The Bones

This week we had to read the next third of Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. Throughout these chapters, Goldberg builds upon what she had already stated. However, Goldberg goes into specifying in different sections about going into details. Details are important when writing, but crafting those details are crucial. One would not want to delve into one item and its details. The meaning of these is to be detailed on everything, but not too much. Through the imagery of these details we can continue to focus on other things.

Besides these, I really liked "The Action of a Sentence" chapter. In this chapter, Goldberg goes through an exercise that she does with the matching of the verbs. The main point of the chapter is to notice the power of the verbs, but not to dwell on a verb that would fit into a sentence for hours on end. You can continue to write, in fresh ways on the verbs that you are using. It is pointless to dwell on the verb (or action) of the sentence and continue to write. She also goes and states "You might decide ultimately that run, see, go, are for you." That is key here, if writing with bigger vocabulary is not your thing, do not dwell on that aspect but continue and go for it!

Another chapter I like was "Be an Animal". This short chapter really states that you should make a note of simpler things like animals do. They see the world differently, almost in a more simple context than usual. Thinking like an animal, since they do not have the same thoughts as us, would make writing simple, because you are going into what you already know based on seeing and smelling. Think of like when a dog lifts their nose into the air, I'm curious to know what they are smelling. But when I smell great food being cooked after they made the movement, I want to jot it down because I am unsure how it will come across, but it triggers something. It is making writing simple like an animal because depending on the animal, they are only relying on certain sense to get their way through life.