Writing and the Spiritual Life : Finding Your Voice by Looking Within

by Vecchione, Patrice Redd

• ISBN13: 9780809224975
• ISBN10: 0809224976
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-04-21
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Summary

Inside the mind of every writer a story exists, and it is the writer's job to find it. But according to poet and teacher Patrice Vecchione, it's only when writers tap into their own spirituality, in whatever form, that they'll be able to find their true voices and release their stories.In the tradition of Anne Lamott's best-sellingBird by Bird, and Julia Cameron'sThe Right to Write,Writing and the Spiritual Lifeinterweaves the remarks of prominent writers such as Annie Dillard and Joy Marjo with easy-to-follow writing activities.

Author Biography

Patrice Vecchione is the author of a poetry collection, Territory of the Wind, and the editor of several anthologies, including Catholic Girls: Stories, Memoirs, Poems and Storming Heaven's Gate: An Anthology of Spiritual Writings by Women. A teacher of poetry writing and creative writing for over twenty years, she is a frequent speaker on the writing process and on writing as spiritual practice. She lives in Monterey, California.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Introduction	ix
Sanctuary of the Self	1	(24)
The Inner Constellation	25	(21)
The Calling Voice and Storytelling	46	(27)
Joy in the Saying and the Poet Within	73	(22)
Doubt and the Internal Critic	95	(19)
Beginning a Spiritual Writing Practice	114	(22)
To Pray is to Love	136	(16)
Wordlessness in Writing Practice	152	(18)
Questing for Words at the Altar of Uncertainty	170	(20)
Twig, Stone, Sky	190	(23)
Epilogue	213	(2)
Suggested Reading	215	(4)
Credits	219