An Annie Dillard-style writing book that follows the writer's life as much as her philosophy about creativity and writing. Aspiring and accomplished writers will find a place to breathe, in both the memoir-stories and tips that seamlessly address major aspects of creative life—from inspiration to individual voice; from helpful habits, networking and publishing, to reasons we create and write. Says the first chapter, "There are so many things standing in my way this morning, I can hardly begin. Yet I've heard there are rumors of water. Maybe that is enough." And apparently it is. ••• named a Best Book of 2011, Englewood Review of Books and Hearts & Minds Books
Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing
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Editorial Reviews
Review
A few brave writers pull back the curtain to show us their creative process. Annie Dillard did this. So did Hemingway. Now L.L. Barkat has given us a thoroughly modern analysis of writing. Practical, yes, but also a gentle uncovering of the art of being a writer. --Gordon Atkinson, author Turtles All the Way Down
The real beauty of this book is the truth it teaches slant: good and beautiful and honest writing comes from a life that pursues the same. This is not just a book about writing well, it's a book about living well. --Leslie Leyland Fields, author of Surviving the Island of Grace and The Spirit of Food, and columnist for Christianity Today
I love living and breathing in L.L. Barkat's writerly mind. The way she weaves the story of her girls alongside her writing journey is invitational. Her book was a beautiful pause in my day, and it made me ache for a more attentive life. --Mary DeMuth, author of Thin Places: A Memoir
L.L. Barkat models a vibrant writing life, nourishing the reader with moments infused with meaning. Her words satisfy, like a fragrant cup of Christmas tea. --Ann Kroeker, author of Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families
The real beauty of this book is the truth it teaches slant: good and beautiful and honest writing comes from a life that pursues the same. This is not just a book about writing well, it's a book about living well. --Leslie Leyland Fields, author of Surviving the Island of Grace and The Spirit of Food, and columnist for Christianity Today
I love living and breathing in L.L. Barkat's writerly mind. The way she weaves the story of her girls alongside her writing journey is invitational. Her book was a beautiful pause in my day, and it made me ache for a more attentive life. --Mary DeMuth, author of Thin Places: A Memoir
L.L. Barkat models a vibrant writing life, nourishing the reader with moments infused with meaning. Her words satisfy, like a fragrant cup of Christmas tea. --Ann Kroeker, author of Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families
About the Author
L.L. Barkat is Managing Editor of Tweetspeak Poetry, where writers and poets can find everything from basic inspiration to full-fledged writing workshops. The author of six books, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, Barkat understands the writing process from all angles and gently, skillfully mentors both up-and-coming and established writers.
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More About the Author
L. L. Barkat is the author of Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing, as well as two spiritual memoirs and a book of poetry. She is a Staff Writer for International Arts Movement's 'The Curator.'
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Some years ago, I decided I need to stop buying and reading books about writing. I found myself turning into one of those people who reads about writing but never actually does any. Then along came L.L. Barkat's Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing. I'd followed some of Barkat's pre-publication conversation on her blog and on Twitter and, when I saw the book was available for download on Kindle; I told my inner-responsible grown-up to hush and quickly snatched it out of cyberspace.
I'm so glad I did.
Although a book about writing, Rumors of Water is, at its heart, an offering of love. L.L. Barkat invites the reader into her love of language, the craft of writing, and the art of living passionately and well. Her book transcends mere writing instruction, offering glimpses of the life of creativity Barkat has sought to cultivate in both her daughters and herself. To have a voice, a writer must have passions, says Barkat. She shares stories of encouraging her daughters to pursue their passions through experiences of working in the garden, catching fireflies, playing story, embarking on a tea pilgrimage, and even watching old episodes of I Love Lucy. Something tells me these girls are being raised right.
An accomplished writer and publisher, Barkat addresses many of the roadblocks which keep folks like me merely reading about writing instead of doing it. She talks about lacks of creativity and the fear that one's words won't do what we want. She encourages writers to risk being brave and daring in their description and, in a pair of sentences which made me laugh out loud asks, What if someone calls the godliness police? What if someone accuses us of a crazy mind?
