At its best, the sensation of writing is that of any unmerited grace, said Annie Dillard in her fascinating, entertaining, and deeply moving book The Writing Life.

This statement is truly one of the best lines about writing that I have ever come across in my entire life. I wholeheartedly believe in its truth.

The Writing Life is a book that I will surely return to time and again with great joy. It has bestowed upon me an abundance of creative inspiration for my own writing endeavors.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a literary gem that offers profound insights into the writing process and the joys and challenges that come with it. Whether you are a seasoned writer or just starting out, this book is bound to touch your heart and激发 your creativity.

So, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of The Writing Life. You won't be disappointed.

Annie Dillard's writing about the process of writing is remarkable for its clarity.

This isn't just a typical "how to" book; rather, it's a "how it is" book that offers a unique perspective.

I have a deep affection for her work, and while reading it, I found myself realizing that I'm not alone in my own writing pursuits.

However, I did dock a star mainly because in some parts, it becomes a bit overly intellectual. At those moments, I could sense the writer's self-consciousness about the journey.

But, oh my, what a beautiful journey it is! Especially the analogy near the end about the death-defying pilot and his eagerness to use his airplane as an extension of himself.

It's kind of like a writer and her tools. It's truly beautiful and makes you think about the connection between a writer and the means by which she creates.

Overall, despite its minor flaws, Annie Dillard's work on the writing process is a must-read for any aspiring writer.

**"Thoughts on Reading for Use in Teaching Literary Writing"**

Reading for use in teaching literary writing at Hola Folk High School (Swedish translation).

This is a little gem about the writing process, about the mysterious in writing. I was particularly struck now by the description of laying out a fantastic vision and how the writing of that vision will never live up to the vision itself but will become something entirely different, hopefully something that one can piece together in a decent state. It might sound a bit harsh, her view of writing which in a picture she says she hates when talking to an ordinary person, a ferryman, someone with a useful and normal job (although of course the thought also drifts to Karon...). But what it really comes down to is that writing is not something mechanical, that you write through and with your entire being, and that's what is ultimately valuable. If she really hates writing, then she loves to hate it.

I realize I've read the book three times now and don't remember the pilot at the end. Maybe I don't fully understand why that chapter is so long and what comparison she is drawing to writing?

Previous thoughts, also a rereading:

All, I dare say it, ALL books on writing, start from or are based on scenes, experiences, events in the author's own life. Often in the present writing. And that's just the way it is. Writing is in life, through life. The same is true in Dillard's book, and brilliant examples (although she nags a bit too much about that wood and the fire that doesn't warm). Rereading in Swedish works fine, and I appreciated Elin Boardy's little addition at the end. Now I should probably read some literary work by Dillard as well...

Annie Dillard's memoir is a beautiful and meticulous portrayal of a writer's life, presented through vivid metaphors and fresh life stories.

How serious is someone about becoming a writer? Are they determined? These are the questions the author seems to pose to the reader in the first chapter.

When writing, Dillard secludes herself in a special cabin or small room. Even her husband is excluded. There, it's just her and the sea, or the view of the rooftops, or the birds and the asphalt. Silence. Splitting the night. And perhaps encountering the unseen.

After cup after cup of coffee, the writer still toils to complete her work with dignity, separated from the outside world for so long.

Why do people want to be writers? Dillard says she never knew the answer, except that their lives are not based on material things.

Dillard shares how she contemplates life and everything in it to bring it back into her stories. Also, the way to read and choose readings to keep her life as a writer burning.

A university student once asked a famous writer, 'Do you think I can become a writer?' The writer asked back, 'Do you like sentences?' Just like a painter being asked what makes him a painter. 'I like the smell of paint,' the painter replied.

All great writers have role models. How can one become a writer without having admired works as examples? Those who want to be poets must be crazy about reading poetry. Only then can they become one.

This seven-chapter book is truly rich in analogies that depict the world of a writer. It's like a caterpillar wriggling at the end of a blade of grass, looking for a place to attach and then build a story.

The final chapter introduces the reader to Dave Rahm, an aerobatic pilot who served King Hussein of Jordan. Dillard compares his performances in the sky to the life of a writer.

