Diana M. Raab

If you've ever read a book about writing anything before and found it sorely lacking in anything remotely helpful, or found it hard to understand, I want you to forget that experience right now. This book stands mountains above every writing book I've ever read (and I've read quite a few in a quest to find my inner writer)! If you want an author that seems to understand YOU and YOUR insecurities, and nerves, then this is the book for you. Writing for Bliss is all about becoming comfortable with your own voice in written form. It's a book you won't want to pass up!… (més)

Author Diana Raab offers advice on writing for spiritual growth and transformation, along with many writing prompts and suggestions for further reading. She also discusses related subjects such as creative visualization, meditation techniques, and the like. There is little that is new here, but if you resonate with this approach, you will probably like the book. If you, like me, prefer something a little less New Agey, you may not.

Also, for a book on writing, this could have benefited from some tighter copy editing to make it less redundant and eliminate some (probably unintentionally) misused words.

I have not tried any of the writing prompts, but they look promising. This may be a book that you really have to live with to discover its true value.

Please note that my LibraryThing Early Reviewers copy has not arrived as of the date of the this review. I obtained this book from another source.… (més)

I had the great privilege of receiving this book as a Goodreads giveaway. I've been toying with the idea of writing a story, and I just am not sure if it is something I want to do. I was hoping this book would help me make up my mind. I know...I put a lot of pressure on this book.

When reading the introduction to "Writing for Bliss", I was nervous, because the author seemed to have been an avid journal-writer for most of her life. I have not touched journaling since I was a teenager. I was afraid that this book would not be geared to beginners, but I was wrong. Throughout the book there are helpful tips and assignments to get you started with the process of journaling or writing.

Here are some of the many takeaways I got from reading "Writing for Bliss." Create strong writing habits, starting with the space around you. The author mentions meditation. I like to go for ten - thirty minute walks every day to clear my mind. Lately, during my walks, I have started to notice things around me more. The author stresses to try to be more observant. You never know what can inspire you. It might be best to start with journaling before writing. This is helpful especially if you are compiling information for a memoir. If you are looking to start writing, pick a genre. Picking a genre that you know (aka like to read) is a good place to start. Pick a favorite author and try to emulate their writing style. The author gave great writing tips.

The author gave many lovely quotes throughout "Writing for Bliss" that I enjoyed. My favorite and the one that spoke to me the most was by Flannery O'Connor. "There's nobody in the world that doesn't have memories worth writing about." I had some difficulties with this book at times, because the author made me feel that if I haven't had a painful childhood or suffered from addiction or health ailments that my story might not be valuable. I've been very blessed with an overall good life so far, and I have often felt that I want to share those good moments and adventures. Will my story be less desirable to readers?

I have concluded that while I may be ready to start journaling on a daily basis, I am not ready to start investing a lot of my time to writing a story. The author at times overwhelmed me with all the different journals one can keep (travel, gratitude, moments/memories, dream, etc.). I think the section that talked about some people waking themselves up in the middle of the night to record their dreams was a bit excessive. I don't know if I would go that far for inspiration. Also, I don't want to miss out on living, because I feel I have to constantly write things down.

However, even though I had a few complaints, "Writing for Bliss" was very helpful as a writing guide and am looking forward to putting some of the tips to use. It will be a good reference for years to come.… (més)