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The Tao of Writing: Imagine. Create. Flow.
The creative process doesn't have to be torturous--with The Tao of Writing, it can be glorious! Invoking the principles of the Tao allows you to do your best work ever. By tapping into the true flow of your creativity, you can discover and develop your true talents and abilities. Author Ralph Wahlstrom uses the connection between teaching, writing, and the tenets of the Tao to help you learn to write from a new perspective, enhancing your work and your creative journey. With The Tao of Writing as your guide, you can overcome "writer's rigor mortis," and become a better, happier, more productive writer.
224 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2005
42 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 8, 2018
Loved this so, so much.
"Creation is what we do while we're waiting to die, and if we're lucky, we do it pretty well. . . And, even though we will die just the same, we can choose to stay awake, to create. When we create, we live. . . Creation is both the act and the celebration of this magic, the fleeting mystery that is to be alive. "(p.39)
The book includes 70 writing exercises in an appendix.
"Creation is what we do while we're waiting to die, and if we're lucky, we do it pretty well. . . And, even though we will die just the same, we can choose to stay awake, to create. When we create, we live. . . Creation is both the act and the celebration of this magic, the fleeting mystery that is to be alive. "(p.39)
The book includes 70 writing exercises in an appendix.
January 20, 2018
I thought this was an interesting book and gave me some good ideas on writing prompts. I also liked how it teaches you to let your writing flow and not stress over it. I will be going back to this book many times.
May 13, 2020
I really connected with this book, it might not click with everyone (journalists methinks) but I love the connection between Tao and writing. It’s turned writing from something I shied from into something I now openly embrace.
As blasphemous as this is to say for me, writing could be more important that reading. 😳 That’s how sold I was after reading this one.✍️
As blasphemous as this is to say for me, writing could be more important that reading. 😳 That’s how sold I was after reading this one.✍️
December 2, 2008
Most people hate writing. They see it as a boring tedious task that is avoided as much as possible. Filled with rules and revisions, deadlines and grades, writing has been the demise of students for quite some time. This book, The Tao of Writing: Imagine, Create, Flow, shows us writing is anything but the above mentioned descriptions. By incorporating some basic Tao principles in guiding writing, this book teaches that writing can be enjoyable, therapeutic, and artistic, expressing the very essence of our beings.
How can Taoism possibly guide writing? Taoism is a religion practiced mostly in the Eastern cultures such as in China, but is also considered a philosophic way of life. “Taoism is the cosmic, mysterious, and ultimate principle underlying form, substance, being, and change. Tao encompasses everything. It can be used to understand the universe and nature as well as human body” (Wahlstrom 15). Tao literally means “the Way” (Wahlstrom 5), and helps us make connections between the world around us and the written word. As stated so perfectly in this book, “what this means to your work and specifically how you write, is that the Tao offers principles which can guide writers as we compose and develop our writing voices. The Tao offers us the time and space in which to think and write. It gives us a river upon which our writing can flow and describes a framework that is not so much imposed upon us but which is already there in the ways we use language, in the landscape, in the very weave of the universe” (Wahlstrom 5).
Wahlstrom incorporates some basic Tao ideologies and breaks them into twelve principles related to writing. He believes writing is: natural, flow, creation, detachment, discovery, change, unified yet multiplied, clarity, simplicity, personal, universal, and open-ended. He spends a chapter on each principle explaining how each correlates to writing. Wahlstrom also gives us some Tao guidelines for our writing spaces and tools, which are very critical in the writing process.
The twelve principles are very useful in taking the edge off writing. They really give writers a new, fresh perspective allowing for creation and evoking flow of ideas. What most people fail to realize is we are all writers. We use writing every day sending emails and text messages, cards or letters. Some of us may even write in journals, diaries, or compose songs which are all very important forms of written word. This proves the first principle: writing is natural. The second most important principle that this book conveys is writing is flow. First writings should be uncensored, unaltered, and should just “flow” from the pen to paper. Wahlstrom strongly encourages free writing to help develop flow.
To go into great detail on each Tao principle would simply be rewriting this book in anabbreviated version. The main concepts the reader should take with them after reading this book is Tao is a calming approach to the biggest anxieties of the writing craft. Writing should be enjoyed and not avoided. A piece of work should be written then left alone for some time before revisions begin. When writing a large assignment, start small; the largest of novels begin with just one word. Clarity and simplicity allow the work to be read without confusion and the audience should always be kept in mind when composing a piece of work. The last major idea Wahlstrom gives for writing is that it is open-ended. It is always malleable and revisable, open for many different interpretations.
