Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path

by Nicole Gulotta

A guide for the next generation of writers—self-care rituals, creativity-generating rhythms, and personalized strategies for embracing a creative life.

Wild Words is an invitation to explore the intersection of your writing practice with everything else in your busy life. Through personal stories and practical lessons you’ll learn how to enter a new relationship with your creativity, one that honors where you’ve been, where you’re headed, and where you are today. Discover methods to support a sustainable writing practice, clarifying and nourishing routines, an understanding of your own creative history, and guidance on how to make small but powerful mind-set shifts (such as how to see a career as a partner rather than an obstacle). Above all, Wild Words encourages you to approach creativity through a seasonal lens and helps you untangle the messy process of embracing your circumstances, trusting your voice, and making time to put pen to paper, season after season.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Memoir, Self Help, Audiobook, Poetry, Art

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2019

About the author

Nicole Gulotta is the author of Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer’s Path and Eat This Poem: A Literary Feast of Recipes Inspired by Poetry, which was inspired by the food blog she wrote from 2012-2018. Her winning poetry chapbook, Migration, was published by Flyway: A Journal of Writing and Environment at Iowa State University. Nicole holds an MFA in poetry from Vermont College of Fine Arts and her essays and poems have appeared in Life & Thyme, Lit Hub, Motherwell, The Write Life, The Portland Review, Georgetown Review, and others. Connect with her online at nicolemgulotta.com and on Instagram @nicolegulotta.author.

Reviews

[Chrystopher’s Archive · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person who has made it a lifelong habit to identify as "creative," this book came along at just the right time and was a balm to all the insecurities I've been struggling with for the last six months or more.

Some readers will definitely find the text too woo-woo, but for me, at this time, it was perfect. And the second half focuses more an practicalities like building a community (NOT a platform), and planning and finishing a project. Gulotta approaches the topic of creativity with great compassion and open-mindedness, a sense of wonder about the world, and an interest in interdisciplinary living that I forgot used to be mine as well, and reminded me that it all could be again.

Some of my favorite quotes:

""What I'm here to tell you is that if you wish to write, you can. (Most likely, you must.)"

"Tune in to sharing what's in your heart when it feels good, because you've been thinking about something for a while now, rolling thoughts over in your mind the way you suck on a sunflower seed before spitting out the shell."

"Ignore anything or any person who uses the word hustle."

"I believe regardless of scale - whether you have only a few dozen readers or ten thousand - there's someone out there who will benefit from reading the words only you can write."

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wise guide for moving confidently through the seasons of a writing life. Part memoir, as the author shares eloquently from her own experiences. Part nurturance, as she encourages writers through self-care rituals, insights into the ebb and flow of a creative practice, and strategies for continuing with pen on paper no matter the barriers. Highly recommended!

Pub Date 15 Oct 2019.

Thanks to the author, Roost Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#WildWords #NetGalley

[Natalie McAnulla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised by the wisdom if afforded but still unnerved by the privilege it displayed.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bizarre Book For Writers

In the subtitle of this book, the author promises “Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path,” but I didn't really find that this book was about that. It's actually hard to describe what is in this book. Honestly, to me, it feels like a lot of navel-gazing done by the author with an occasional suggestion of what you can do to help your writing, your writing process, or your life. It is divided into what the author calls “seasons,” but these are strange divisions, being both aspects of the writing process like The Season of Beginnings, while others were about life like The Season of Listening to Your Body or The Season of Raising Young Children. These topics just don’t relate to each other, to me. I think the author spent too much time on her own story. It really felt like the book was about her—a personal journal at times—not about us, the reader. Her bridge from her to us was often slim or inconsequential. I don't know if I really pulled many “rituals” or “routines” from this book at all. I'm not sure what “rhythm” has to do with it at all. All in all, this book just didn't work for me. Her life is so very different from mine that I couldn't draw the parallels that I think she was hoping I would draw.

I received a free copy of this book from #NetGalley, but that did not affect my review.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rituals and routines for writing to do when the time is short. A sincere memoir told with creativity. One of the aspects most important in this book is when the author talks about self-care in writing and in her own life.

