R.H. Walker, Author

Welcome to the start of a new series! In “By Writers, For Writers”, I am reading 100 books about writing in the hopes of improving both my writing skills and my critical reading skills. I have been writing since I was a teenager, but have often felt that I am just treading water. In turning to the words of other writers before me, learning of their processes and the way they make their decisions, I hope not only to improve my own skills, but to gain a greater appreciation of the craft.

For the first book, I turned to the books I already owned and re-read Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury, which was the first book on writing I ever read. While in college I fell in love with Bradbury’s short fiction, which ultimately led me to read Zen as well.

I personally think the beginning essays are the strongest in the book. It is in these four (The Joy of Writing; Run Fast, Stand Still; How to Feed and Keep a Muse; and Drunk, and In Charge of a Bicycle) that Bradbury talked most broadly about his process of finding inspiration in his writing, and how he kept his childlike wonder in the face of the grind. From there Bradbury described how these methods worked in different periods of his life, from his days as a starving artist using a library typewriter for 10 cents an hour, to moving to Ireland to draft the script for 1956’s Moby Dick. There is an essay for each of his novels as well, which describe how the concept for each one came about. These were less interesting to me, but still provide a valuable insight into Bradbury’s process.

I think that reading about Bradbury’s love for writing will inspire anyone who feels similarly, but the book provides little recourse for those who feel stuck mechanically. He offers no guidance on story, character, or plot, confident that those who keep up with their writing will one day figure it out.

Overall, this is a great read for anyone who feels they have fallen out of love with writing, or who needs help finding inspiration for a new project after some time away. Following Bradbury’s recommendations may not lead you to something lucrative, but they will certainly lead you to something fun.