The space used for writing and the tools used are also critical for effective writing. The philosophies of Feng Shui are effective ways to arrange a room to allow the flow of positive “chi” (energy) opening the door of creativity and uninterrupted thought. Color and sound can also play an important role in writing well. Brighter, lighter, more natural colors help center the mind and flow of writing. The music or noises in the background can also affect writing in a positive or negative way. A writer must also enjoy the tools he is working with. Many prefer a smooth, dark pen on white paper, but others enjoy using different tools. Mark Twain, for example, preferred blue paper and purple pens (Wahlstrom 161). Being comfortable with environment and utensils can make a difference whether or not a piece of writing is crafted or produced from pain and misery.
After reading this book, I feel very inspired to write. I was even excited to start this assignment! The Taoism ideals described in this book can even be applied to everyday life. One can make discoveries about the world and writing and even about himself. Writing is a natural part of us just waiting to jump out onto paper. I know I am a better writer since reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone, writer or not.
How can Taoism possibly guide writing? Taoism is a religion practiced mostly in the Eastern cultures such as in China, but is also considered a philosophic way of life. “Taoism is the cosmic, mysterious, and ultimate principle underlying form, substance, being, and change. Tao encompasses everything. It can be used to understand the universe and nature as well as human body” (Wahlstrom 15). Tao literally means “the Way” (Wahlstrom 5), and helps us make connections between the world around us and the written word. As stated so perfectly in this book, “what this means to your work and specifically how you write, is that the Tao offers principles which can guide writers as we compose and develop our writing voices. The Tao offers us the time and space in which to think and write. It gives us a river upon which our writing can flow and describes a framework that is not so much imposed upon us but which is already there in the ways we use language, in the landscape, in the very weave of the universe” (Wahlstrom 5).
Wahlstrom incorporates some basic Tao ideologies and breaks them into twelve principles related to writing. He believes writing is: natural, flow, creation, detachment, discovery, change, unified yet multiplied, clarity, simplicity, personal, universal, and open-ended. He spends a chapter on each principle explaining how each correlates to writing. Wahlstrom also gives us some Tao guidelines for our writing spaces and tools, which are very critical in the writing process.
The twelve principles are very useful in taking the edge off writing. They really give writers a new, fresh perspective allowing for creation and evoking flow of ideas. What most people fail to realize is we are all writers. We use writing every day sending emails and text messages, cards or letters. Some of us may even write in journals, diaries, or compose songs which are all very important forms of written word. This proves the first principle: writing is natural. The second most important principle that this book conveys is writing is flow. First writings should be uncensored, unaltered, and should just “flow” from the pen to paper. Wahlstrom strongly encourages free writing to help develop flow.
To go into great detail on each Tao principle would simply be rewriting this book in anabbreviated version. The main concepts the reader should take with them after reading this book is Tao is a calming approach to the biggest anxieties of the writing craft. Writing should be enjoyed and not avoided. A piece of work should be written then left alone for some time before revisions begin. When writing a large assignment, start small; the largest of novels begin with just one word. Clarity and simplicity allow the work to be read without confusion and the audience should always be kept in mind when composing a piece of work. The last major idea Wahlstrom gives for writing is that it is open-ended. It is always malleable and revisable, open for many different interpretations.
The space used for writing and the tools used are also critical for effective writing. The philosophies of Feng Shui are effective ways to arrange a room to allow the flow of positive “chi” (energy) opening the door of creativity and uninterrupted thought. Color and sound can also play an important role in writing well. Brighter, lighter, more natural colors help center the mind and flow of writing. The music or noises in the background can also affect writing in a positive or negative way. A writer must also enjoy the tools he is working with. Many prefer a smooth, dark pen on white paper, but others enjoy using different tools. Mark Twain, for example, preferred blue paper and purple pens (Wahlstrom 161). Being comfortable with environment and utensils can make a difference whether or not a piece of writing is crafted or produced from pain and misery.
After reading this book, I feel very inspired to write. I was even excited to start this assignment! The Taoism ideals described in this book can even be applied to everyday life. One can make discoveries about the world and writing and even about himself. Writing is a natural part of us just waiting to jump out onto paper. I know I am a better writer since reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone, writer or not.
April 13, 2018
Full review at https://bookendra.wordpress.com/2018/...
August 5, 2019
This is a great book for getting inspired to write! The overall message is very liberating, so anyone who is feeling hesitant to write, for whatever reason, might benefit from a read-through. I also like that the book includes lots of writing exercises to try out. Not only is there a suggested exercise at the end of each chapter, the last section of the book contains over 60 different exercises. So this book might also be useful for anyone with writer's block!
