Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

Bradbury, Ray. Zen in the Art of Writing. Bantam Books, 1990. 158 pages. Paperback $7.99. ISBN: 9780553296341.

I chose this book to read because I have a fondness for Ray Bradbury. I remember being 10 or 11 sunning on a blanket reading a short story collection and being transported to another world. Then, I came upon a story that could have been written about the exact place I was on my blanket, I think it must have been Dandelion Wine or some version of that story. I couldn’t imagine how an author could describe both Mars and Wisconsin so well that I could see both places in my head. I have continued to read his stories over the years and find myself no less amazed at his ability to capture the essence of a place or the exact detail that makes that martian possible.

In this book, there are a collection of essays that provide a glimpse into Ray Bradbury’s life and the craft of writing. It is a unique book in that he doesn’t try and tell you how to write but instead tells his story and offers himself as the lesson in what worked for him. He says read a lot and write a lot. Ask the questions what if? and why? Become unfocused. Don’t be self-conscious. And write, write, write.

Enthusiasm and exuberance describes Bradbury’s attitude about life. He believes “... writing without zest, writing without gusto, without love, without fun...” makes you less of a writer. Stating that “for the first thing a writer should be is - excited.” He must have been a brilliant person to know.

He writes about the curiosity that has driven his life and his work. Growing up (in Waukegan, Illinois which explains why he could describe a Wisconsin stream bank so well!) he was fascinated with the Barnum and Bailey Circus and carnivals that pulled in to town every summer bringing exotic people and animals. It is these images that showed up in his work years later on other planets or haunting humans on Earth.

Bradbury loved words and books and libraries. He writes, “...lost in love, down the corridors, and through the stacks, touching books, pulling volumes out, turning pages, thrusting volumes back, drowning in all the good stuffs that are the essence of libraries.” How could I not love a writer who feels that way?!

I felt inspired by the book and went to write and everything sounded so false and simplistic. I hated everything! I can’t imagine how he sat down and churned out 1000 pages each day. However, he does counsel that from a young age the muse should have been observing and taking in everything but if it hasn’t it is not too late to start. This gives me hope.

I have adopted his loosely defined Zen writing advice:

WORK
RELAXATION
DON’T THINK
FURTHER RELAXATION