[Alison Zak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in a real rut with writing life/inspiration books and Wild Words was the cure. Most importantly, reading it MADE ME WANT TO WRITE AGAIN, but it’s also a very useful reframe of the seasonality of our writing lives. (I relate a lot to this author in lifestyle and interests, so I can see how not everyone would find it as spot-on as I did but I do really recommend it!)

[Lindsay]

For the writer wanting more than to simply get a book published, who wants to have a writing life, one that endures through the years, this book is full of sound advice about the ebb and flow of creativity, the seasons of writing life, and how to keep going. It’s not a how-to manual, but a companion to the writing life that ultimately lets the reader know she’s not alone on this writing path and that she truly is worthy to walk it.

[Monse Arosemena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hay libros que nos encuentran.

¿Les ha pasado alguna vez?

Compré ‘Wild Words’ de Nicole Gulotta por impulso, por instinto, en un viaje que hice. Buscaba libros sobre procesos y rituales de escritura creativa. Lo escogí entre varios que me recomendaron sobre el tema. Entre las distintas opciones de títulos y portadas, opté por este sin ningún motivo en particular.

Estuvo en la pila de los ‘por leer’ por más de un año hasta que este viernes, antes de comenzar un breve proceso de SSA (soledad, silencio y aislamiento), lo elegí de mi librero con el mismo instinto que lo había comprado, para que me acompañara en estos últimos días de escritura.

No sé si el libro y si su autora sean reconocidos por la crítica, pero para mí tuvo las palabras precisas que necesitaba leer en esta etapa de un viaje creativo que estoy atravesando.

Coincidencia.

Así pasa a veces.

Wild Words es una joyita para quienes quieran embarcarse en el viaje de la escritura. Coincide que la autora es madre y tiene un trabajo que necesita para ‘pagar las cuentas’ y que, además, batalla a diario para encontrar esa ‘habitación propia’ en donde encerrarse a escribir.

Si estas pocas ideas te resuenan, sería una buena idea que lo leyeras. Tiene muchos ejercicios y rituales que aterrizan esas ganas de escribir en ejercicios prácticos para el ritmo aceleradísimo de la vida cotidiana de ahora.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

For years I have thought about writing a book, but I was too afraid to start as I really didn’t think that I could write, even though many have told me that I can. Nicole’s process...how she shared what the process is really like, actually reduced my fear a bit. It put a new perspective about the writing process that I had never realized before. I appreciated the personal stories, the helpful hints, and encouragement.

[Teresa Rhyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "writing in the margins" (writing in the spare moments life offers up) advice will stick with me. I found the book inspiring and helpful.

[Sarah Taylor-Barkley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the framework of seasonal creativity and that the author has a full-time job and therefore her activities and guidelines accommodate for that. She also touches on somatic creativity, and I wish she'd dug in a bit more there. I actually wish she'd dug in more overall.

Steeped in bland privilege: soapy quotes between chapters, endless mentions of yoga with no meaningful connection to the theme, perpetuation of shallow self-care rituals like baths and glasses of wine, a condescending chapter on project management. It all left me wanting for something heftier, a bit messier, even. I want to come away from books on writing and creativity feeling inspired, but though I am drawn to the ideas in it, this one really fell flat for me.

[Violeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few of Gulotta’s exercises and suggestions were helpful, but the majority just weren’t right for me.

It’s worth mentioning that much of her well-intentioned advice hinges on having the cooperation of a spouse, an employer, or a flush bank account...it’s not actually as accessible to un-established writers as I think it hopes to be.

[Carol Anne Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, a book drops into your hands exactly when you need it most. Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path by Nicole Gulotta is such a book. I stumbled across it a few days ago, and now that I’ve finished it, I feel all glowy, like I’ve just returned from a 3-day Writer’s Reset Spa vacay. (Is there such a thing? If not, there should be.)

This book unpacks the true heart of creativity, but my biggest takeaway was that writing a book is not like running a race, nor is it a competition. In our current world of instant everything, Nicole Gulotta reminds us of the importance of slowing down so that ideas can sprout and flourish organically. She shows us how tuning into our senses and being more mindful of the world around us can inspire us in so many different and unexpected ways.

I’ve read a lot of self-help books on creativity, productivity, and time management. But after reading Wild Words, I realized that many of those books preach “bigger, better, and faster!”

