Title Letters to a Young Poet

Author Rainer Maria Rilke

Kind of Book Letter/Creative Process/Advice

How strongly I recommend it 5/10 

My Impressions These are a series of letters between a young aspiring poet and Rainer Rilke. The letters try to answer questions about what the artist's intentions should be and how an artist will know if he or she is meant for a life in the arts. It is very possible that my expectations were too high, but I just didn't see what everyone else seems to see in this book. Still it is a classic and it is short, so it is worth a read in my opinion.

Practical Takeaways

• Go into yourself. Search for the reason that bids you write; find out whether it is spreading out its roots in the deepest places of your heart, acknowledge to yourself whether you would have to die if it were denied you to write. This above all- ask yourself in the stillest hour of your night: must I write? Delve into yourself for a deep answer. And if this should be affirmative, if you may meet this earnest question with a strong and simple "I must," then build your life according to this necessity;

• Do not write love-poems; avoid at first those forms that are too facile and commonplace:

• Don’t ask others if your art is good (you will know if it is good)

• If you find yourself getting too familiar with irony, turn to great and serious objects

• Try to love the questions themselves [that you don't yet know the answer to]

• Don't use sex as a distraction.

• Be solitary

• (to young people) Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart

Big Ideas

• A work of art is good if it has sprung from necessity.

• There is much beauty here because there is much beauty everywhere.

• Everything that frightens us may be something helpless that wants our love