The Mindful Writer: Noble Truths of the Writing Life [Hardcover]

Dinty W Moore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2012

Going a step beyond typical "how to write" books, Moore illuminates the creative process: where writing and creativity originate, how mindfulness plays into work, how to cultivate good writing habits, how to grow as a writer — and a person! — and what it means to have a life dedicated to the craft of writing. There's not a writer alive, novice or master, who will not benefit from this book and fall in love with it. Cover to cover, this wise little book is riveting and delightful. Readers will turn to The Mindful Writer again and again as a source inspiration, guidance, and support.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Advice books for writers are a dime a dozen but Moore provides a fresh approach with this melding of Buddhist teachings and sage career and life lessons for those who devote their lives to the written word...this is a compact book of practical and philosophical truths for both novice and veteran writers." —Publishers Weekly

“Small but powerful—a welcome addition to many writers’ desks, and an inspiring and supportive gift.” —ForeWord

"Pithy and thoughtful."—Shambhala Sun

"The Mindful Writer is a strong pick for anyone who wants to make sure they are writing with their heart in it, very much recommended."—Midwest Book Review

"There is something fresh and undeniably appealing about these bite-sized morsels, which expand the writer's experience to a broader, human one." —The Writer Magazine

"The Mindful Writer will remind us to offer a note of gratitude each time we reach the end of our writing sessions, having discovered words on the page that we never saw before."—Wordswimmer blog

"In short, The Mindful Writer is an indispensable title for anyone who wants to better understand the relationship between writing and mindfulness." —Buddhist Book Reviews

"Never be without it—as reference, as balm, as talisman; to refresh, encourage, comfort, and instruct. It's a trove of treasures. Professor Moore—insightful, funny, and true—cheers us on like the teacher and friend he is." —The Gamut

"A merciful rendition of the basics of meditation transposed onto the craft of writing. Useful for anyone engaged in a long term creative endeavor, or indeed dealing with the inner game of life. Moore demonstrates how living with integrity, honesty and an inquiring spirit actually bring solace to the heart." —Kate Wheeler, editor of Nixon Under the Bodhi Tree and Other Works of Buddhist Fiction

"Thought provoking and inspiring." —Martine Batchelor, author of Let Go

“I’ve been carrying this small, powerful book with me wherever I go. It’s a stellar companion that keeps me on track, in writing and in life.” —Brenda Miller, author of Listening Against the Stone and co-author of The Pen and the Bell: Mindful Writing in a Busy World

“Some books are a sheer pleasure to read. This one is a treasure of insights and beautifully worded ideas. It's also brief and handy. There's no reason to deny yourself this treat, whether you're a writer or a reader. The Mindful Writer will find its place on my shelf of writer's guides and inspirations." —Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul

“I recommend this book to anyone interested in the written word.” -Lin Jensen, author of Deep Down Things, Pavement, and Bad Dog!

“Three cheers—and three bows—to Dinty W. Moore’s Mindful Writer!"—Rafe Martin, author of Endless Path and The Banyan Deer

“I’ve read a hundred writing books, but this one is fresh.” —Mary Pipher, author of Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World

“Dinty W. Moore has collected some very telling nudges from a range of fine writers, and tilted them in a lightly Buddhist angle of reflection to catch the light of your own desire to write.” —Susan Murphy, author of Upside-Down Zen

“What a relief! Dinty W. Moore shares practical strategies that help writers cultivate peace of mind and write better prose. Moore’s light, insightful and prescient commentary is a potent antidote for writer's angst and a welcome companion for an otherwise lonely activity. Read on, then write!” —Deborah Schoberlein, author of Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness

“Dinty W. Moore has put together a pocket-size collection of quotes from figures who have spent years or decades writing their hearts out. Even seasoned, dog-eared writers and old Buddhist foxes will learn a trick or two. For the writer just setting forth, this book may be the best companion you could find.” —Andrew Schelling, Naropa University editor of The Wisdom Anthology of North American Buddhist Poetry

“Moore condenses an entire library of writing advice into sixty deft lessons. I will urge this wise, kind, slender volume on all of my students.” —Heather Sellers, author of The Practice of Creative Writing

"The Mindful Writer will help you to keep faith in writing, to keep laying down word after word when it feels impossible." —Writing Our Way Home

"A beautiful little book." —Arnold Kozak, author of Wild Chickens and Petty Tyrants

"Moore understands the joy that comes with writing well, and this book does a lot to nurture writing minds. My advice is to have it next to your laptop or pen and paper and open it whenever you hit a wall and want a helping hand to understand." —Wrong Like Right