But Gulotta advocates cultivating a more natural, receptive mindset instead of trying to force creativity. She urges writers to trust that their words will flow when the time is right. This approach respects our creative gift rather than pushing it forward like a bull in a China shop. Sure, deadlines exist, and sometimes, we need to get to the finish line, but her message is a wise one.

I am reminded of the famous quote by Gene Wolfe: “You never learn how to write a book; you only learn how to write the book you’re writing.” So true. With each book I write, I feel more anxiety than ever. Nothing has ever compared to the feeling I had while writing that first book—when I had no idea what to expect and no deadlines or marketing schemes were cooking in my head. I wrote for the pure joy of it, not knowing where the story would take me or how long it would take until I finished it. It saddens me to realize how far I have strayed from that original mindset.

So, thank you, Nicole Gulotta, for your lovely, wild words. I feel refreshed and excited about the possibility of reclaiming mine.

P.S. I forgot to mention the beautiful, lyrical quality of Nicole Gulotta's writing. She is a poet, and it shows. Her use of imagery and metaphor is just gorgeous.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is the first guide to creative writing that I could class as being written with 'gracious realism.' It's an extraordinarily comforting book, for those of us who struggle with self doubt, self worth - who, for a myriad of reasons, just can not fit the oft repeated adage of daily writing into their messy lives. Gulotta's insights into her daily life are not small detours that she enters just to remind you she's got shit she has to do as well. They offer a relatable look at the mundane structures of life, through a lense of grief and gratitude.

Emerging writers deserve this book - a book that says - yes, create as often as you can. But sometimes, your 'most often' will still be meagre. Don’t despair. Those days are worthy too.

This book is especially poignant now, when so many people vowed to create during lockdown and find themselves grappling with self loathing when their resolutions fell under the weight of life.

I'd especially reccomend this book for writers will chronic illness or disability, alongside new or young parents who Gulotta extensively addresses in certain sections.

I'd also reccomend this far ahead of the more established creative writing guide 'Bird by Bird.' Though Gulotta occasionally dips into unacknowledged privellege, her voice is nonetheless genuinely real and gentle. It's easy to imagine her as a real friend and mother. She does not only preach a gentle message, but conveys it with honesty and empathy as well - whereas I was shocked at how ableist and even just snide Ann Lamott often came across as in her book.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

#partner @roostbooks

For awhile now I’ve wanted to write a book. Not with the intent of writing the next NYT bestseller, but because I’m a person who feels deeply. Who processes my thoughts and feelings on the page. I have a story that I know is worth sharing, but that I’m not sure the people in my life would be receptive of hearing. I keep telling myself I’ll at least get it on the page and it won’t matter if anyone ever sees it, (and there are many pages of it written), but I don’t know what its purpose is yet.

This book, Wild Words, spoke to my heart. Divided into sections, or “seasons” as Gulotta refers to them - The Season of Beginnings, The Season of Self-Doubt, The Season of Finishing - are the exact emotions I have had surrounding my writing dreams. While I have a long ways to go to have anything worthy of calling a “book” (and hey, just being honest here, but it will probably never be a “book”), Gulotta’s book was just the inspiration I need to, at the very least, continue journaling and getting some of my thoughts and ideas down on paper.

This is a wonderful companion for any writer. It’s slow and gentle and meditative - exactly what a writer needs to hear. This one releases in October, so you’ll have to wait awhile, but it will be worth the wait, I promise!

Got any other good books geared towards writers and the writing process I need to put on my #tbr?

[Nikki Soulsby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love books about books and writing. This little collection of thoughts, rituals, mantras, and suggestions was a nice way to look at writing. However, as an author, I left feeling like there were so many things I hadn't done correctly on my writing journey. It was not the authors intention, of course, to shame my writing methods, but I felt like a lesser writer for having spent years merely dreaming of writing without finding those margins to write in, without ever taking a writing retreat, without knowing intimately the seasons she described.

