Natalie Goldberg’s Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft is a meditative look at the writer’s journey.

Do not come to this book expecting a series of concrete strategies and resources for writing well. 

You will need to look beyond the surface.

Read with an open, introspective mind to discover what is underneath. 

What do Goldberg’s words reveal about your writing process?

Use this question as your guide.

Writing is a meditative act, and this book is a meditation on writing. 

Both require patience, openness, and a willingness to brave new discoveries.

I spent time reflecting upon Goldberg’s lessons and these are the 4 that stood out to me. 

Today’s blog post attempts to connect the concrete with the essence of our writer’s life. 

As you read, consider what you need to embrace or change along your writer’s journey.

You can’t think your way out of self-doubt. You’ll have to write through it. 

The inner critic, that voice in our heads constantly telling us, “We’re not good enough, we can’t do this,” is a universal plight for writers.

Goldberg labels this critic our monkey mind. And this monkey mind has a purpose. 

It is “the guardian at the gate” that tests our determination to be a writer before we can access the realm of creative confidence.

Action comes before motivation, before confidence.

We can’t wait to feel sure of our writing skills or for inspiration before we begin writing. 

We can’t use writer’s block as a crutch to procrastinate. Waiting develops stagnancy.

Like Newton’s third law of motion, “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,” until we exert the action of writing, our reactions will not change. 

So, to gain confidence, to find inspiration, write. 

Write badly. Write when it’s painful.

Keep writing. 

The shift will come, incrementally and barely visible at first.

But you will believe that you are a writer in time.

Don’t cling too tightly to what you have written. A lot of it will disappear.

How? Through edits, cuts, revisions and rewrites.

If you truly want to share a story worth reading, you must be willing to let go of what isn’t working.

As Goldberg states, “That work is not wasted. It’s the path that leads to the entryway.”

This is a truth that I still struggle with. 

As writers, we cherish every word that we toiled over.

To see them disappear from our stories feels devastating.

Yet, it is this way for every book. 

Your favourite authors had to let cherished sentences and storylines go because they didn’t work. 

And after doing so, they shared with you the stories and worlds that you love so much.

Their story didn’t come to the page that well polished.

So, to discover the gems, the truths within your story that resonate with your readers, be willing to discard.

Get out of your own way. 

Recognize when sentimentality hinders your ability to pierce readers with the universal human experiences and emotions that we all seek to feel.

Readers are intuitive. 

They know when you stopped short of giving them the best.

They can tell when you indulge yourself rather than allowing the author to disappear and let the story unfold in its reality.

We go into a writing project with the best of intentions and then we get scared.

The story reveals more about the author than we’d like. The tragedy is so heartrending that we can’t bear putting it into words and somehow, we’re starting to feel vulnerable.

Goldberg’s book emphasizes that we need to embrace it all.

Great writers commit to telling the full truth even when it’s difficult, painful and overwhelming.

Readers can tell when you shy away from your story.

They know if you’ve stopped just short of giving them something brilliantly devastating.

Goldberg sums up a writer’s commitment the best: “When we write, we need simply to become aware when we’re moving in on something and to stay there; even if our knees wobble and tears spring from our eyes.”

We don’t want to be vulnerable. We don’t want to write so intimately that it’s hard to separate ourselves from our work.

Yet, authentic, poignant writing lies in the less easily accessible realm.

Be brave.

Ask yourself, “What am I afraid of? What hits me hard?”

Write about that. 

Embrace the hard truths.

Learn from the points where writing hits your inner being because that is where your most powerful stories lie.

At some point, you’ll need to let others in.

We often view writing as a solitary act, yet eventually, it’s a collaborative pursuit.

You’ll need beta readers, editors and agents – if you go the traditional publishing route.

They will all have opinions on your work.

Their critiques might hurt your ego.

Mostly, they’re just trying to help. It isn’t personal.

And when you look back at your first draft after all the edits and revisions are over, you’ll realize the benefit of this collaborative process.

Open yourself to feedback. Tweak. Ask questions. 

Writers are so close to their stories that they need outside views to see the rough patches they can’t.

You’ll also need a support system.

Other writers, friends and family who are just as excited about your book as you are. 

Find these cheerleaders early on in your writing process.

They’re not necessarily there to provide advice. They have a different purpose – to listen, to believe in you and your work, especially on the tough days.

We can’t grow as people or as writers without the support of others.

Embrace the collaborative process. Find your people.

And learn not to take it personally!

As I read Goldberg’s book, I realized that when embracing the process despite the painful and uncomfortable parts, we discover what ignites our stories and our journey. 

A story filled with life comes from a fearless writer, willing to write, rewrite, and tease out the best of it.

It’s difficult work. 

Move beyond what you think you should write as a “good writer” and discover what drives you.

That’s where your great writing hides!

What do you need to embrace or change along your writing journey?

Do you have a book that challenged you to think outside your comfort zone?

Share your thoughts below!

Talk soon!

Julia