Title: Writing on Empty  
Author: Natalie Goldberg        
Genre:  Nonfiction
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Natalie Goldberg has been writing for the past fifty years. But at the beginning of the pandemic, she suddenly wasn’t able to write anymore. Her imaginative wellspring had dried up, and she was forced to ask herself: what do I do when what has always worked for me doesn’t work anymore?

In this beautifully written, inspiring personal account, Natalie shares her harrowing journey out of creative paralysis and back onto the page. When all of her tried and true methods – meditation, sitting still, writing practice – stopped working, she had to take drastic action. She got into her car and left New Mexico in search of a new inventive source. In her journey through the western states, she visited famous literary sites, searching for the spark that would reignite her ability to write.

If you’re looking for something to inspire you to write, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for something about fear, whining, and lots of self-absorption, you’re in luck. There were no tips to get you past a creative block, just…yeah, whining. Sorry, this was beyond a disappointing read to me.

Natalie Goldberg is a bestselling author. Writing on Empty is her newest book.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

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