Writings on Writing

by May Sarton

May Sarton’s lifetime of work as a poet, novelist, and essayist inform these illuminating reflections on the creative life
 
In “The Book of Babylon,” May Sarton remarks that she is not a critic—except of her own work. The essay addresses questions that have haunted Sarton’s own creative practice, such as the concept of “tension in equilibrium”—balancing past and present, idea and image. She also cites poems written by others to describe the joy of writing and how we must give ourselves over to becoming the instruments of our art.
 
“The Design of a Novel” is about fiction writing—where ideas come from, how theme and character determine plot, the mistakes many fledgling authors make, and how and why the novel differs from the poem. Further texts examine the act of composing verse, one’s state of mind when writing poetry, the role of the unconscious, how revising is the loftiest form of creation, and how to keep growing as an artist. Throughout the collection, Sarton also warns about the dangers of trying to analyze the creative process too closely.
 
A book that doesn’t separate art from the artist’s life, Writings on Writing is filled with Sarton’s trademark imagery and insights, letting us know we’re in the hands of a master.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Poetry, American

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 1995

About the author

May Sarton was born on May 3, 1912, in Wondelgem, Belgium, and grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her first volume of poetry, Encounters in April, was published in 1937 and her first novel, The Single Hound, in 1938. An accomplished memoirist, Sarton boldly came out as a lesbian in her 1965 book Mrs. Stevens Hears the Mermaids Singing. Her later memoir, Journal of a Solitude, was an account of her experiences as a female artist. Sarton died in York, Maine, on July 16, 1995.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some terrific chapters here about revision and writing. I have never liked May Sarton's poetry, but her journals are some of my favorite books and have sustained me as a writer over the years. This book - a rare find in a bookstore years ago - has some real wisdom.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ESSAYS, one on writing novels, one on journals, one on poetry, etc. the very best book on writing I have ever read

[Aka.Sofi:) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5
Cortito, lindo y útil. Una lectura amena para aquellos a quienes les guste escribir y sobre todo poemas. Habla de muchas problemáticas a la hora de sentarse a escribir, la importancia de las imágenes e incluso la corrección.
Tiene poemas lindos y frases que llaman a la reflexión de este arte. Me quedé con ganas de leer más de la autora:)

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd never read anything by May Sarton before downloading this book of hers on writing. I'll definitely be looking for more of her material. There were essays about both writing poetry and novels. I found her poetry stuff to be the most interesting to me and found it inspired me to work on several poems, which I believe are pretty good. Good, cogent, clear thinking on writing, and deftly presented.

[Kirti Vyas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan

Prolific in her time, I found her writing very dated and difficult to enjoy. Sarton rambles on about her own writing journey and has little to say otherwise except to emphasize the importance of rewriting.

[Arleen Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A jewel for every writer. So much here I read it twice. Here's an example:
"My own feeling is that the only possible reason for engaging in the hard labor of writing a novel, is that one is bothered by something one needs to understand, and can come to understand only, as psychiatrists would say, 'by acting out' through the characters in the imagined situation." (p. 26)

[Kj · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to re-read this one...it was many years ago.