July 12, 2019
The author knows how to write, there plenty of nice words in it. However, there is not really any new content and I found it boring. The relation to tao made me want to read more about tao, but I felt this book was using the term superficial. Probably this is for people who never wrote before, but it is not for me.
August 28, 2017
This book gives me an understanding of writing based on the Tao Te Ching - a Chinese philosophy. It's really basic yet significant, to get anyone who found it hard to write to simply get started and from there you'll actually grow as a writer.
December 16, 2019
I found this book extremely repetitive and I'm afraid to say I didn't really take anything from it. However, there were a couple interesting looking exercises in the back section.
April 20, 2020
The best book on writing.
It is not a book, it is a flow of a river, pouring inspiration.
It is not a book, it is a flow of a river, pouring inspiration.
July 30, 2020
I'm so glad this white guy was available to explain Taoism to the West.
September 11, 2024
Good ideas
August 31, 2014
One of the main components of Taoism is Wu Wei, to "do without doing" and let actions flow without any effort. Ironically, in my search for books on the craft of writing, I found this book without actively searching for it. I'd never heard of it before, and it actually sounded like something my other writing friend interested in Taoism would love. So, I showed it to her. She read it, and liked it a lot, going so far as to incorporate some of the practices into her daily writing life. So then I thought, "Well...might as well pick up a copy for myself."
And I'm very glad I did.
The Tao of Writing by Ralph L. Wahlstrom is a general writing reference aimed at the beginning writer and any writer---beginner or advanced---who has ever thought of writing as hard, impossible, or only done by those with a special talent for the craft. What makes this book different from others on the craft of writing, though, is that it incorporates principles of Taoism into writing and creativity.
And it makes complete sense.
What really makes this book enjoyable is that Wahlstrom is an English professor, and how well he understands the busy, hectic Western world that sacrifices creativity for deadlines and soulless, machine-like efficiency. He understands how the current educational system associates writing with dread and boredom: dull essays, grammatical correctness, etc. With this book, you'll see how writing is, in its truest form, natural, flowing, creative, clear, and simple, to name a few. With seventy writing exercises and tips, Wahlstrom shows that writing and being creative don't have to be hard, and shouldn't be. For example, one of the exercises details keeping an affirmation journal to write down positive statements ("I am a good writer," "I will write more this month") so that negative thoughts about writing and your life ("I'm a bad writer," "I'll never get better") don't affect you. Wahlstrom also encourages readers to "interpret" the exercises "freely" as they please (169). There is no set required number that you have to do, and there are many different ones to choose from that incorporate Taoist philosophy.
Like any craft, it will take practice to becoming a better writer, and that means writing a lot. Reading this book straight through in one sitting will not make you the ultimate best-selling writer. However, it will get you thinking about writing differently and will, I believe, be a great companion along your writing journey, whether you are a beginner or seasoned veteran that needs a little bit of guidance.
And I'm very glad I did.
The Tao of Writing by Ralph L. Wahlstrom is a general writing reference aimed at the beginning writer and any writer---beginner or advanced---who has ever thought of writing as hard, impossible, or only done by those with a special talent for the craft. What makes this book different from others on the craft of writing, though, is that it incorporates principles of Taoism into writing and creativity.
And it makes complete sense.
What really makes this book enjoyable is that Wahlstrom is an English professor, and how well he understands the busy, hectic Western world that sacrifices creativity for deadlines and soulless, machine-like efficiency. He understands how the current educational system associates writing with dread and boredom: dull essays, grammatical correctness, etc. With this book, you'll see how writing is, in its truest form, natural, flowing, creative, clear, and simple, to name a few. With seventy writing exercises and tips, Wahlstrom shows that writing and being creative don't have to be hard, and shouldn't be. For example, one of the exercises details keeping an affirmation journal to write down positive statements ("I am a good writer," "I will write more this month") so that negative thoughts about writing and your life ("I'm a bad writer," "I'll never get better") don't affect you. Wahlstrom also encourages readers to "interpret" the exercises "freely" as they please (169). There is no set required number that you have to do, and there are many different ones to choose from that incorporate Taoist philosophy.
Like any craft, it will take practice to becoming a better writer, and that means writing a lot. Reading this book straight through in one sitting will not make you the ultimate best-selling writer. However, it will get you thinking about writing differently and will, I believe, be a great companion along your writing journey, whether you are a beginner or seasoned veteran that needs a little bit of guidance.
December 31, 2014
I was debating between 3.5 and 4 stars and decided to round up because there is some great advice for new writers here. I'm sure some not-new writers can benefit from parts of it, as well, but much of it, they've already figured out. It's a writing instruction book from a writing professor more than from a novelist and that shows. His political orientation shows strongly.
