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Wabi Sabi For Writers: Find Inspiration. Respect Imperfection. Create Peerless Beauty.
- From the author of the successful Wabi Sabi Simple
- The first book to apply the principles of wabi sabi to writing
- Author Richard Powell studied creative writing at the Kootenay School of Writing under Margaret Atwood, Fred Wah, and Audrey Thomas
This eloquent and thoughtful guide explores the unique wabi sabi approach
- Inspiration--transforming strong feelings into art
- Interest--understanding and stimulating the reader's motivation
- Community--writer's groups and what they have to offer
- Enlightenment--practicing Zen through writing
A striking follow-up to Wabi Sabi Simple, this thoughtful, engaging volume provides practical suggestions along with accessible philosophy to make the writing life more productive, peaceful, and fulfilling.
- The first book to apply the principles of wabi sabi to writing
- Author Richard Powell studied creative writing at the Kootenay School of Writing under Margaret Atwood, Fred Wah, and Audrey Thomas
This eloquent and thoughtful guide explores the unique wabi sabi approach
- Inspiration--transforming strong feelings into art
- Interest--understanding and stimulating the reader's motivation
- Community--writer's groups and what they have to offer
- Enlightenment--practicing Zen through writing
A striking follow-up to Wabi Sabi Simple, this thoughtful, engaging volume provides practical suggestions along with accessible philosophy to make the writing life more productive, peaceful, and fulfilling.
- GenresWritingNonfiction
200 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2006
7 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 21, 2010
Not a "writing book." A journey book, like Basho's Narrow Road to the Interior or Thoreau's Walden. Beautifully lucid, and quietly brilliant.
September 2, 2015
Writing advice with a distinctly Eastern flavor. Using haiku as the purest example of Wabi Sabi writing, the author embraces a writing aesthetic that captures the impermanent and imperfect nature of things as essential to their beauty and significance.
January 16, 2019
This was a super cool book. I adore the Japanese concept of wabi sabi - I'll talk about that more in a minute - so I really loved seeing it applied to writing. (Especially since I'm a writer! *smile*)
To 'get' this philosohy, I need you to first imagine the Greek ideals of beauty and perfection... I think we all understand these esthestetics, right? And, wow - imagine if those ancient Greeks could see us now! We've become a society focused on appearances. Face lifts, tummy tucks, tanning beds, hundreds of dollars on the BEST makeup, wigs, clothes, purses, shoes, suits, cars, homes, ... what else?
Perhaps if we LOOK good enough, we'll BE good enough.
Except for the obvious --> if that notion hasn't worked in two thousand years, there's an above averge bet it won't work for us. And THAT is probably the reason I'm drawn to wabi sabi.
Richard Powell sums it up like this: "Wabi-sabi...(acknoledges) three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect."
Here's how he explains it in his book:
"At one time when the Japanese language was young, wabi meant 'poverty', and sabi meant 'loneliness'... Then a man name Basho saw those two words and used them for ... poignant passings, the fragile wonders like snowflakes and the sound snow makes when it slumps, and the irrational happiness after he gave away something he loved.
"These Japanese words are deep pools that Westerners long to dive into. Together they represent a way of being that celebrates the beauty of age, the richness of character, the importance of imperfection, and the reality of impermanence."
Imagine a world where things are most beautiful, and more appreciated, in their natural state. When we're willing to open our minds, and look closely enough, we'll find there's even beauty in the most imperfect things of this worl
I think I could live with that.
To 'get' this philosohy, I need you to first imagine the Greek ideals of beauty and perfection... I think we all understand these esthestetics, right? And, wow - imagine if those ancient Greeks could see us now! We've become a society focused on appearances. Face lifts, tummy tucks, tanning beds, hundreds of dollars on the BEST makeup, wigs, clothes, purses, shoes, suits, cars, homes, ... what else?
Perhaps if we LOOK good enough, we'll BE good enough.
Except for the obvious --> if that notion hasn't worked in two thousand years, there's an above averge bet it won't work for us. And THAT is probably the reason I'm drawn to wabi sabi.
Richard Powell sums it up like this: "Wabi-sabi...(acknoledges) three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect."
Here's how he explains it in his book:
"At one time when the Japanese language was young, wabi meant 'poverty', and sabi meant 'loneliness'... Then a man name Basho saw those two words and used them for ... poignant passings, the fragile wonders like snowflakes and the sound snow makes when it slumps, and the irrational happiness after he gave away something he loved.
"These Japanese words are deep pools that Westerners long to dive into. Together they represent a way of being that celebrates the beauty of age, the richness of character, the importance of imperfection, and the reality of impermanence."
Imagine a world where things are most beautiful, and more appreciated, in their natural state. When we're willing to open our minds, and look closely enough, we'll find there's even beauty in the most imperfect things of this worl
I think I could live with that.
