Writing Begins with the Breath Embodying Your Authentic Voice

by HERRING, LARAINE

• ISBN13: 9781590304730
• ISBN10: 159030473X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-09-11
• Publisher: Shambhala

Summary

In this distinctive guide to the craft of writing, author Laraine Herring shows us how to tune into our bodies and connect with our emotions so that our writing becomes an expression of our full beings, rather than just an intellectual exercise. With warmth and wisdom, Herring offers a path to discovering "deep writing"prose that is unique, expressive, and profoundly authentic. Lessons and imaginative exercises show you how to: stay with your writing when your mind or body starts to pull you away; explore the five senses in your writing; and approach your writing without judgment. Writing Begins with the Breath will open up a whole world of creativity for people who may not have considered themselves writers before, while also providing keen insights into the craft for seasoned writers. To learn more about the author, Laraine Herring, visit her website at www.laraineherring.com.

Author Biography

Laraine Herring holds an MFA in Creative Writing and an MA in Counseling Psychology. She has developed numerous workshops that use writing as a tool for healing grief and loss. She is the author of Lost Fathers: How Women Heal from Adolescent Father Loss and Monsoons, a book of short stories. Her short stories, poems, and essays have appeared in national and local publications. Her fiction has won the Barbara Deming Award for Women, and her nonfiction work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She currently teaches creative writing in Prescott, Arizona.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
Focusing the Mind
Risk	p. 15
Authenticity	p. 21
Humility	p. 27
Curiosity	p. 31
Empathy	p. 38
Acceptance	p. 47
Relationship	p. 53
The Deep Writing Process
Self-Awareness	p. 65
Process vs. Product	p. 72
Body as Source	p. 78
Ancestors as Source	p. 84
Earth as Source	p. 92
Inner and Outer Worlds	p. 99
Shadow Boxing	p. 104
Observation	p. 112
Focused Awareness and Imagery	p. 122
Characterization: Deep Questioning	p. 131
Point of View: I Am Not "I"	p. 135
Change	p. 142
Suffering	p. 146
Perseverance	p. 152
Embracing What and Where You Are
Impermanence	p. 165
Evolution	p. 172
Surrender	p. 181
Integration	p. 187
Solitude	p. 192
Stillness	p. 202
Epilogue	p. 205
Recommended Resources	p. 207
About the Author	p. 212
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