One Continuous Mistake

Gail Sher is the author of eight books of poetry and one book on breadmaking, in addition to her books on writing. Awarded Teacher of the Year by the combined educational faculties of the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, and San Francisco State University, she has taught graduate classes in writing, psychology, and Zen for many years. She lives in Berkeley, California.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I: A Writing "Habit"Exercise: Writing Zazen1. Four Noble Truths for Writers2. Pointing Directly at Your Own Heart, You'll Find Buddha3. Single-Minded Effort4. Grandmother's Fingerpointing5. A Writing "Habit"6. Waves of the Sea Belong to the Sea7. Writing Posture8. The Kiss of the Asp9. The Writer's Middle Way10. DistractionsPart II: Like Jesus, It's From God. And From You.Exercise: Writing Kinhin11. Stay-at-Home Days12. Fleeting Thoughts13. Books Read Us14. Reading Supports Writing—But Watch Out!15. Bleached-Bone Simplicity16. Ode to a Drawer17. The Rubbery Time of Revision18. One Continuous Mistake19. Like Jesus, It's From God. And From You.20. Ping!21. Five Pillars of WritingPart III. The Lesson of Little Red Riding HoodExercise: Sneaking Up On Your Mind22. Tigers in the Lowland23. Invisible Practice24. The Gentle Cycle25. Writer's Block: The Magic Mountain26. Writer's Anorexia: The Abuse of Creative Power27. The Lesson of Little Red Riding Hood28. Writing ParentsPart IV. Beauty Plus PityExercise: Watching the Mind29. If I Think About Myself, Does That Mean I'm Selfish?30. Writer-Jock31. Writing and "Right" Livelihood32. Who Is Writing Better Vedas?33. Ripples on the Surface of the Water34. Art Is Theft, Art Is Armed Robbery, Art Is Not Pleasing Your Mother35. Beauty Plus Pity36. A Button and a Few Bones37. Life Is Not KilledPart V. A Word Is a Charged SituationExercise: Mot Juste38. Huckleberry "K"39. Tibetan English40. The Told Story41. Art for Life's Sake42. The Look of a Voice43. Grasp the Thing, Words Will Follow44. Wild by LawPart VI. "No, No—Poetry Is Serious! Zen Is Not Serious."Exercise: Silence Is Not Silence Is Not Silence45. The Gospel According to This Moment46. "Ashes Do Not Come Back to Firewood"47. Lady Murasaki's Insight48. Heron and I49. Lean Words & Quietly50. The Frida Kahlo Principle51. An Angel in the House52. Not Knowing53. One World at a TimeAppendicesA. Guidelines for Beginning Writers of HaikuB. Your Reading PersonalityC. Your Learning PersonalityNotesBibliography