Writing Inspiration from Bradbury and Friends

Bible, Faith, Inspiration, Life Lessons, poetry, Reading, writing 4 Minutes

Earlier this June I scrolled into a WordPress post called “Advice from Ray Bradbury.” I love Bradbury, I said to myself as I clicked the link.

In response to a post about favorite rereads by Ally Bean, E. A. Wickham pulled Zen in the Art of Writing from a bookshelf and opened the cover. There was Bradbury’s dated signature. She had seen him speak three times and bumped into him once at a Mexican restaurant. She relayed a piece of writing advice that stuck with me. Ray Bradbury said, “Read the Bible, a poem, and an essay every day.”

I ordered the book online and promptly drove north before it arrived. For the next week, I relished a family jackpot of quality time, cooler temperatures, and Dad on Father’s Day. Eventually I arrived home to my Amazon package containing Zen in the Art of Writing, a book of essays on creativity. I opened the cover. Gems abounded.

And what, you ask, does writing teach us?

First and foremost, it reminds us that we are alive and that is a gift and a privilege, not a right…

Secondly, writing is survival. Any art, any good work, of course, is that.

Not to write, for many of us, is to die.

Ray Bradbury

Bradbury wrote about making lists of titles, long lines of nouns that caused his better stuff to surface. He wrote about running through those lists, picking a noun, and sitting down to write a long prose-poem-essay on it. That was all by page twelve.

In the next chapter, he said, “Read poetry every day of your life,” and went on to tout essays, short stories, and novels as muses. He wrote about word-association games played between head and heart. Nothing about the Bible yet, but still the advice remains in the back of my mind.

So I picked up The Norton Introduction to Literature and found the poetry section. It begins with “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus and definitions on poetry from Merriam-Webster and The Oxford English Dictionary, followed by Lydia Davis’s “Head, Heart.”

Head, Heart

Heart weeps.
Head tries to help heart.
Head tells heart how it is, again:
You will lose the ones you love. They will all  go. But even the earth will go, someday.
Heart feels better, then.
But the words of head do not remain long in the ears of heart.
Heart is so new to this.
I want them back, says heart.
Head is all heart has.
Help, head. Help heart.

And so I’ve been reading Ray Bradbury’s essays, poetry from an anthology, short stories by Alice Munro, and…

I have an amazing study Bible. I admit, I haven’t studied much, but Ray Bradbury said, “Read the Bible, a poem, and an essay every day.” So, each morning for the past few days, I’ve flipped to the book of Job to read a chapter or two. I had been thinking of him for months now, a man of perfect integrity who lost practically everything. Who would’ve thought Ray Bradbury would’ve lead me to scripture? How often do my own head and heart battle?

My Life Essentials Study Bible was written by my former pastor Gene Getz, a renowned Bible teacher, an avid writer, a college and seminary professor. He is super smart, and no matter your spiritual beliefs, he explains the text with a simplified, relatable, common-sense approach. The entire Bible is filled with QR codes linking to videos of Gene’s teaching and principles to live by.

Principle #1 We should use God’s spiritual resources so we can be victorious over Satan’s evil schemes.

A thirteen-minute explanation of Job 1-2.

Principal #2 When ministering to those who are suffering, we should initially focus our efforts on simply being present, not on dispensing information.

Nine minutes, felt from the bottom of my heart, on how to be a good friend, a continuation of Job 2.

Principal #3 We should allow people who are deep in pain to ask “why” questions without being too quick to offer answers.

From Job 3, a twelve-minute-proof that it’s okay to question God. Job did.

Bear with me. A few years ago when I became an official writing student, my class once dove into the the opening sentence of Isak Dinesen’s Out of Africa:

I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong hills.

Isak Dinesen (AKA Karen Blixen)

Class discussed. I took notes:

The first six words of the novel are iambic, and the “had” emphasizes the past tense conflict. The narrator no longer has the farm. The prepositional phrases, “in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills,” reveal a general location—Africa—and a specific location—the Ngong Hills. The repeating anapestic rhythm connects the music of language and beauty of landscape. In this simple sentence, there are only two polysyllabic words. The rest are monosyllabic, which slow you down and lend a sense of gravity. It’s almost Biblical. “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.”

Biblical verses are memorable and recitable due to rhythmic phrasing. Just like poetry. And Bradbury, with his writing advice, is clearly onto something.

Published by Crystal Byers

When I was young, my dad would always say, "Crystal, you can choose your attitude." One day I chose to believe him.

Published

52 thoughts on “Writing Inspiration from Bradbury and Friends”

  2. Thank you for linking to my blog post. Much appreciated.

    I’ll admit I didn’t know about Zen in the Art of Writing until E.A. Wickham mentioned it. I like Bradbury’s simple formula for being a good person and a good writer. This seems doable. I also like Gene Getz, someone I’ve not heard of before, and especially his Principle #2. We live in an Information Age and it’s so easy, instinctive maybe, to throw info at a problem rather than sit with someone who is sharing their suffering.

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    1. My pleasure, Ally. I didn’t directly say it, but I’m amazed how a person has an idea—like “What books do you reread? Here are mine,” and by the domino effect that ensues. It all goes to show the power of words and human connection.

