Book Review

If You Want to Write
A book about art, independence, and spirit

by Brenda Ueland
Graywolf Press, 1987

Reviewed by Dalya Goldberger

Are you one of those people that sit frozen in front of your keyboard, or with a pen and paper in hand, unable to commit one sentence to the page for fear of it not being any good? If the answer is yes, know that you are not alone. This, and other common anxieties associated with writing, is addressed by Brenda Ueland in her book If You Want to Write.

First published in 1938, Ueland's book reminds us that we all harbour a creative impulse within ourselves, and that we should not be afraid to use it. More than a guide on how to write, her book encourages us to learn about ourselves and develop personal integrity through a creative pursuit.

Ueland identifies the liberal use of criticism as the main reason why people often hesitate to write. Opposed to anything that may hinder the creative process, Ueland vehemently accuses orthodox critics (those who think they can improve people by telling them where they have gone wrong) of causing people to suppress their imagination early in life, and refers to them as "murderers of talent". She claims that the desire to impress others contributes greatly to the tendency of most people to write pretentiously, and remarks that "it is our nasty twentieth century materialism that makes us feel: what is the use of writing, painting, etc., unless one has an audience or gets cash for it." She maintains that writing solely to impress others will cause you to feel ashamed of yourself, and will leave your writing empty.

Much of the book is a plea for patience from would-be writers. From Ueland's experience as a writer and a teacher of writing, she knows that inspiration does not hit you like a bolt of lightening. Often we must sit in front of our typewriter (or in today's case, our computer) not writing, but knowing that we eventually will. Ueland urges us not to feel guilty about it. "If good ideas do not come at once, or for a long time, do not be troubled at all. Wait for them." Our notion that we must always be energetic and active is all wrong, claims Ueland; rather, a little dreamy idleness or "moodling" is the key to coming up with good ideas.

Ueland is quick to point out that writing takes practise, and admonishes writers for expecting immediate and great rewards after only a few attempts.

The most significant advice Ueland has to offer is that we must write from the true self. She assures us that if we write about things as we see and feel them, our work will be alive, no matter how poorly structured or ungrammatical. As a teacher, she asked her students to write about a childhood experience in the belief that children experience things from the true self and not the self they think they ought to be. Ueland explains that because our true self is in constant motion, we must not aim for consistency, but allow our writing (and ourselves) to grow by freely making new mistakes.

In support of her heartfelt belief in writing from the true self, Ueland refers to what Tolstoy called the infection of art, or the immediate transference of energy to the reader. Simply, if the author does not feel what he or she writes, no infection is imparted to the reader. Ueland explains that the "Third Dimension" of writing, or the infusion of the author's personality into his or her work, is inevitable and plays a key role in the infection of art. A bad person who writes with good ideas will not infect the reader. It is impossible to separate the author from his or her writing, implying that "whatever you write will reveal your personality, and whatever you are will show through in your writing." Ueland's book is evidence of this. Shaped in part by the influence of her father, a lawyer and a judge, and her mother, a suffrage leader, Ueland's independence, spirituality, and feminism is clearly reflected in her writing.

As parting advice, Ueland encourages us to keep a diary in which we write often, quickly, and wrecklessly. She is certain that when we read it over for the first time after a few months have passed, we will discover a document littered with insights into our personality and great writing.

Many books on writing address what to do once you've started writing; this one teaches you how to get started. I recommend it to anyone who wishes to be creative, but has difficulty taking the first step. Once read, this book should never be shelved away, but retained on-hand for inspiration whenever you find it lacking.