I have this qoute scratched into the cover of the book that I write all my poetry into:

"Writing lets the world burn through you"

I love it and I remember writing it there about 5 years ago. I seem to remember that it was a quot from some one. But I can't find anywhere who said it. It is possible that I came up with it and forgot that it is mine, but I'm pretty sure it's a quote. Google doesn't give me anything.

Aside from the search for the author I would also like to see a bit of commentary about the line itself. What do you think?

Dan

Zen in the Art of Writing:
Releasing the Creative Genius Within You, Ray Bradbury

... advice on the craft of writing :

"What do you think of the world? You, the prism, measure the light of the world; it burns through your mind to throw a different spectroscopic reading onto paper than anyone else anywhere can throw. Let the world burn through you. Throw the prism, white hot, on paper... then you, a new Element, are discovered, charted, named!"

Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You, Ray Bradbury

reviewed by DeAnn Rossetti

Famed science fiction author Ray Bradbury is, in my opinion, not only a great storyteller; he's the master of the short story format of writing. His master works of fiction have always reflected an abiding love of words and a zest for life that is heartwarming to readers worldwide.

In this slender volume, Bradbury gives writers solid advice on the craft of writing, while simultaneously uplifting their hearts and minds with paragraphs like this:

"What do you think of the world? You, the prism, measure the light of the world; it burns through your mind to throw a different spectroscopic reading onto paper than anyone else anywhere can throw. Let the world burn through you. Throw the prism, white hot, on paper... then you, a new Element, are discovered, charted, named!"

Bradbury's chapter on "How to Keep and Feed a Muse" is humorous and delightful; it's worth the price of the book for just that chapter alone.

Zen in the Art of Writing inspired me not only as a writer; it inspired me as a creative thinker and a prose stylist. Too many books on writing are full of complaints on the difficulty of the task of getting words on paper. Bradbury focuses on the joy of writing, the rich and fascinating ways of fermenting ideas into stories, and ways to boost your creativity by unearthing the topics and subjects that rivet you mentally and sing to your heart. I highly recommend this book.

simultaneous !

yep ! amazing ...

let us each go to our respective paper bags at twenty paces and see who googles out first !

Very Taoist, Very Zen, very I Ching, do it again, together.

The googler who clicks together sticks together!

Sort of like bonding, long distance. Now if I only had a stamp.


Les

"Great minds trav in the same circles."

hmmm I'm not sure that it is ray bradbury. if it is a quote I would have been more likely to like walt whitman or something. I am also sure that it is written in my book exactly like the "Writing lets the world burn through you" I have a sneeking suspision it was Emerson or another transcendentalist. hmm I'm not sure.

Dan