Writing On Both Sides Of The Brain by Henriette Anne Klauser (Book Review by Mary Van Everbroeck)
Welcome to our new book review series. This review of Writing On Both Sides Of The Brain by Henriette Anne Klauser is written by Mary Van Everbroeck, student at Barany School of Fiction who writes fiction and nonfiction.
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Take it away, Mary.
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I have wonderful news to share about the book Writing On Both Sides Of The Brain by Henriette Anne Klauser. Klauser makes a promise that by reading her book writers will learn how to fish, and that the skills learned will feed writers forever. After reading and practicing each of the exercises, I am delighted to report that she fulfills her promise.
Both Sides of the Brain
This book will show you how to plough through writer’s block, achieve balance between your creative and analytical brains, and end your fear of editing. Klauser believes that having fun while writing, nurtures and guarantees great writing.
She teaches that the capacity to have fun while tackling various aspects of writing is contingent on writers using their whole brain instead of using either the right or left brain at varying intervals.
Whole Brain Perspective
Completing the exercises in the book gave me an experience of writing from the perspective of the whole brain instead of writing by focusing on the distinct functions associated with either the left or right hemisphere of the brain.
I was shocked by the results of working through the exercises. Within 15 minutes I decided that the outline and several chapters I had written for the first book in a series would now be the second book of the series.
Also within this 15 minute period, I wrote out a composite of the entire first book of my series. I accomplished this by completing the exercise on how to branch, which is one of about thirty techniques she offers in the book.
I am confident that by reading this book and taking the time to do the exercises, you too will learn how to utilize your whole brain as a writer. Not only has the way I now approach writing positively affect the quality and output of my writing; it has also lightened this writer’s heart by removing the burdens I carried due to the shenanigans of my left brain.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Van Everbroeck is a student at Barany School of Fiction and writes fiction and nonfiction. You can connect with her on Twitter @MVanEverbroeck.
Please tell me where she studied (B.A., MA and PhD). I have books by her but no such information is given. Thank you.
I’d have to research that, but it’s not a priority. If what she says works or you, great, if not, don’t do it. I’m sure you can research the details you need to do, though I’m curious why it matters to you.