I'm going to chalk it up to not being the right time for this book. I think it would serve me better as a re-read after I finish my novel. That being said, there was one chapter that did speak to me. Liminal Space. I often call it a funk, but I liked the more poetic version and appreciated some genuine understanding for what it feels like to be "there". Gulotta gave excellent recommendations for how to deal with liminal space, without making me feel like I needed to hurry up and get on with it. This is precisely the reason that I think the book was read at the wrong time, and it was not simply the wrong book.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was privileged to read an ARC of Wild Words: Rituals, Routines,and Rhythms for Braving the Writer’s Path. As a writer I thoroughly enjoyed the suggestions Ms Gulotta made for how to structure time for writing. One of my take aways from reading this book was her chapter on how to plan. I have heard this many times over my years of writing yet never saw a concrete idea of what a plan would look like. This is very helpful! Once read through, the book is laid out so that each chapter can be read independently. For example, if you are struggling to get started writing, read the chapter on planning.

This book is a good fit for people who enjoy writing in any genre or those who are always eager to hear ideas from other writers. One of the best things about the book is the author’s constant encouragement to keep going and not listen to your own or anyone else’s discouragement. I plan on getting my own copy of the book for that encouragement and planning.

[Christy Krumm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came along right when I really needed it! It’s meant for writers who are in it for the long haul. Who hope to build a sustainable career throughout a lifetime. In place of the gimmicks and formulas that fill the pages of many how-to writing books, Gulotta offers the wisdom and raw honesty of someone who is in the trenches with you -- but is several important steps ahead. She provides hope and a fresh perspective from a bird’s eye view. A beautiful reminder that if we can zoom out on our writing lives, we may be able to identify which season we are in and make peace with all that we cannot control (our creativity being chief among those things). All of this makes Wild Words my favorite type of writing book. The kind that sits with you in the mystery, that helps you ask the right questions and be brave enough to dive deep inside yourself. To exhale, to be patient, and to never stop trusting that no matter how challenging it gets, this writer’s path is worth traveling.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This summer I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer's Path. I'm always looking for wise words to help me along this writing path, and was grateful to find Nicole Gulotta's book during an especially rough patch. The book is divided into seasons of writing, and can be read straight through from the beginning, or dipped into whenever you find yourself needing a wise friend's advice, by finding the season you're in and reading from there. I loved the idea of writing between the margins, which encourages us to look realistically at our schedules and use even a few moments to write just a few sentences. This too is writing. "One sentence at a time is enough." If you're looking for a book that will encourage you to create while being gentle and encouraging to yourself, this is it. I loved this book, and look forward to having my own copy to dip into whenever I need some inspiration.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dedication opens with a promise to the reader that made me feel as if the book was written for me. Throughout each chapter I felt as if I was having a conversation with an insightful, inspiring, and hopeful friend. I found myself responding aloud to questions she faced during her own writing process. Every tip seemed carefully selected to ensure I feel heard and supported in my writing practice. There is a humbleness and gratefulness throughout the book that embodies a skillful way to approach the writing life. This books openly shares the truth of the difficulty writers have when faced with fitting our creativity within the margins of our lives, but it is done for a greater purpose to demonstrate her genuine investment in our creativity. Her writing is lyrical and in many places poetic while still practical and encouraging. This is a book I will read and reread through the writing seasons of my own life to be reminded that I am not alone in this journey.

[Ashley Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole Gulotta has perfectly captured the writer's journey in this book. This isn't a prescriptive how-to manual or a straightforward series of steps to take that will lead you to your writing dreams. Instead, Wild Words describes the circuitous path that all creative work takes, from the exciting Season of Beginnings to the untethered Season of Liminal Space. These are roads every creative walks over and over again, circling back through territory we thought we were past as we make the hard journey of creating something.

Wild Words made me feel seen in a way most writing books don't. Being a writer is about so much more than committing to write a thousand words a day or trying to imitate the writing habits of famous authors. The process of writing is like taking a walk with your soul, never knowing where you'll end up. This book is an excellent guide to have with you on the way.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have liked to read this as a first time parent when the child was under 4 years of age. I highly recommend this book for writers looking for their focus and organization while raising a very young child. at times, this was difficult for me to listen to as I'm battling depression from grief whilst the author/narrator sounded like she was battling postpartum depression. meanwhile, she did list very helpful ways to succeed whilst under stress. much of this was written like a memoir. which bothered me because it didn't reflect my challenges. but the advice is clear and excellent for any unseasoned writer. which brings me to my next critique in that the seasons metaphor (metaphor? simile? something else?) was the foundation for the book and I tired of it. but another person might find it helpful and insightful.

