Crafting a Life in Essay, Story, Poem

by Donald M. Murray

In Crafting a Life in Essay, Story, Poem , Donald Murray demonstrates the craft that has been his discipline and joy for more than half a century. He describes how the writing act has allowed him to live his life twice--once in experience and once again as the evolving draft illuminates the texture and meaning of that experience. Murray takes the reader into his private writer's workshop and not only reveals the basic techniques of writing essays, stories, and poems, but also discusses the attitudes--emotional and mental--that determine the effectiveness of his craft. Beginning and experienced writers will work beside this Pulitzer Prize winning craftsperson, catching ideas from life, developing them in language, shaping them into publishable forms. In the first section of the book, Murray talks about attitudes and skills that encourage and initiate writing. Then he deals with specific techniques of writing the personal essay, fiction, and poetry. In the final section, he explains the skills of revision and editing as well as ways to develop a writing community and submit work for publication. Crafting a Life in Essay, Story, Poem is both a celebration of the writing process and a practical manual on how to explore the world with the written line. It is a book that every teacher and every student of writing should own.

Genres: Writing, Teaching, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

About the author

Donald Morison Murray

Reviews

[Cynthia McCloud · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t remember where I got the idea that I should read it. It might have been on a list of recommended reading from the MFA program where I want to apply. I am trying to figure out why I don't like this book.

It’s not him; it’s me. I might be jealous of his freedom, of how he gets his work done, because he’s a man. He died in 2006 so I’m switching my verb tenses. His wife, Minnie Mae, did all the housework and he leisurely breakfasted with his buddies every day, went to his office for a few hours, chatted with his writing community, ate a lunch his wife prepared, and went back to the office. There was one mention of a chore. He was waiting for her at the grocery store but then he wasn’t doing anything but writing in the car while she shopped. He mentioned that she didn’t publish often and I wonder if it’s because she couldn’t find time. Not to judge her decision to support him and sacrifice herself, if that’s what happened. (To be fair, he did say in just one sentence that writing a book has to be broken down into tasks you schedule around daily chores.)

OK, maybe it’s a little bit him. I say this because his writing style is telling, almost textbook like. There’s a lot of “I do this”. Instead of listing for me the elements of his writing life I guess I would’ve liked to have been shown, told stories about it. I labored through this book. My mind would wander and I would return to the page and re-read a section two or three times. I felt like I had to finish it. It was like eating your peas to get dessert. I was anxious for it to be over so I could read other things that I hope will be more valuable.

I guess this craft book was just not a good fit for me in this season in my life or career. He wrote from a position of a guy who had his work process all figured out. To his credit, he didn’t try to make the reader adopt it. I return to Anne Lamott’s “Bird By Bird” and Carolyn See’s “Making a Literary Life” because, Lamott at least, showed me how to get my work done in spite of myself and my personal challenges. I like her – not so much her later memoirs where she talked politics, but I like when she talks about writing and real life. I have myriad things that distract me – not just household chores.

I’m trying to be charitable and find something I will take away and put to use. He breaks down some of his own pieces to show what he did during drafting and revision. Nothing gave me an “a-ha!” moment though.

Perhaps one useful thing in it is an annotated bibliography at the end where he discusses building your craft library and says what is in his. But it kinda grinds my gears that he listed books he authored. Another thing I will try to remember is his “conditions” for letting someone be part of his writing community. He excludes people who are unhealthily competitive, who attack others but don’t share their own work, who take themselves too seriously but their work not seriously enough, who confuse destructive criticism with high standards and who make him avoid writing and rewriting after the meeting. He said he has one rule “I do not share my work in process with anyone who does not make me want to write. When I get a response from the members of my writing community, I hurry back to my desk, excited … . I have work to do and I am eager to get to it.” Nothing in this book made me excited to go write so, by his own standards for community, I will remove him from mine.

[Jarl Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I already knew, understood, and had practiced when it came to writing...until told by teachers, instructors, and professors another way - the "right" way - their way...is here. Writing is intuitive; its a creative process for crying out loud! Thank you, Do Murray, for letting me remember this.

[Alicia Zuto · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first book I read when I was studying writing, and one of my most read books. I return to it often and I find some thing that’s relevant in all stages of my writing. I am a big fan of his. The literary world lost a lot when we lost him. He was a kind and smart man and it showed through his work.

[Kelly Sauskojus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic, but encouraging and helpful.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a motivational writing craft book, just as the title says. I think there must be more to getting published than he describes, but the simplicity of it encourages me. I was especially delighted to learn that Donald Graves and he were mentors for each other, along with Elizabeth Cooke, apparently recently retired from University of Maine Farmington. I am sorry both Donalds are deceased.
I found things I'm already doing, and identified some goal for the next year, as well as some lofty 'reach' goals. And now I must simply spend more time with my pen to the paper...

[Heather Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swayed back and forth between "liked it" and "really liked it" when rating this book. There were chapters that were amazing and inspiring, but there were also chapters that felt redundant and too personal to his own writing techniques. Something that I will take away from this book is not to give up on my writing. I recommend this book, but I also recommend to skip around to what most interests you.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first two sections and I found it was extremely helpful to me. His voice is definitely that of an encouraging, loving grandfather. Most of it was motivational, though there was some discussion of technique.

Definitely recommended!

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reawakened the writer within me and taught me a multitude of new things I never knew as a writer.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I sometimes felt overwhelmed with some of what Murray said, I feel this is a very valuable book for both readers and writers.