January 26, 2025
Knygos apie rašymą būna bent dviejų rūšių: labai techniškos, sudarytos iš smulkių ir detalių instrukcijų, kurie kūrybinį procesą padaro panašų į sudėtingo patiekalo gamybą; tada būna eklektiškos, abstrakčios ir savotiškos, labiau siekiančios pakutenti kūrybišką sielos prigimtį, sužadinti smalsumą ir kūrybiškumą ar pasiūlyti įrankių, kur šių ieškoti. Ši knyga yra iš antrosios kategorijos.
Autorius kalba apie haiku kaip formą, padedančią atrankinti autentišką žvilgsnį į aplinką ir pasaulį ir per japonų haiku meistrų filosofiją, pasiūlo, kaip šį požiūrį pritaikyti savo kūrybai.
Knygos pradžia mane pritrenkė grožiu ir unikalumu, tačiau vėliau tos aukštos kartelės nebeišlaikė, viskas kiek užsivėlė ir pernelyg susisiaurino. Kaip bebūtų, žavi ir pakankamai universali knyga, kad būtų verta dėmesio visų, kas nori įpūsti šviežio vėjo gūsį į savo kūrybinį procesą. Man ji, nepaisant visko, tapo raktu geriau suvokti, ko gi aš visad ieškojau kūryboje – taip pat ir savo, už ką lieku autoriui dėkinga, nors ir nežinau, ar likau įtikinta, kad haiku yra vienitelis būdas eiti šiuo keliu.
Autorius kalba apie haiku kaip formą, padedančią atrankinti autentišką žvilgsnį į aplinką ir pasaulį ir per japonų haiku meistrų filosofiją, pasiūlo, kaip šį požiūrį pritaikyti savo kūrybai.
Knygos pradžia mane pritrenkė grožiu ir unikalumu, tačiau vėliau tos aukštos kartelės nebeišlaikė, viskas kiek užsivėlė ir pernelyg susisiaurino. Kaip bebūtų, žavi ir pakankamai universali knyga, kad būtų verta dėmesio visų, kas nori įpūsti šviežio vėjo gūsį į savo kūrybinį procesą. Man ji, nepaisant visko, tapo raktu geriau suvokti, ko gi aš visad ieškojau kūryboje – taip pat ir savo, už ką lieku autoriui dėkinga, nors ir nežinau, ar likau įtikinta, kad haiku yra vienitelis būdas eiti šiuo keliu.
August 28, 2018
Invaluable resource.
see http://thebooksmithblog.wordpress.com
see http://thebooksmithblog.wordpress.com
March 12, 2020
Wabi Sabi is very helpful for writing motivation, as well as an overall philosophy to live by. Enjoyed it.
January 3, 2023
Clearly written and an invaluable aid for writers
May 16, 2014
I picked up this little book at the used book store last week. As a writer, I like to explore the different perspectives on the craft other writers may have. Some I agree with, some I don't. I can get something out of both such groups. While I did get SOMETHING out of this book, I didn't get as much as I had hoped. I think the reason could be that it professes to be a book about writing in general, but is in fact far more specific and indirect than that.
In fact, what it seems to be, mostly, is the follow up work of the author's previous bestselling hit Wabi Sabi Style. That is to say, throughout it has the sense of taking concepts from the previous book (which I have not read), and shoehorning them into a writer's "how-to". Always wanting, at times desperately, to return to the more general, spiritually oriented subject matter of its predecessor, this volume seems to only make occasional reference to the actual craft of writing. As though an editor somewhere told the author, "remember, Richard, this one is about writing specifically, better stick something in there about it."
In short, the author almost seems bored with the subject of writing, and longs to explore spirituality in general.
There are so many Japanese terms I couldn't keep up with them as I read the "advice". Yes, there is a glossary of said terms in the back of the book. But shouldn't a spirituality-based writer's primer be easy enough to read without all of that? I felt at times I was being corrected for my lazy way of life more than educated in a new perspective on writing.
Again, the book makes a few points that are applicable to writers. But those points are in most cases applicable to life itself. You could be a better fireman, chef, or musician keeping much of the same precepts in mind.
Perhaps if the book had been more specific to the art or writing haiku (of which about 600 are included within the tiny book). If that had been the theme of the book than perhaps more of what was said would have been appropriate. As it stands I found some of the haiku-centric advice presented by the author to have only a tenuous relevance to the writing of say a novel or short story or essay. At worst, it didn't fit with non-haiku writing at all.
In the end, it's probably a well-meaning book. But the tone is one of a professor who really doesn't have time to talk to you right now, but because it is his job he agrees to do so for a few minutes before his next class. During those brief minutes, if you are quiet and don't ask questions he will get on a roll. While that tangent unfolds you may be able to grab something of use out of it, but only if you don't expect him to pause and explain.