It's impressive. It makes us realize that being a writer is not a dream that can be simply talked about. There are responsibilities and values that need to be fulfilled.

And it's no wonder that Dillard managed to win the Pulitzer Prize for her work. A master of using metaphors, her creations are neatly tucked into the stories.

A few (and I truly mean just a few) valuable insights on the craft can be found within these pages. However, it is dreadfully dry, dry, dry. The author comes across as self-absorbed and precious, even conceded. She omits a great deal of what the reader approaching this book would desire and includes much of what they will not.

Then there are deal-breakers like the following: "It should surprise no one that the life of the writer--such as it is--is colorless to the point of sensory deprivation. Many writers do little else but sit in small rooms recalling the real world. This explains why so many books describe the author's childhood. A writer's childhood may well have been the occasion of his only firsthand experience."

Really?

Ask yourself: how many writers, similar to Dillard, are fortunate enough to be able to spend their winters in seaside cabins, devoting all their time to writing? How many writers, working in any genre, do not revere the real world as an irreplaceable and primary source, regardless of how much or how little they intend to reflect it? This is just one instance of Dillard at her least self-reflective and, for that matter, least wise. (Wisdom being ostensibly what the book purports to offer.)

For a work whose focus repeatedly boomerangs back to a writer's insecurities and uncertainties, "The Writing Life" is remarkably self-assured, seemingly oblivious to the fact that it is a prime example of why writers need such character flaws in the first place.

This is one of those truly quirky books that has the remarkable ability to transport you right into a specific world. In this instance, it's Annie Dillard's life as a writer.

The book isn't overloaded with the typical advice on how to craft a character or develop a plot. Instead, it presents a series of days and experiences, essentially a memoir that orbits around the act of writing.

One of the most entertaining chapters, which is just a scant two pages long, is centered around the day when her typewriter had a rather explosive incident. Even when she delves into the topic of other writers, she introduces them in a most unique fashion, by highlighting the strange things that they adored. For example, Frank Conroy and his penchant for yo-yo tricks.

Just as she delves deep into her own life, she is also peering into the lives of other writers. It's a delicately intimate book that explores the relationships of friends and fellow travelers who are all on their respective solitary paths.

It offers a fascinating glimpse into the often idiosyncratic world of writers and their creative processes.

Cool women with typewriters. What a captivating image it is!

"What is this writing life? I was living alone in a house, and had set up a study on the first floor. A portable green Smith-Corona sat on the table against a wall [...]" This excerpt truly sets the scene of a writer's solitary yet creative world.

Denna Dillard, on the other hand, was fantastic! I must admit that a metaphor for life and literature borrowed from nature, in the form of a struggling little inchworm (measurer?) on a blade of grass, is one of the best passages in the whole book. It brings a sense of vividness and depth to the narrative.

The reading place, Mersea Island in Essex, adds an extra charm to the whole experience. The peaceful and scenic location provides the perfect backdrop for indulging in the world of words and imagination.

As I envision the writer sitting in her study, typing away on that green Smith-Corona, and the little inchworm on the grass, I am drawn into a world where literature and nature intertwine, creating a beautiful and inspiring tapestry of life.

Anyone who has a passion for writing should definitely read this piece - not just once, but multiple times. It contains valuable insights and tips that can enhance your writing skills. After you have completed reading it, make sure to keep it on your desk within easy reach. Whenever you have a spare moment or need a little inspiration, simply flip it open to a random page and read a few paragraphs. You'll be amazed at how these short snippets can spark new ideas and help you approach your work from a different perspective. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced writer, this article has something to offer. So, don't hesitate to give it a read and let it become your trusted companion on your writing journey.

I often make an effort to reread this particular piece.

The reason behind this is that I discover it to be extremely encouraging and motivating.

Every time I go through it, it seems to infuse me with a newfound sense of determination and drive.

The words within it have a unique power to lift my spirits and push me to strive for more.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I highly recommend it.

Whether you are facing challenges in your personal life or in your professional endeavors, this piece has the potential to provide you with the inspiration and boost you need.

It is truly a gem that I believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience.

I am confident that once you read it, you will understand why I hold it in such high regard.

The world record for the "longest review ever" was recently broken by Mr. J. Stoop.