That said, the beginning and end of the book were quite enjoyable and it affirmed my recent thought that I need to move my office around a bit. I appreciated the emphasis on how words and writing can heal and the importance of journaling for writers and non-writers alike.
If you're a "stuck in process and method" writer, this book is for you.
That said, the beginning and end of the book were quite enjoyable and it affirmed my recent thought that I need to move my office around a bit. I appreciated the emphasis on how words and writing can heal and the importance of journaling for writers and non-writers alike.
If you're a "stuck in process and method" writer, this book is for you.
June 12, 2013
A nonfiction book on writing; I like the tie-in to taoism, and the fact that most people see writing as an awful chore that has to be endured, when really it does not have to be that way (and for me, it isn't). This book is a little heavy on the "peace and quiet and tea" stuff, but in general I get it. My writing would benefit from my remembering to get into a flow and stop analyzing everything to death. Overall, well-written, albeit a bit long for the topic. The stuff near the end about feng shui was interesting, but I liked the early bits more.
December 19, 2013
This will be an excellent book for students, businesspeople and others persons who do not like writing. Includes an interesting combination of Tao wisdom and practical advice on writing with joy. I especially enjoyed the section on Ethical Writing - two nuggets that have stuck with me are "the Taoist writer creates text that does not take from or hurt, but that gives and heals" and "the Taoist writer will use words to enhance harmony and build up rather than to tear down." What beautiful wisdom to take away from his book.
August 13, 2015
I bought the book some years back, started to read it but couldn't quite get into it, and only restarted reading it a little while ago. Obviously I was not 'ready' initially. As a relative newcomer to writing (on a regular basis) I must admit that I am totally enthralled with this book and has given me plenty to think about!
It has opened my mind up in many ways. The writing exercises at the end of the chapters were challenging and fun! In the back of the book there are 70 writing exercises which I can't wait to do.
It is a book that I feel that I will be referring to again and again.
It has opened my mind up in many ways. The writing exercises at the end of the chapters were challenging and fun! In the back of the book there are 70 writing exercises which I can't wait to do.
It is a book that I feel that I will be referring to again and again.
September 8, 2011
The author goes through several different aspects of the Tao as it relates to the writer's life. The book held my interest over the two days or so it took to read it, and there were a few points on free-writing that were encouraging. I would have liked to have more practical applications (but that's the Westerner in me, as the author might say), and some of the chapters on feng shui were a little disconnected from the rest of the piece. I would give it a solid 3.5 stars.
January 26, 2014
Ottimo per avviare e, per quanto possibile, controllare il flusso creativo. Tutto ciò che la manualistica dà per scontato, anche se più che un manuale di scrittura questo libro tenta di applicare la dimensione filosofica e spirituale del Tao alla scrittura. Ne esce fuori che scrivere è qualcosa di naturale, a cui spesso siamo noi stessi, per mille ragioni e per come abbiamo appreso a farlo, a porre un freno.
September 19, 2016
Some interesting ideas here, and some good exercises at the end of the book, but over all I found the book kind of dull and bland. This is one where you can take what you like and leave the rest. Your mileage may very. I'm sure some readers will gain much more insight from this than I did. Much of the book covered old ground with an eastern Taoist slant. Great if your in tune with that kind of thing.
November 25, 2015
Still working on this, using it as a writing exercise book, so I'm enjoying my somewhat leisurely pace. My goal is to finish it before my writing class on July 1. Being my first toe into the waters of Taoism, my next goal will be to read The Tao of Pooh, that I took from Linda's bookshelf.
February 28, 2017
A quick, easy read, but it's up to you to take the little chapters as meditations and let them simmer in your subconscious. It helped recalibrate my creativity. I found this book to be the most soothing, if I read it either first thing in the morning or right before going to bed.
Read
April 12, 2007I actually wrote this book and, amazingly, I still like it. Other readers tell me it's worth their while. I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't believe in it.
February 12, 2010
Okay, but didn't really motivate me.
Currently reading
February 17, 2010Wonderful book to read, take advice and encouragement from and then apply to my own attempts at writing
Read
December 11, 2013This is my go-to book when I am hit a writer's block. It always gets me back on track.
October 23, 2015
Any writing book that makes me write more is a great book. Wahlstrom shows you how to write effortlessly.
November 17, 2013
On my second read of this book. Impeccable timing for it as I engage in my second tour as a urban/economic development writer.
October 1, 2014
I'm still doing the writing exercises at the end, but I'm basically finished.
It's kind of "woo-woo," but it has encouraged me to at least get back to putting words down.
It's kind of "woo-woo," but it has encouraged me to at least get back to putting words down.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews