How one book inspired folk singer Kerri Ough to think about writing in a new way
Kerri Ough is one third of the Juno-winning folk group The Good Lovelies. She is also a painter and a writer. Ough recently read the guide Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, and found it to be particularly helpful with excelling in all of these areas.
A writer's discipline
"I have to confess, Writing Down the Bones has been on my bedside and in my backpack for a year. It's technically a book on writing practice, but it's much more than that. One of the things that drew me to the book is her comparison of writing to sport — you don't get better at something if you don't spend time doing it. People wonder why they can't write on a moment's notice, but they haven't written in two months. She says, 'If you were a runner and you warmed up a week ago, you're not ready to run a marathon today.' It speaks to me because I also love running and have to run three or four times a week in order to stay in running shape. I'm a musician, a writer and a painter and I don't get better at any of these things unless I spend time on them. When I read her prompts and teachings, I must put her book down and go right to work."
Kerri Ough's comments have been edited and condensed.