Writing as a path to awakening A year to becoming an excellent writer and living an awakened life

As their titles state, both of these books focus on writing as a tool to exploring and stimulating one's way of interacting in the world. Author DeSilver (Beamish Boy) claims that "a writer is someone who writes, not someone who is published," and that practice, repetition, and consistency are essential to creative expression on the page. He encourages readers to master these principles by offering stories, meditations, and writing exercises within the framework of the months of the year. For example, the theme for April is "blossoming," while October is "abundance." The goal is to encourage the practice of meditation and use art to accelerate a personal spiritual revolution. Similarly, Matousek (Ethical Wisdom) inspires readers to explore their own narrative through writing. He outlines weekly prompts intended to spur readers to write honestly about topics such as their deepest wounds, greatest challenges, and hidden gifts in order to move more closely toward a liberated life. Each exercise offers a tidbit of the author's experience, core insights, a series of questions through which one can dive deeper, and an analysis of the topic under discussion. VERDICT Both volumes will help readers understand themselves better. DeSilver's concentrates more on the craft of writing, while Matousek's centers on self-revelation. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.