TV Obsessive
If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland
Daniel: First published in 1938, Brenda Ueland’s If You Want to Write is an inspiring, insightful, humorous, and reassuring work.There is a wealth of wisdom tightly packed into this book. Every word is essential. Ueland gets to the point, clarifies when she needs to, and moves on. There is no excess. So, if you are creative in any way (which is to say, if you are alive), I recommend reading this book.
Brenda Ueland (1891-1985) is present throughout this book not just as the authorial voice, but as a character herself: she discusses her personal struggles with writing, her insights about creativity, portions of her journals, and her fascination with William Blake and Vincent van Gogh. Ueland also describes how she compared the personalities of her students with their writing, and then provided appropriate feedback based on her reflections (she includes several excerpts of their writing). Ueland was clearly a thoughtful person who cared deeply for her students, and when you read this book, you can feel that she cares for you, too.
The subtitle to this book is “A Book About Art, Independence, and Spirit,” which accurately conveys the scope of the book. It’s about art and creativity in the widest sense, the importance of independent thought and expression, and the spiritual dimension of creativity, which Ueland called the “Divine Ego.” She described the Divine Ego as our “self-confidence and boldness” which is “always working and striving” and “always modest and grateful and open to what is new and better” (p. 78). This Divine Ego within us can transcend our inner (and outer) critics and honor the work we create, regardless of its critical or commercial success.
One of my favorite parts of If You Want to Write book were the (many) footnotes. They are sprinkled throughout each chapter and they all cut right to the point. In one footnote, Ueland says:
If we don’t act at all (express our imaginings either in work or a changing personality, so that we can learn and think again something better), we certainly rot.
In a similar vein, Ueland quotes William Blake: “Sooner Strangle an Infant in Its Cradle Than Nurse Unacted Desires.” According to Ueland (and Blake), avoiding and neglecting the genuine desire to express ourselves is a destructive act (which is ultimately much worse than “failure”).
At the end of the book, Ueland provides a numerical list summarizing what she wanted the reader to take away from the book. I’ve listed a few of my favorites to whet your appetite:
- Know that you have talent, are original and have something important to say.
- Know that it is good to work. Work with love and think of the liking it when you do it. It is easy and interesting. It is a privilege. There is nothing hard about it but your anxious vanity and fear of failure.
- Try to discover your true, honest, untheoretical self.
- Don’t always be appraising yourself, wondering if you are better than other writers. “I will not Reason & Compare,” said Blake; “my business is to Create.” Besides, since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning of Time, you are incomparable
Once you finish Ueland’s book, I suggest you transcribe the complete list, post it above your workspace, read it again, and get to work.