About the Author

Dinty W. Moore is a professor at Ohio University, where he directs the graduate program in creative writing. A highly regarded and active figure on the literary scene, Moore is often invited to speak and teach writing workshops nationally and internationally. He has published several books of fiction and nonfiction, including two books on the craft of writing.
His essays and stories have appeared in Harpers, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, The Southern Review, The Georgia Review, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Arts & Letters, Gettysburg Review, Utne Reader, and Crazyhorse—and he pioneered the increasingly popular "flash nonfiction" form through his work on Brevity.com, a prominent "e-zine." A fellow of the National Endowment for the Arts, he is the coordinating editor for the anthology The Best Creative Nonfiction, and serves on the editorial board of Creative Nonfiction magazine, as well as on board of directors of The Association of Writers & Writing Programs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications (April 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1614290075
• ISBN-13: 978-1614290070
• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 0.6 x 6.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dinty W. Moore was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania, and spent his formative years fishing for bluegill, riding a bike with a banana seat, and dodging the Sisters of St. Joseph. He earned a BA in writing from the University of Pittsburgh, worked briefly as a journalist, and also served short stints as a documentary filmmaker, modern dance performer, zookeeper, and Greenwich Village waiter. It was only after failing at each of these professions that he went on to earn an MFA in fiction writing from Louisiana State University.

A National Endowment for the Arts fellowship recipient, Moore has guest taught creative nonfiction seminars across the United States and in Europe. In addition to editing the internet journal, Brevity, he is on the editorial board of Creative Nonfiction magazine.

Moore teaches writing at Ohio University.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Tao Te Ching of Writing April 6, 2012

By A Reader

Format:Hardcover

You know Lao Tze. He's the Chinese sage who wrote the Tao Te Ching and gave us aphorisms like "One who knows doesn't speak; one who speaks doesn't know." I've come to think of Dinty Moore as a contemporary Lao Tze and of THE MINDFUL WRITER as a Tao Te Ching for the 21st Century.

As a writing teacher myself, I've never been able to find a text book I could actually use. THE MINDFUL WRITER is that book. Why? Because in its paradoxical wisdom, it doesn't seek to teach. It seeks to give insight, lend support, encouragement, and sometimes to offer an outright kick in the pants to a writer who wants to "be taught." It's the Catch-22 of writing: any good teacher doesn't teach. S/he only helps a writer discover what's already there, inside him/her and bring that to the surface with absolute clarity. That's what THE MINDFUL WRITER DOES. It settles the writer into the heart of writing.

The book itself is small enough to fit in your back pocket. I carried my copy with me everywhere when I first received it. As I crossed town on a bus, or sat at a table eating a quick lunch, I would take out THE MINDFUL WRITER and read a page or ten. Reading it made me feel good. I'm not one of those people who thinks writers "suffer" because they're "so alone." But this book does feel like a companion, one you can count on to remind you what writing is all about: WRITING. Not publishing; not saying something smart in your next workshop; not telling your friends about your new writing project. Just writing, mindfully. That's what's at the heart of this book, and that's what makes THE MINDFUL WRITER essential to any writer.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a quick read, helpful, and one step beyond the usual April 6, 2012

By Thomas Osborne

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ray Bradbury aside, books on Zen (or mindfulness) and how it works with the writing life tend to be foggy, full of New Age platitudes, and almost impossible to apply. Not only does this one speak to those of us in the trenches, but it also goes past what the reader might expect. The book is designed as brief commentaries on quotes from various figures, not all of them writers or Buddhists. An example: Moore quotes the poet William Matthews saying, "The depth is in the surface," which seems like just the kind of remark, meaningless on its own, found in such books. But then Moore goes on to quote Thich Nhat Hanh on the poet's sensibility, and how the poet sees a cloud floating in every sheet of paper, since the clouds bring rain for trees that are made into paper. "Often," writes Moore, "all we see is what we anticipate will be there, our own attachments and expectations." Some of the quotes, such as those from Martha Graham, Faulkner, and Flaubert, you will have read before, but Moore finds his own things to say about them. The practicality is what's most refreshing, as he seems to speak directly to people who are actually doing work, as when he writes: "The frustration simply means you are going about it in the right way."

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Only Okay... + Kindle Highlight Limits May 12, 2012

By SRM

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

First things first: There's a highlight limit on this Kindle book, set by the publisher. The limit for this book is a measly ***42 highlights***. Excess highlights won't show up on your kindle.amazon.com page. Amazon refuses to advertise any of this for some reason, so I'm posting the limits here so we all can be more informed buyers/highlighters.

Ok, now for the review. This book is cleanly written, but the title seemed to promise a lot more. It's VERY short (I read it in about 30 minutes) and, to my surprise, it's also rather "lite" on Buddhism. One reviewer said that it's "A merciful rendition of the basics of meditation transposed onto the craft of writing," but I did not find this to be true at all. The Buddhism here is more a dusting than an infusion. That's okay, because the book has a lot of good, quick-hitting writing advice, and some unbelievably beautiful quotes, but I really wanted more. Like I said, the title seemed to promise so much more than what was actually delivered.

In my opinion, the best book to integrate Buddhism and writing is still Manjusvara's Writing Your Way ("Way" as in the "Path"). If you really want to understand the relationship between writing and mindfulness, are more interested in how mindfulness and compassion can infuse your writing, or regularly study secular Buddhism, you might find Manjusvara's a more comprehensive text.