Breathing In, Breathing Out: Keeping a Writer's Notebook

In Breathing In, Breathing Out, Ralph Fletcher empowers the reader with the concept of a writer's notebook. Through realistic and exposing examples, Fletcher shows not only the workings of his own writer's notebook but also those of other authors, published and non-published alike. Written in a logical order of digestible chapters, Fletcher guides his reader through what may be uncharted territory, ultimately succeeding at sharing his suggestions of nonconformity for writing. As a teacher, Fletcher's book has assisted me in not only rethinking my own writer's notebook but how I use writing notebooks in my classes as well. Though a good read, the limitations of Breathing In, Breathing Out are limited to classroom use, though with some hands-on application work it easily could be adapted for any classroom.

Fletcher leads the reader through the value of keeping a writer's notebook in his easy read Breathing In, Breathing Out. He offers valuable insights, experiences and ideas as to how to begin, keep, and find inspiration for a writer's notebook. Although this book does not lay out practical applications for the classroom, it does speak easily to those who like to write.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the price. A writer's notebook, or what I refer to as a writer's journal, is where ideas are born. The author shows you how to capture those ideas, fertilize them, and grow them into real live pieces worth publishing. An excellent book that includes excerpts from several writer's journals, including the author's.