Center, and Footsteps---and the best-selling One Year to a Writing Life. Her narrative essays are widely published in journals and anthologies. She teaches creative writing at writers centers (Grub Street, Hudson Valley, Bethesda), writers conferences for the International Women's Writing Guild, and at CG Jung Institutes. She founded and directs the Geneva Writers Group and Conferences. She recently celebrated 50 years of marriage to her French husband. Their six children, plus spouses,and fifteen grandkids were present! www.susantiberghien.com; www.genevawritersgroup.org

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

121 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An enticing and grounding companion for the journey, September 17, 2007

By 

Kirsten Keppel (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: One Year to a Writing Life: Twelve Lessons to Deepen Every Writer's Art and Craft (Paperback)

If you're mindful of how today's extreme pull on your time leaves little room for nurturing a creative life, this book offers a very grounded and realistic way in which to cultivate one. And it shows you how to do it in a way that's methodical, possible, and simple. As you reflect on the author's suggestions, you'll find yourself observing inwardly and outwardly and asking yourself more centered, elegant questions about your life's images and symbols. Susan Tiberghien's book allows those of us with only slivers, not swathes, of time to become full travelers on the inner safari. This is a book that offers a writing process of effective 10-minute sound bytes rather than a list of commands requiring an afternoon. What's more, it's just plain FUN without the feel of heavy lifting. I found myself wanting to go deeper and find the center when I tried focusing on only one image in the journal entry exercises. This is a book about mindfulness as much as it is about writing. Much praise and thanks for this book that makes writing so doable!

80 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book, April 7, 2008

By 

Jelena Bankovic (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: One Year to a Writing Life: Twelve Lessons to Deepen Every Writer's Art and Craft (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book. I have been using One Year to a Writing Life as a textbook this semester in my Creative Writing course. The book is very well conceived so my syllabus follows the twelve lessons, week by week, with extra weeks for longer in-class writing. The book provides clear guidance, great examples and it inspires! It inspires me to both teach and write and it inspires my students. Before I chose One Year to a Writing Life as a textbook for my class, I surveyed many texts that are on the market and not a single one comes close to this great book. Thank you, Ms. Tiberghien, for helping all of us who write and who teach writing. Jelena S. Bankovic, Ph.D.
Professor of English, Oakton College, Illinois

57 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It Got My Essay Accepted, February 8, 2009

By 

L. Benton "Nonfiction Writer" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: One Year to a Writing Life: Twelve Lessons to Deepen Every Writer's Art and Craft (Paperback)

I had been working on a personal essay for a couple of weeks. As I rewrote it, I used the chapter on personal essays in One Year to a Writing Life as a check list, and saw my essay becoming richer as a result.

I submitted the essay to a publication whose submission information said they would take 4 - 6 weeks to get back to me. They accepted it within 12 minutes of receiving it!

I will be recommending this to my writers' group members.