Publisher's Synopsis
Literary Nonfiction. Poetry. Art. Here is the classic book, updated and re-issued for its tenth anniversary with a new Foreword by novelist Chuck Palahniuk, who writes: "This book has been in print forever because what it offers works for people...you're about to read magic."
Based on lectures given by acclaimed poet and critic David Biespiel at the Rainier Writers' Workshop, this book cracks open the creative process and invites readers to take a fresh look at the mysterious pathways of the imagination, with engaging insights from worlds as diverse as dance, art, competitive sports...and of course writing. Biespiel candidly tracks his own development as a writer and challenges traditional assumptions that can stifle creativity. The liberating message: Working past the brink of failure--being free to try and discard and try again--is what allows the creative process to playfully flourish, keeping the spirit open to unexpected discoveries. Both beginning and experienced writers--as well as anyone else on that "creative path"--will benefit from this elegant and surprising perspective based on methods developed exclusively at the Attic, the unique literary studio Biespiel founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1999. EVERY WRITER HAS A THOUSAND FACES will revolutionize the way readers look at their own creative process. It is a rich and rewarding book, a captivating glimpse into the inner life of writers and painters--and above all, a guide to a lifetime of discovery.
"Buoyant...unorthodox...A provocative and anti-intuitive manual for making fresh art."--Kirkus Reviews
"Does for the creative process what Strunk and White did for our approach to grammar and style. Indispensible."--Marjorie Sandor
"Finally, an anti-bullshit book on creativity!"--James Marcus
