Three Steps on the Ladder of Writing

Browse Return to Previous Page       Related Subjects All Subjects Literary Studies

by Helene Cixous and Helene Cixous,

Translated by Susan Sellers and Sarah Cornell

Columbia University Press

Due/Published September 1994, 162 pages, paper

ISBN 0231076592

"Three Steps on the Ladder of Writing" is a poetic, insightful, and ultimately moving exploration of 'the strange science of writing.' In a magnetic, irresistible narrative, Cixous reflects on the writing process and explores three distinct areas essential for 'great' writing: "The School of the Dead" -- the notion that something or someone must die in order for good writing to be born; "The School of Dreams" -- the crucial role dreams play in literary inspiration and output; and "The School of Roots" -- the importance of depth in the 'nether realms' in all aspects of writing.