Book Review

Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity

by Ray Bradbury
Capra Press 1989

Reviewed by Carolyn McKay

Most readers familiar with Ray Bradbury know him for his Weird Tales, his novel Fahrenheit 451, or his many poems. Bradbury is nothing if not prolific, and I thought that it would be interesting to see what kind of advice he would have to offer aspiring writers. I was also curious about the title. I was hoping it wouldn’t be another The Tao of Pooh, or the Celestine Prophecy of writing. Fortunately, Bradbury’s advice relates to Zen only marginally, with his admonition that writers shouldn’t think too much about the act of writing, but should let the words flow naturally from pure emotion. A sort of Nirvana state of writing.

This series of essays was written over a thirty-year period, and several have been published previously. Although the date is indicated on each essay, it is hard to tell when each was written. None seem more mature or complex than others, and all are written in the same chatty, informal style.

These essays do not provide any technical advice, but impart more general information about the craft of writing. Written in an anecdotal style, Bradbury revisits the same themes frequently. All nine essays discuss Bradbury’s main views on writing: that it should be undertaken with passion, zest, and excitement, that you should practice your craft with diligence, and that you shouldn’t be discouraged by rejection.

In the first essay, The Joy of Writing, Bradbury advises us to write with zeal and passion, concentrating on putting words on the paper to express emotions as purely as possible. He suggests writing about not only those things that we love, but also those things that exasperate, annoy, and repulse us, that inspire emotions like anger, indignation, and hate.

The essay How to Keep and Feed a Muse offers more basic tips: stories are everywhere around us, in the conversations of old people, shoppers at the grocery store, in the lives and characters of family members. The notion that most people are poets or artists unexpressed, stifled by self-consciousness and embarrassment has been discussed in numerous other essays, and Bradbury is wise enough not to belabor the point. It is interesting to discover that Bradbury himself is inspired by poetry as a source of ideas for his prose. He also suggests using essays, technical journals, and so on, as a means of gathering nuggets of information and facts for later use. These can be used to make characters in a story or novel more well-rounded and believable. This is a well-known technique used by most authors when creating character sketches. Bradbury also suggests cultivating eclectic literary tastes by enjoying not only the classics, but by indulging in pop culture media (comic books, tv shows, and magazines). He makes the point that we can learn from all types of writing and entertainment, from the simple to the complex. The subconscious is constantly absorbing impressions that can be called upon later for inspiration.

In many of the essays, Bradbury discusses the discipline of writing and describes his routine for producing stories, novels, and poetry on a daily basis. In one essay, he suggests that the aspiring author write up to one thousand words a day, and aim to complete at least one story per week. When reading this I couldn’t help but be reminded that Ray Bradbury began his writing career at a fairly young age, and that he received prompt payment for his submissions. His recommendations for writing schedules and the volumes he is suggesting are simply unrealistic for the average working person. In one essay, he writes proudly that he received $1000.00 for three stories that a friend suggested he submit for publication. This sum being equivalent to about $10,000.00 today, he was able to travel extensively using the money. Later on, in Zen and the Art of Writing, he states "It is a lie to write in such a way as to be rewarded by money in the commercial market". Bradbury would have us believe that he writes only because he loves the craft (the money is an added bonus), but seems particularly proud of his early financial successes. J.D. Salinger once said that if he ever became popular with the masses, he would give up writing, since he equated fame with having reached the lowest common denominator of the general population. Somehow, I don’t get the impression that Bradbury shares this view. Although his work ethic seems akin to Salinger’s, Bradbury’s delight in his financial success seems somewhat at odds with this philosophy.

Despite the lack of practical information, this collection of essays was an enjoyable read that discusses the craft of writing in a manner that is completely free of self-conscious analysis. It is refreshing to find an author who truly celebrates the act of writing, and doesn’t bother with a great deal of examination of technique and style. Although most of the concepts are familiar, they are nicely presented along side personal experiences and anecdotes from a very successful author. The prose is natural, if a little repetitive, and the final section contains some interesting poems on the subject of creativity. The collection does, however, seem to be aimed at the Bradbury fan, or perhaps the beginning writer. The tips it offers are very basic and the philosophies a little too fundamental (some are reminiscent of daily affirmation calendars). If you are fan of science fiction, and enjoy discovering the story behind the story, you will enjoy this collection. If you are looking for practical information to help you develop and hone your skills as a writer, a more technical guide may better suit your
needs.