      Zen is short—130 pages that will leave you wanting to read more Bradbury. And I wholeheartedly agree about Principle #2! So glad you had the opportunity to share that experience with me!

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  3. I love Bradbury’s work. Can anybody today match his brilliant writing style?

    This is the second day in a row I’ve come across a discussion including the book of Job. Maybe God’s telling me to go read it!

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    1. I know that was a rhetorical question, but if anyone can, I don’t know them.

      As for Job, I think God has been on me for a good 8 months. I’m waiting for the turning point of his story. I’m starting chapters 6 and 7 now.

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  4. Great advice on “Read the Bible, A Poem and read an essay everything.”
    As Christian, we do our quiet time daily to commune with God. I have read the book of Job several times n each time I’m encouraged by God’s words again.
    Thanks for sharing, Crystal.

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      1. I have gone thru several trials in my life, but I still hold on to my faith in God.
        Btw, I’m a Chinese worshipping in an English Presbyterian Church in Singapore .
        I’m glad I have started my blog recently n have gotten to know several good folks on wordpress as well as very good articles too.

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    1. I like to pass along what’s helpful to me. Bradbury made it a goal to write 1000 words a day. He did it for I don’t know how many years, and I’m certain he surpassed his mark many-a-day. That’s why I’m not Ray Bradbury. Still—progress is good.

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      1. I’m VERY slowly (at a snail’s pace slowly) reading through the whole Bible. It helps me pick out details and explore. It helps me learn. I love things that are super deep, and I think Revelation is; I think as a church we have mostly settled on that there is no one perfect interpretation of it. It’s not scary, but definitely a lot of intense imagery.

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      2. Maybe only scary if you’re not prepared. I want to think I am, but I think it’s human to doubt. Anyway, starting this round with Job. I’ve started at Genesis a number of times and fizzle out along the way. Who knows? This could be a turning point for me.

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  9. I love when you write about writing, Crystal. I remember you shared the first line from Out of Africa in an earlier post. This reminds me of how Mark Twain said the difference between using just the right word and one that is ok is like comparing lightening to lightening bug.

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    1. Thanks, David! You have a great memory. I had to remember where I wrote it for a copy-and-paste job (January 2022). Mark Twain is funny. I like this line to illustrate parts of speech: Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

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  13. Your post today leaves me speechless. I probably have not read a work by Ray Bradbury since college. I did a quick search and saw how much he has written and what a variety of genres. Between his works, your post, and that wonderful quote, I have a lot to think about even though I have no desire past reviewing to be a writer. How inspirational!

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  14. Excellent post, Crystal, pulsing with great advice for writers in invention. I read through it, of course, but it’ll take a little longer to absorb everything. Another two or three reads too, I suspect.

    By the way, not all surprising you have such a connection with Dr. Betz. You relate especially to someone so distinguished in his erudition and generosity of spirit. However did that happen?

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    1. I understand what you mean by time to absorb. There was a long explanation of “Head, Heart” in the Norton Anthology, which I couldn’t have paraphrased if I had tried. Writing helps it stick a bit for me.

      As for Dr. Gene Getz, I probably saw him for the first time toward the end the last century. He retired not long after but came back to speak as a guest quite often. The teachings of that non-denominational church have shaped me, no doubt.

      I appreciate you, Keith! Thanks for visiting.

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  15. Thank you for sharing!!… sometimes one needs to stop the world, briefly get off and reboot and everyone has to follow their own heart and path ….and as the Chaplain told my late wife “it’s what is in the heart that matters, not a name above a door”, so I just follow my heart and let the fingers do the walking and the heart do the talking…. 🙂

    Hope your path is paved with peace, love and happiness and until we meet again..
    May flowers always line your path
    and sunshine light your way,
    May songbirds serenade your
    every step along the way,
    May a rainbow run beside you
    in a sky that’s always blue,
    And may happiness fill your heart
    each day your whole life through.
    (Irish Saying)

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  21. Wow, what an enlightening post. I’ve never read Ray Bradbury but now I think I must. Where should I start? I felt that poem about head and heart. I’m so glad you’re back to blogging. You are a gem to me 🙂

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    1. Aww, thank you, Rhonda! I only read Fahrenheit 451 a few years ago and loved it a lot. I think I should reread it. Other than that I’ve read/taught a handful of short stories that never disappoint (7th-10th grade): “There Will Come Soft Rains,” “All Summer in a Day,” “The Pedestrian,” and “Sound of Thunder.” You can find them free online. I keep thinking about “Head, Heart,” too.

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  22. ‘First and foremost, it reminds us that we are alive and that is a gift and a privilege, not a right…

    Secondly, writing is survival. Any art, any good work, of course, is that.’ I loved these sayings of Bradbury’s. I just finished reading Job, and it’s a troubling yet revealing book. I pray for your continued healing, Crystal. God Bless!

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    1. I finished the Bradbury book—so many great lines. I’m still making my way through Job—I’m almost there. I appreciate your prayers, Mark. I have two upcoming appointments, and I’m believing in the best news soon!

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