The author writes as though he were busy doing something else, and after being tapped on the shoulder repeatedly he fired this book off, only to return to his meditation. (Much like he did in real life to people mentioned in the book who tried to approach him.)
In fact, what it seems to be, mostly, is the follow up work of the author's previous bestselling hit Wabi Sabi Style. That is to say, throughout it has the sense of taking concepts from the previous book (which I have not read), and shoehorning them into a writer's "how-to". Always wanting, at times desperately, to return to the more general, spiritually oriented subject matter of its predecessor, this volume seems to only make occasional reference to the actual craft of writing. As though an editor somewhere told the author, "remember, Richard, this one is about writing specifically, better stick something in there about it."
In short, the author almost seems bored with the subject of writing, and longs to explore spirituality in general.
There are so many Japanese terms I couldn't keep up with them as I read the "advice". Yes, there is a glossary of said terms in the back of the book. But shouldn't a spirituality-based writer's primer be easy enough to read without all of that? I felt at times I was being corrected for my lazy way of life more than educated in a new perspective on writing.
Again, the book makes a few points that are applicable to writers. But those points are in most cases applicable to life itself. You could be a better fireman, chef, or musician keeping much of the same precepts in mind.
Perhaps if the book had been more specific to the art or writing haiku (of which about 600 are included within the tiny book). If that had been the theme of the book than perhaps more of what was said would have been appropriate. As it stands I found some of the haiku-centric advice presented by the author to have only a tenuous relevance to the writing of say a novel or short story or essay. At worst, it didn't fit with non-haiku writing at all.
In the end, it's probably a well-meaning book. But the tone is one of a professor who really doesn't have time to talk to you right now, but because it is his job he agrees to do so for a few minutes before his next class. During those brief minutes, if you are quiet and don't ask questions he will get on a roll. While that tangent unfolds you may be able to grab something of use out of it, but only if you don't expect him to pause and explain.
The author writes as though he were busy doing something else, and after being tapped on the shoulder repeatedly he fired this book off, only to return to his meditation. (Much like he did in real life to people mentioned in the book who tried to approach him.)
January 22, 2012
Writing 101 for weeaboos.* It purports to introduce a new and useful principle for writing to people who've been trained in a Western fashion, but there is nothing in here that couldn't be learned in your average writing class or by, gee, actually reading fiction. Anybody who seriously wants to be a writer should have the common sense to read many novels (good and bad) from different genres, and by doing so they'd pick up on the value of "economy of expression" or "clear evocative descriptions" or "a feeling of authenticity"--all things cited as elements of wabi sabi writing, by the way. Christ on a stick.
The author is insufferably pretentious (to wit: he prefaces each chapter with a haiku of his own, and they are uniformly bad--to say nothing of the actual preface) and praises the period of Japanese isolation when they banned foreign books because he says it helped produce the wabi sabi approach. You're a Western writer and you (in)directly praise book-banning? Congratulations, you just permanently lost any credibility you had.
This book is awful.
*I was once a weeaboo, so believe me--I know whereof I speak.
The author is insufferably pretentious (to wit: he prefaces each chapter with a haiku of his own, and they are uniformly bad--to say nothing of the actual preface) and praises the period of Japanese isolation when they banned foreign books because he says it helped produce the wabi sabi approach. You're a Western writer and you (in)directly praise book-banning? Congratulations, you just permanently lost any credibility you had.
This book is awful.
*I was once a weeaboo, so believe me--I know whereof I speak.
July 18, 2011
A far better introduction to the idea than the gift book I read - but still perhaps not as much depth about the concept itself. But lots of little gems that encourage me to be the sort of writer I want to be. And lots of recommendations for other books - which is always a good thing!
July 21, 2011
Enjoyed this book. Found it to be inspiring. The author's points & suggestions cause one to pause and contemplate how to write about beauty. How to take the mundane and find the beauty. It is in the moment. It is in the details. Also good preparation for writing haiku.
January 6, 2017
This compact book delivers exactly what it promises--inspiration. I have found new ways to improve my writing and transform my feelings into art. Every writer, especially poets, will learn much from this work. Read it.
August 23, 2011
Gave up by page 17, just not my thing.
September 14, 2012
I love writing and I love Basho, but I just couldn't get into this. Maybe I've just read too many really fantastic books on the subjects.
November 8, 2013
Wabi sabi interests me. I'm definitely buying/reading more books about it. But this one... well, it was a nice read. Lovely. Aaaand that's it.
August 13, 2016
Book proved to be less helpful than I hoped
Read
May 20, 2016Read it all
Still don't know how
To wabi sabi write
Still don't know how
To wabi sabi write
March 29, 2009
I am re-reading this book. It reminds me to find beauty in the moment.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews