If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland
(Graywolf Press, 1987, 2nd Ed.), paperback, 179 pages.
©Hawe Setiawan
I believe that this book is written with a good will. Brenda Ueland (1891-1985) tries to encourage her readers that they are all talented, original and have something important to say.
This book about the art of writing doesn’t emphasize its subject on technical matter. It is a book, as its subtitle says, about art, independence and spirit. Ms. Ueland tells about the way to find out your self ----your true self.
There is wisdom inside. It is based on her own experience as a long-time teacher of writing. Examples from the work of her pupils are quoted. One of them can make you realize that it is even better than the works of some well-known or professional writers.
The book was first published in 1938. A well-known writer called this book ‘the best book ever written about how to write’. It seems that this classic on writing and creative process is still read by many people who would like to improve their writing capability.
I myself read it enthusiastically. When I have finished reading this book, I realized that writing could become an ethical preference. When we write something we know and feel, we try to discover our true and honest self.
“When you get down to your True self and speak from that, there is always a metamorphosis in your writing, a transfiguration,” Ms. Ueland says.
This book consists of eighteen chapters. Each chapter is short (some eight or twelve pages), simple and jargon free. Reading this book is like taking Ueland’s class of writing in which we are treated personally.
At the end of the last chapter, Ms. Ueland sums up her subjects. There are twelve points to be noted: (1) know that you have talent, are original and have something important to say; (2) know that it is good to work with love and think of liking it when you do it; (3) write freely, recklessly in firs drafts; (4) tackle anything you want to---novels, plays, anything. (5) don’t be afraid of writing bad stories; (6) don’t fret or be ashamed of what you have written in the past; (7) try to discover your true, honest, untheoretical self; (8) don’t think of yourself as an intestinal tract and tangle of nerves in the skull, that will not work unless you drink coffee; (9) if you are never satisfied with what you write, that is a good sign; (10) don’t be discouraged; (11) don’t be afraid of your self when you write; (12) don’t always be appraising yourself, wondering if you are better or worse than other writers.
Students who want to read this book can make contact with me. It is available at my small private library. Please come (and don’t forget to return it when you have finished reading).
©Hawe Setiawan
I believe that this book is written with a good will. Brenda Ueland (1891-1985) tries to encourage her readers that they are all talented, original and have something important to say.
This book about the art of writing doesn’t emphasize its subject on technical matter. It is a book, as its subtitle says, about art, independence and spirit. Ms. Ueland tells about the way to find out your self ----your true self.
There is wisdom inside. It is based on her own experience as a long-time teacher of writing. Examples from the work of her pupils are quoted. One of them can make you realize that it is even better than the works of some well-known or professional writers.
The book was first published in 1938. A well-known writer called this book ‘the best book ever written about how to write’. It seems that this classic on writing and creative process is still read by many people who would like to improve their writing capability.
I myself read it enthusiastically. When I have finished reading this book, I realized that writing could become an ethical preference. When we write something we know and feel, we try to discover our true and honest self.
“When you get down to your True self and speak from that, there is always a metamorphosis in your writing, a transfiguration,” Ms. Ueland says.
This book consists of eighteen chapters. Each chapter is short (some eight or twelve pages), simple and jargon free. Reading this book is like taking Ueland’s class of writing in which we are treated personally.
At the end of the last chapter, Ms. Ueland sums up her subjects. There are twelve points to be noted: (1) know that you have talent, are original and have something important to say; (2) know that it is good to work with love and think of liking it when you do it; (3) write freely, recklessly in firs drafts; (4) tackle anything you want to---novels, plays, anything. (5) don’t be afraid of writing bad stories; (6) don’t fret or be ashamed of what you have written in the past; (7) try to discover your true, honest, untheoretical self; (8) don’t think of yourself as an intestinal tract and tangle of nerves in the skull, that will not work unless you drink coffee; (9) if you are never satisfied with what you write, that is a good sign; (10) don’t be discouraged; (11) don’t be afraid of your self when you write; (12) don’t always be appraising yourself, wondering if you are better or worse than other writers.
Students who want to read this book can make contact with me. It is available at my small private library. Please come (and don’t forget to return it when you have finished reading).
ehmmmm...ehm....
ReplyDeletekalau ngomongin masalah writing yang paling sulit tuch nentuin judul yang pas buat karya kita...
gmn pak caranya biar bisa bikin suatu topic atw judul writing yang bener2 pas gthu...!!!
trus kw udh nyampe tengah2 stuck gthu aja idenya jadi pusing dech...!!!
Kalau boleh saya sarankan, sebaiknya menentukan judul tulisan nanti saja, setelah tulisan kita jadi. Alasannya: supaya waktu kita tidak habis oleh kegiatan mencari judul. Ini bukan berarti judul tidak penting. Sebaliknya, judul itu sangat penting untuk "membetot" perhatian pembaca. Cuma, strateginya yang kita geser: dari memikirkan judul di awal proses kreatif menjadi memikirkan judul di ujung proses kreatif
ReplyDeleteAda banyak cara untuk melatih keterampilan kita menentukan topik dan judul tulisan. Saya sendiri belakangan sering mencoba strategi playing with language: memasang-masang kata, frase, dsb dalam berbagai variasinya sehingga seringkali timbul ide untuk menulis esai dari situ. Pernah, misalnya, mahasiswa saya ajak menerapkan strategi terebut, dan salah seorang di antara mereka menemukan kata "LUKA LUPA". Saya pikir, itu istilah bagus: bukan klise, berima dan cukup ringkas. Dari frase itu saya mengusulkan ide esai/artikel: betapa sakitnya luka yang bisa timbul manakala kita melupakan sesuatu/seseorang atau dilupakan seseorang.
Writer's block memang sering terjadi. Tapi, biasanya, khususnya pada penulis pemula, hal itu timbul hanya karena si penulis mencampuradukkan dua tahap yang semestinya dipisahkan: writing dan rewriting. Sebaiknya, pada tahap writing, kita nulis saja sebebas-bebasnya, tidak perlu banyak kekhawatiran. Baru, kalau sudah tuntas, kita rewrite (tulis ulang) draft semula. Orang bilang, the real art of writing is rewriting. Cobalah cara seperti itu. Saya yakin tulisan kita akan lebih cepat selesai dan akan lebih bagus.
BTW, maaf, baru sempat menjawab.
pengen nerbitin naskah fiksi nih om,ada saran?
ReplyDelete