Give It All, Give It Now: One of the Few Things I Know about Writing Hardcover - 2009

Excerpt

One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better. These things fill from behind, from beneath, like well water. Similarly, the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes.

From The Writing Life (Harper Perennial, 1989)

Media reviews

"One of the best book gifts of the season is Give It All, Give It Now, by Annie Dillard.  Beautifully illustrated by Sam Fink, this gorgeous and inspiring fold-out book encourages anyone taking on a creative endeavor, assuring us all that YES...the best is yet to come."
--HipGrandma.com

"For anyone who needs a heartfelt reminder of the power of dreams, of passion, of courage, Give It All, Give It Now, is for you. It is a gorgeous book - uplifting, inspiring - designed to give us all light and hope in these tough times."
-- Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor, The Nation

"Give It All, Give It Now will inspire you and liberate you. The artwork will make you smile and wish the book were longer."
-- Joan Ganz Cooney, Co-Founder, Sesame Workshop

"Th[is] book is a unique blend of watercolor and the written word, a sort of picture book for grown ups.... Dillard encourages writers to "give it all" and not to hoard for later that which seems good... The words are inspiring in many ways.... The book itself is not traditionally bound, but opens up as an accordian to stretch 20 feet. ... This book would be a unique gift for a writer or collector of Dillard's books (or those of Susan Cheever, who wrote the introduction)... In fact, some writers might even be so bold as to unfold the book and hang it up on the wall, as a giant sort of motivational poster."
--Englewood Review of Books