The ratio of the number of pages of the booklet (120 pages) to the reading and discussion hours (countless) is more disproportionate than the charming bosom of Jeff Bezos compared to his fortune.

I reread the first few pages of 'Writer's Life' five consecutive evenings because I kept falling asleep (and that had nothing to do with the essay collection itself). Writing the review was mainly a search for my own focus: as if I suddenly became illiterate in deciphering my own mind.

So yes, a seven-month-old twin who loves the nightlife, on top of a toddler, on top of a winter dip and corona fatigue, on top of the 4×400m illnesses per family member, is sloppy. But spring is in sight on multiple levels...

My world record still landed in Humo today:

To all publishers who are buried under manuscripts of ambitious but talentless and self-aware publicists: Annie Dillard's 'Writer's Life', originally from 1989 and now translated for the first time, contains enough incentives to put pen and paper away for good. "Why people want to become writers, I will never know, unless it is because their lives lack a material foundation." A harsh statement for someone who won a Pulitzer Prize for the nature classic 'Pilgrim at Tinker Creek'.

That the American called her own writing style "embarrassing" on her website later, we can perhaps attribute to the abundance of grotesque metaphors about the profession that appear in it. "Your work is the joystick on the flywheel that makes the gears turn that makes the drive belt go around in the engine of faith that keeps you and your desk in the air." Yuck.

But her readers still regarded her essay as a writing guide because it gives advice on how to start writing: avoid comfortable workplaces, challenge the blank page daily and dare to cross out – even precious passages that once sowed the seeds for your story. Dillard is characteristically associative: writing tips seamlessly turn into delicious anecdotes from the world of authors and into personal facts. With the astonishing finale about the air acrobatics of a stunt pilot, Dillard demonstrates that she can do one thing even better than writing about writing: just write great.

***1/2

https://www.humo.be/achter-het-nieuws...

Reading this as a writer is an experience that can be quite brutal. Dillard seems to have a knack for demolishing one's ego. She poses a rather harsh question: "Why not shoot yourself, actually, rather than finish one more excellent manuscript on which to gag the world?" This statement makes one stop and think about the true value and purpose of writing.

She also mocks the desire to rush through the writing process. She remarks, "Out of a human population on earth of four and a half billion, perhaps twenty people can write a serious book in a year. Some people can lift cars, too." This puts into perspective the rarity and difficulty of creating something truly remarkable in the world of writing.

Furthermore, Dillard pokes fun at the strange and often antagonistic relationship that writers have with their work. She says, "I do not so much write a book as sit up with it, as with a dying friend. During visiting hours, I enter its room with dread and sympathy for its many disorders. I hold its hand and hope it will get better." This vivid description captures the complex emotions that writers experience when working on a project.

I absolutely love this piece. I've been complaining to people that writing is making me boring, and it's refreshing to know that Dillard, a writer known for her meticulousness, feels the same way. Writing is indeed a tedious, difficult, and lonely endeavor. It often kills conversations and can make one feel isolated. But despite all of this, there is a strange compulsion within me that keeps me going. It's a gift to have someone like Dillard express these feelings in such a compelling way.

I yearn to ride the line of words to the furthest reaches possible, to delve into the infinite depth of beauty with the plumb of unwavering attention. Dillard's book is truly wise, skillfully weaving each writing life into a broader line that we uncover, pursue, and commit to serving.

Reading this after penning my first book felt like a quiet, understanding comedy. "Ah," I grinned to myself, "Yes, that *was* precisely what was transpiring." Writing a book entails allowing all the trees, vistas, and resounding stories to fade away in order to make that one intangible line palpable to the world, a line that you have traced from darkness to light.

It is a journey of self-discovery and artistic expression, where the power of words becomes a vehicle for revealing the hidden beauty within. Through the act of writing, we strive to capture the essence of our experiences and translate them into a form that others can understand and appreciate.

Dillard's work serves as an inspiration, reminding us of the importance of perseverance and dedication in the pursuit of our creative endeavors. It encourages us to look beyond the surface and explore the deeper meanings and connections that lie beneath.

In conclusion, writing is not just about putting words on paper; it is about creating a line that leads us to new insights, emotions, and understandings. It is a continuous process of growth and evolution, and one that has the potential to touch the lives of others in profound ways.