Read With Me: Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Note: This course was offered October – November 2025. It may be offered again if there’s sufficient interest. Leave your email in the box below to “vote” for this class to happen again, and be notified when registration is open.

Though it’s now almost 40 years old, Writing Down the Bones remains one of the most beloved and accessible creative writing manuals. It offers the reader Goldberg’s elaboration on her Zen Buddhism-influenced writing practice, and gives the kind of simple, timeless writing advice that can both set the beginner on a productive path and refresh the perspective and ideas of those who are more experienced. I first read it 30 years ago, when I was 16, and I’m amazed by its durability, openness, and wisdom. The essays are short and clear, and I still learn from them. Its expansive acceptance of imperfection makes it a very welcoming book, and its guidance on uncovering and trusting your own voice can potentially lead you to your best work.

I’d love to revisit it with a group (especially since it contains a few interesting ideas for writing with others). This class will be a sort of slow-paced book club where we’ll read it over six weeks, taking plenty of time to do the exercises along the way. At the heart is the idea of writing as a regular practice. While you don’t have to write every day, to get the most out of this course you should be prepared to write most days (even if it’s just aimless rambling for five minutes). Treat it like physical exercise, but don’t beat yourself up if your diligence isn’t perfect. Goldberg says: “My ideal is to write every day. I say it is my ideal. I am careful not to pass judgment or create anxiety if I don’t do that. No one lives up to [an] ideal.”

Both poets and non-poets are welcome in this class. Goldberg advises not planning in advance to write poetry or prose, fiction or non-fiction, and instead learning to listen to what arrives in a particular writing session.

We’ll have a weekly Zoom call on Monday evenings (New York time). While they will be recorded in case people need to miss one or two sessions, note that for this course the calls are very dependent on participant discussion. To encourage attendance, they will only be shared individually upon request. (Can’t make that time this round? Not to worry! Depending on the feedback I get for this cohort, I may be offering it again at an earlier time on a weekend day. You can leave your email in the box immediately under the course description to indicate interest.) The course will also include a private forum in the Class Area of this site where you can interact with other participants between calls and share your work.

After registering, please check your receipt/email for instructions on how to access the course. Feel free to contact me if you don’t receive any instructions, or I’ll make sure to touch base with everyone so that you have what you need. Please see below about how far I recommend you read before the first call.

Want to learn more about Writing Down the Bones? This brief, casual review will give you a good sense of it (though I might quibble that, in addition to helping us understand our lives better, the book also helps us sit with lack of understanding and helps us forget ourselves as well).

When & Cost: TBD

Where: Zoom

Instructor: Meg Hartmann

What You’ll Need: A copy of the book, which you’ll want in time to read through “Trouble with the Editor” (about 26 pages) by the first meeting on October 13th. The book is widely available and likely to be at any decent-sized public library. There are three editions, with the most recent being the 30th Anniversary Edition published in 2016. I have that one as well as the first (1986) edition, but because the essays are short you can navigate the book by their titles (and that’s what we’ll be referring to instead of page numbers). Feel free to use whichever edition you have on hand or find – my one caution is that relying only on the audiobook version may make it harder to participate in the discussions. Please let me know if you will not be able to obtain the book in time for the first class, and I’ll see what I can do to help.

The book might make you want to get a notebook and to experiment with pens (see the essay “Beginner’s Mind, Pen and Paper” towards the beginning). You’re welcome to write on your computer or even your phone if that’s what you prefer, but be aware the urge to try the old-fashioned way may come up!