Barkat acknowledges the realities of the publishing world, the likelihood for rejection, and the need for the writer to be willing to work at the craft. She offers wisdom gleaned through her experience, not in a harsh and critical way, but with warmth and playfulness. She invites the writer to begin, to work with what she's got; to be willing to start small and write in community with like-minded people who will be compassionate toward her words.
Having finished Rumors of Water, I probably won't be buying any more writing books again soon. There is much here to chew on, to return to and be encouraged by. While reading her book, I finally took the time to figure out how the highlighting feature on my Kindle works so I can return to L.L. Barkat's words again and again.
We should not worry about the process, says Barkat, but simply trust it and move on.
There are rumors of water out there to refresh the weary, fearful writer's soul. Go get yourself some.
I'm so glad I did.
Although a book about writing, Rumors of Water is, at its heart, an offering of love. L.L. Barkat invites the reader into her love of language, the craft of writing, and the art of living passionately and well. Her book transcends mere writing instruction, offering glimpses of the life of creativity Barkat has sought to cultivate in both her daughters and herself. To have a voice, a writer must have passions, says Barkat. She shares stories of encouraging her daughters to pursue their passions through experiences of working in the garden, catching fireflies, playing story, embarking on a tea pilgrimage, and even watching old episodes of I Love Lucy. Something tells me these girls are being raised right.
An accomplished writer and publisher, Barkat addresses many of the roadblocks which keep folks like me merely reading about writing instead of doing it. She talks about lacks of creativity and the fear that one's words won't do what we want. She encourages writers to risk being brave and daring in their description and, in a pair of sentences which made me laugh out loud asks, What if someone calls the godliness police? What if someone accuses us of a crazy mind?
Barkat acknowledges the realities of the publishing world, the likelihood for rejection, and the need for the writer to be willing to work at the craft. She offers wisdom gleaned through her experience, not in a harsh and critical way, but with warmth and playfulness. She invites the writer to begin, to work with what she's got; to be willing to start small and write in community with like-minded people who will be compassionate toward her words.
Having finished Rumors of Water, I probably won't be buying any more writing books again soon. There is much here to chew on, to return to and be encouraged by. While reading her book, I finally took the time to figure out how the highlighting feature on my Kindle works so I can return to L.L. Barkat's words again and again.
We should not worry about the process, says Barkat, but simply trust it and move on.
There are rumors of water out there to refresh the weary, fearful writer's soul. Go get yourself some.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Disguised as a small, digestible collection of memories, rich with stories of mothering and growing up; of woodland meanderings and local farm-stores; of lighthouses and ailing grandmothers, "Rumors of Water" is one of the of the most beautiful books on the art and craft of writing that I've ever read. Paying heed to the changes in the publishing industry, unabashedly admitting that it's not easy to be either a writer or an editor, L.L. Barkat shares with her readers some of her own journey as both.
Weaving in conversations with her two daughters, ages 14 and 11, Barkat shows us what the writing life looks like while living creatively with her children, tending to the needs of her garden, keeping her fingers in multiple occupational pies. Using snapshots from day-to-day life, she sets down a kind of diagram; a diagram not just for the act of writing, but for the art of living a writing life.
Each of the book's seven headings tells part of the story:
Momentum
Voice
Habits
Structure
Publishing
Glitches
Time
And within each of these seven, come the smaller slices. In chapters no longer than two or three pages, each one built around a brief vignette from life, she expands the sectional headings, touching on things like:
"Write with What You Have"
"Nurturing Voice through Tenderness"
"Do You Cultivate Your Wild Side?"
"Making Details Real and Realer"
"Delusions of Grandeur"
"Writing the Truth"
"Writing Takes Time"
I will admit to tears at two points: reading about her younger daughter Sonia's brave climb to the top of a lighthouse, each step marked by the stabbing joint pain of Lyme's disease; and reading her older daughter Sara's exquisite essay, submitted as part of an application process for a distance-learning school. This young woman has clearly inherited much of her mother's skill with words, structure and voice.
I took this book out to the backyard today, a breath-takingly beautiful afternoon here in Santa Barbara. I deliberately placed it beneath a book I was supposed to read - a biblical commentary for a study I'm co-teaching this fall, whose planning committee is coming to my house tomorrow to wrap up preparations. I needed to read that commentary. But I chose to read "Rumors of Water." Turns out, I needed Barkat's written beauty as much as I needed the warmth of the sun and the view of the mountains. And, at this point in my own particular life journey, I needed "Rumors" far more than I needed that commentary. And I needed it at a deeper level than even I knew. I don't - and I won't - regret it, not for one single minute.