[Mo the Lawyer✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are energetic seasons and reflective seasons, and no matter where you're hovering, your words matter, and when the time is right, they'll be given wings. ~Nicole Gulotta

In this inspiring book for writers, Gulotta shares her own personal challenges of traversing through the inevitably varying seasons of the writing life. Every season won't be one where ideas and words flow. You won't always have unlimited amounts of time to write, write, write, but you must choose to magnify the time you do have.

Gulotta encourages writers to approach their creative journey from a seasonal perspective. She recommends methods and rituals that will help the writer discover what environments, routines and rhythms inspire them to be the most creative. I recommend this book to writers who are struggling through periods of creative block or stagnation.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an advanced reader copy of Wild Words, and I was absolutely blown away. This book felt like advice from a dear friend giving me permission to believe all the things about writing I had hoped were true. The metaphors throughout were so artfully done. The vulnerability in the stories and the wealth of information shared amazed and impressed me. If you are a sensitive or introverted person who dabbles in writing, makes a living writing, or just enjoys learning about the process, I can't recommend this book enough. It will have a place on my shelf next to my favorite writing books like Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. I plan to turn to it often, and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy to re-read it.

[Reb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following Nicole's work through her blog and now newsletter for years, wondering how it was that she's able to accomplish so much alongside the happenings of life, and this book is an incredibly helpful and beautiful answer to that question. I wondered why I waited so long to read this book, but I'm so glad I let myself wait until this season of preparing to start a daunting creative project to read it, eagerly dog-earring pages to return to to guide me through the project. But I'm also excited to return to this book in future seasons of my creative work and see what writing seasons resonate then too. A delightful and insightful read for anyone doing creative work and needing a practical guide and words of support.

[Kristen Mastel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer’s Path in exchange for an honest review. Whether you are a beginning writer or experienced and looking to get out of a slump, everyone will enjoy the gentle words of Nicole as you wander down the writer's path. She takes time to reflect on common roadblocks and sprinkles in approaches and strategies for each chapter along with a creative activity. I appreciated that she takes so much inspiration from nature in her writing and activities. A quick read that should be revisited no matter what season of writing you are in.

[Jessica Bacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book provided by the author. I'm so excited that it's now out in the world for everyone to enjoy!

Gulotta provides readers with anecdotes that show the reader that we're not alone in our creativity or challenges. My favorite element of the book is the rituals and routines part of each section that gives the reader concrete actions they can take to overcome whatever creative challenge they're experiencing. These suggestions are realistic and simple to follow.

I'm buying copies of this book as gifts for all of my creative friends, and I'm going to re-read it again to recharge my creativity.

[Nette Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book exploring the creative process. Although Nicole has written this to help Writers navigate their way through the seasons, I feel that it relates to and could be adapted to any creative endeavour.

I love how Nicole has shared her own story and how she handled each of the seasons, because, after all, she can only know her own story. She doesn’t try to tell you how to do anything. She offers ideas, strategies, plans.... that may help you, or not. In the end, it’s up to you what you decide to take from this book and how you will use it. For me, the whole concept works perfectly. I enjoyed every word and can’t wait to continue on my writing journey.

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with my writing group and we were all so deeply encouraged by these 'wild words.'
She takes the reader/writer through seasons of the writing life with advice, encouragement and tidbits from her own writing life. She writes lyrically and yet practically, which reminded me of another book I loved, The Writing Life by Annie Dillard. She weaves in place and food - which I adored - everything from the cup of tea that sustains you to the place where you grew up that shaped you because it all matters. Highly recommend for anyone pursuing a creative life. Nicole was kind enough to Facetime with our group and she is just as lovely "in person" as her writing suggests.

[Laurabara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer’s Path is a beautiful book that will help writers at any season of writing they’re in. It’s a book that you can read all the way through, but then go back and refer to the specific season you’re in. Right now, I’m both in the season of liminal space or transformation and the season of finishing. I know I will return to the wisdom of this book again and again as I move through different writing stages. Exactly what any writer needs when they’re doubting, or scared, or tired, or confused. This book is a nice big warm mug of tea.