Writing in Psychoanalysis

The history of writing in psychoanalysis, as the editors of this volume note, is "part and parcel of the history of the psychoanalytic movement." Yet, little has been written about the meanings and dimensions of psychoanalytic writing. This thoughtful and thought-provoking collection of essays grew out of a colloquium organized for those involved in publishing "Revista di Psicoanalisi," journal of the Italian Psychoanalytic Society. It addresses the psychology of writing, including its psychic sources, its functions, and its impact on the writer. It deals as well with the nature and demands of editorial work, including the relationship between authors and the journal editors who review their papers.

A beautiful and thoughtful collection of essays on reading, writing and learning, Writing and Psychoanalysis grows out of a colloquium. The results are wondrous and impact on the reader at many different levels. In the act of writing, we all discover something about what we know previously unknown to us, and we learn more about our inner world that we knew before we set pen to paper (or hand to computer). Patrick Mahony goes so far as to argue that Freud's self-analysis was essentially a "writing cure." Writing in Psychoanalysis is the first volume in the projected Monograph Series, Psychoanalytic Issues, the Rivista di Psicoanalisi (the Journal of the Italian Psychoanalytical Society) is undertaking in conjunction with Karnac Books. This series constitutes a major effort to bring about a dialogue among psychoanalysts who while ultimately bound together by a common psychoanalytic heritage nonetheless are separated in their thinking by different idioms, whether linguistic or theoretical. While featuring writers of very different idioms, this series will also present a venue to make some important Italian voices known to English speaking analysts.

Introduction1. The Reveries of a Solitary Scribbler- John E. Gedo2. Psychoanalysis-The Writing Cure-Patrick Mahony3. From Analytic Dialogue to Published Text4. Writing in Psychoanalysis- Antonio Alberto Semi5. An "Ethical Code" for Authors?- Parthenope Bion Talamo6. Experiences and Considerations of a "Reader" of Psychoanalysis- Fausto Petrella7. The Evaluation of Psychoanalytical Texts and the Imaginary Scenario in Which Their Writing Takes Place: Observations of an Editor- Francesco Barale8. Psychoanalytical Visions of Reality and Styles of Writing- Giorgio Sacerdoti

Emma Piccioli, Pier L Rossi, Antonio A Semi