Weaving in conversations with her two daughters, ages 14 and 11, Barkat shows us what the writing life looks like while living creatively with her children, tending to the needs of her garden, keeping her fingers in multiple occupational pies. Using snapshots from day-to-day life, she sets down a kind of diagram; a diagram not just for the act of writing, but for the art of living a writing life.
Each of the book's seven headings tells part of the story:
Momentum
Voice
Habits
Structure
Publishing
Glitches
Time
And within each of these seven, come the smaller slices. In chapters no longer than two or three pages, each one built around a brief vignette from life, she expands the sectional headings, touching on things like:
"Write with What You Have"
"Nurturing Voice through Tenderness"
"Do You Cultivate Your Wild Side?"
"Making Details Real and Realer"
"Delusions of Grandeur"
"Writing the Truth"
"Writing Takes Time"
I will admit to tears at two points: reading about her younger daughter Sonia's brave climb to the top of a lighthouse, each step marked by the stabbing joint pain of Lyme's disease; and reading her older daughter Sara's exquisite essay, submitted as part of an application process for a distance-learning school. This young woman has clearly inherited much of her mother's skill with words, structure and voice.
I took this book out to the backyard today, a breath-takingly beautiful afternoon here in Santa Barbara. I deliberately placed it beneath a book I was supposed to read - a biblical commentary for a study I'm co-teaching this fall, whose planning committee is coming to my house tomorrow to wrap up preparations. I needed to read that commentary. But I chose to read "Rumors of Water." Turns out, I needed Barkat's written beauty as much as I needed the warmth of the sun and the view of the mountains. And, at this point in my own particular life journey, I needed "Rumors" far more than I needed that commentary. And I needed it at a deeper level than even I knew. I don't - and I won't - regret it, not for one single minute.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book, for me, was like a deep sigh at the end of a long day. L.L. Barkat speaks to deep places for anyone who has ever been on a dream-journey and experienced the joys and frustrations of pursuit along the way. She also offers practical suggestions to facilitate the writing journey.The writing inspires the reader to better craft his or her own work. The book does speak to the writing life, but I believe can be applied to all art. Beautiful writing. I will read this one again and again.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A new favorite
There was nothing I didn't enjoy about this book. It is easy to read, flows naturally, has super short chapters (more like letters) that make it enjoyable to drift through. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Everly Pleasant
4.0 out of 5 stars
encouraging and non-intimidating
The illustration approach to teaching works well in this book. It avoids being preachy, and allows the reader (and would-be writer! Read more
Published 4 months ago by John Feaver
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rumors of Water: A differnt kind of craft book
Rumors of Water is a short book on the writing craft, drawing from the author's day to day experiences as a writer, editor, wife, and mother of two daughters. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Cheryl Russell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it!
Just finished reading Rumors of Water, Loved it! Pleasant, easy reading that taught as well as inspired. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Lanaya
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 STARS for Rumors of Water
I have recently read a special little (but not so little) book titled "Rumors of Water; Thoughts on Creativity and Writing" by LL Barkat (NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2011, Englewood... Read more
Published 8 months ago by BrighterSideBlg
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting point of view
I liked the way the book was written and the way she made one feel they were with the family.
Published 15 months ago by Neysa Le Beekman
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Cherished Read
This gentle book is amazing. She couched her tips on writing in tender little stories of raising her daughters. Read more
Published 15 months ago by sacredgrrl
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not much
A few interesting ideas, but nothing much new. Just sort of bland rambling. Filled with blank pages to make the book longer. An anemic Writing Down the Bones
Published 15 months ago by Rimrat
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read twice, then repeat.
This is a writing book that needs to be read at least twice, then read again.
Because it's not a how-to book. It's not exactly an inspirational one, either. Read more
Because it's not a how-to book. It's not exactly an inspirational one, either. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Megan Willome
2.0 out of 5 stars
Raising creative children
Excellent little book on raising creative children--cute and sweet. The book contains a few quite helpful suggestions for writers, four or five of which are unique. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Wallace Roark
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