Writing the Landscape of Your Mind [Audio Cassette]

Natalie Goldberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1994

Writing the Landscape of Your Mind: Natalie Goldberg's Minnesota Workshop

Our second Goldberg tape includes groundbreaking advice on structure, not addressed in Bones or Wild Mind, and she reads the introduction to her 1993 book Long Quiet Highway. The workshop includes new writing exercises and support for writers. "You create the universe," she says.

2 70 Minute Tapes

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This edited version of Goldberg's writing workshop reiterates the rules of writing she presents in her books Writing Down the Bones (Shambhala, 1986) and Wild Mind (Bantam, 1990). Here, she emphasizes the importance of "writing practice." All one needs is pencil, paper, a block of time, and the perseverance to work on a continuing basis. Goldberg urges writers to ignore the "monkey mind," that inner voice that prevents the expression of real thoughts. She relates how Zen and her tutelege under Daimin Katagiri Roshi contributed to her success and includes her reading of the introduction to Long Quiet Highway (LJ 2/1/91). The audio presentation allows the audience to hear the author's ideas in her own encouraging, relaxed style. Recommended for libraries with writing programs.
Catherine Swenson, Norwich Univ. Lib., Northfield, Vt.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile

In this abridgment of a two-day writing workshop, Goldberg interacts with her audience of writers and would-be writers. Gone is the near-hypnotic drone (except when she reads aloud). With real folks she's natural, warm, funny and sincere as she presents her "Rules of Writing Practice," a distillation of 20 years of hard-won discoveries. The abridgment is helped by Goldberg periodically letting listeners know where the program is in the weekend. Most inspiring are the voices of the participants reading their practice works--some of their writing is stunning. E.K.D. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Writer's AudioShop; Unabridged edition (January 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880717328
• ISBN-13: 978-1880717325
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,958,481 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Looooooove Goldberg!, August 9, 2002

By 

"siammuse" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Landscape of Your Mind (Audio Cassette)

I missed Natalie Goldberg's workshop in Minneapolis...But I found(and was quite excited about it!) her workshop on audio.
In the comfort of my home, I had my own personal Natalie Goldberg writing workshop. It was wonderful!

Natalie talks about writing (Of course) And "Writing Practice"

"Just trust yourself," she says. "You don't have anyone else to trust.
Write. Write. Write."
And do not stop until the timer goes off. Do not worry about grammar, misspelled words, nothing.
Just go."

Think about your favorite meal....
Now go! The buzzer goes off and you write for 10 minutes (No Stopping) that is the rule. You write until the buzzer tells you it's time to stop.

Then Natalie asks the students who would like to read their work. A few brave people did. First thoughts and all! Some crap. Some brilliant stuff.
I read my own work in the company of me!

Natalie is always saying that "FIRST THOUGHTS" are the truest thoughts...and this is excellent advice to all writers. I know if I think too much, or wonder who I will offend, I lose the original beauty of the words.

If you cannot make Natalie's workshop, I would suggest buying her audio cassettes. This is the next best thing! It's like having your own personal trainer.

But this trainer is for the mind...how to use it...how to train it...how to discipline it.

Now get off your butt and WRITE!
(First thoughts only, please.)

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Trust yourself, you can write., May 8, 2009

By 

Victoria Tarrani "writer, editor, artist, des... (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Writing the Landscape of Your Mind (Audio Cassette)

.
I've never been to Natalie Goldberg's workshops, but I have listened to the tapes at least a hundred times; I need a new copy. Her advice makes sense, and I have given it to writers who question their ability to write, who cannot find something to write about or ones who face the ultimate challenge, a writer's block.

The exercise is to set a timer and write for 10 minutes. Do not take your pen off the paper, except to go to the next page. Do not edit what you have written. Do not read what you are writing because you can't think of something else. Just write. When the timer goes off, then you are free to stop, but you do not have to do so.

I also add that you should keep a writer's journal with you all the time. Jot thoughts into this book, and spend as much time as you need to cover the topic. Do not edit, this journal is for your future needs.

As you drive, if you have a tape player, talk and let the emotions you feel show in your voice. When you have the time and a place to write, then transcribe this recording onto paper or on the computer. Try to find the words that express the emotions you felt as you spoke.

Keep dictionaries handy, and when you are bored read one. Read a thesaurus, rhyming dictionaries, dictionaries about cliché phrases. Make it fun.

These tricks keep your mind busy thinking about words. They flow into each other, or create discord and become choppy, or rhyme in a metered poem.

I sing. It doesn't matter that I'm using a tune from another song as I let my own words flow. Rarely do I consciously recall what I have sung, but when I write a poem, some of my internal songs come out to play. Sometimes, silly words open new doors. Alice did not just fall down the rabbit hole, she had adventures, and some made no sense at all, yet Louis Carroll created a classic story book.

Playing with words is an excellent exercise as well. Getting to know that words are your friends will help you have faith in yourself. That is the ultimate goal. Trust yourself. Take the assignment, believe you can write what the editor requests, and you will.

Victoria Tarrani