Writing the Natural Way: Turn the Task of Writing into the Joy of Writing

Great Central Idea butThe central idea of this book is golden. It made me realize the value of the simple technique of "clustering" - or in layman's terms, "mind mapping" or "brain storming" - when it comes to writing. I began applying this technique to my writing and it has proved very useful. I knew about the technique for the longest time but I had never put it to use in generating ideas. Now I see how potent and effective it is.There are, however, a few major problems with the book. First, t [...]

Gabriele Rico, who is transitioning from this life into the next realm, made a huge impact on my life with this book and with her amazing presence. I wrote about her here:beingandwriting/2

This is the BEST book on writing I have ever seen. I read the original years ago and now the updated version and the techniques bring amazing results. It is full of fun exercises to go with the clustering activities and it really feels natural and effortless. If you want to write better or if you teach writing in elementary, middle, high school, college or graduate school or if you homeschool, get this book!

Great exercises for connecting with your creative mind, for clearing out driftwood and releasing the creative writer. As refreshing as yoga!I haven't touched this book for a while, so I'm putting it back on the shelves for a while and will probably pick it up again in January, the month when I work on things internal, under a blanket of snow.

I enjoyed reading this book, and I will continue to enjoy the writing exercises in it. I think it would be even better in a purse-sized writing journal format -- that would allow me to read and write without having to put the book down. They are perfect little writing exercises, that you can do quickly or take your time to savor the experience. (It's all part of the wonder! See page 15!)I understand some of the book may be a bit outdated, but the method behind the writing exercises remains timel [...]

This book is ideal for teaching you how to shut out the critic during the writing process. The formal school system generally takes the unfortunate approach of teaching youngsters to think about their punctuation, spelling, organization and audience while in the midst of the writing process. The critical faculty should only be brought online after the first draft has been produced.Rico helps writers (and aspiring writers) to find their natural voice through fun and practical exercises. Incidenta [...]

This is an excellent book not only for writing but for processing life--figuring things out. There's a nice blend of sciences here: neurology, biology, psychology, and philosophy. One of my favorite chapters was about creating tension by embracing both/and thinking rather than either/or thinking. I will use a lot of Rico's strategies not just in writing fiction, but also in my personal journaling. I read through this book too quickly, only doing a handful of the exercises. It would be much bette [...]

First off before reading this book realize that the main psychological left/right brain principle which it is entirely based on has now been proven to be wrong.This really makes most of the books content useless. BUT some of the exercises in it are still useful, and the idea webs that are used throughout the book can be quite handy. Just be careful to ignore any of the psychological information in the book.There are much better books on the subject than this ancient 70's book.

I've used the clustering technique I learned in this book for over 20 years, now. A truly write-changing book!

I absolutely love this book. I’ve actually had it for years and have dabbled with it off and on, always finding the exercises useful, but recently decided to read it cover to cover and do the exercises at the same time. I really enjoyed it and found something useful in every chapter, and even ended up with some decent work. More importantly, I kept my creative juices flowing.Rico bases her work on right and left brain differences, what she calls Sign and Design mind. She uses a process called [...]

Right-brain studies have been used for years (well, okay, the last 10-20 years) to enhance the teaching process for visual artists, but Rico was the first to extend this research into the realm of the writer. You cannot deny her scholarship nor her science--the brain hemisphere theory is quite accepted today, and has been proven in a number of ways. So how does this theory help one become a writer.First off, as any author will tell you, writers write. Rico cannot give you a magic spell that will [...]

This book was very helpful. I am writingor trying to write novels but I was able to write a few poems using the techniques in this book. I think it will be helpful in my writing & I would definitely recommend it.

This book was recommended to me by an editor/agent friend. It opens the mind to creativity and helps the writer use the right-brain. It's fun and useful in removing writer's block. It really works if you're trying to brainstorm some ideas.

Interesting use of mind maps.

Excellent source of creativity and springboard for developing a natural writing voice. The 15th anniversary version wasn't much different, but the book is worth working through.

Recommended in The Laughing Classroom

I really enjoy this book and have read it a couple of times now, but am still working on doing all of the exercises. Guess it will be on my "top shelf" for a while.

writing,

The new edition is a far cry from the earlier. It is full of psycho-babel and horrid examples of "good" writing. The earlier edition was a decent writing manual. This is a waste of good paper.

Writing the Natural Way by Gabriele Lusser Rico (1983)

For me no other method for starting me to write works as well as clustering. Often produces ideas I was unaware ofbrielerico/

a.k.a. brainstormingI cannot think of one thing more to say.

This was my third time reading this book, and each time I read it, I'm inspired anew.

Rico can get redundant, and clustering can become another form of procrastination. The prompts and examples are interesting. I enjoyed plodding my way through.

Excellent technique for finding your way when your writing is lost. Use these ideas with Scapple.