Years ago, when I was in advertising, I met a man who asked what I did for a living. I told him I was a copywriter.
He said proudly, "Oh, my sister's a real writer. She works for the newspaper."
So I wanted to be a real writer and the newspaper wasn't hiring. That's why I write novels.
Down there in the Sexual Prose post, Ted Baker gives us a link to a Washington Post article by Sue Monk Kidd, the author of The Secret Life of Bees. It's right here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/01/AR2005120100929_pf.html
In the article, Kidd says,
"As a relatively new novelist, I had never fully examined the noble and ignoble reasons for doing what I do."
But you're different. You know exactly why you do what you do. So tell us. Why do you write?
(Be sure to click on the "Why not be a writer" article. It's hilarious.)
6 comments:
For me, writing has become a substitute for making music. I get much of the same creative satisfaction, and the equipment's a lot easier to carry around.
I guess the deeper answer is that I fundamentally NEED to create. There doesn't seem much point to it all if I can't. I suppose some people knock out some kids at an early age, and that may be the most noble act of creation, but for me, my babies come out of my laptop.
I write to explore the questions in my mind, to seek solutions to problems that may be occuring in and around me. The nature of writing down something, reviewing it, editing it and then placing in a folder for some purpose later in life for me is theraputic and sometimes fun.
I spend a lot of time staring off into space, watching insanely violent movies play inside my head.
If I write them down, I can tell people I'm a writer and not a lunatic.
Some believe it.
I've met Dusty. I've had drinks with Dusty. I've even met his wife.
He is a lunatic.
But a lunatic with a brand new paperback on the shelves.
Serious question here. Does this sound weird to anyone?
The reason I write is very closely related to the reason I play music. That is, I love the sound of the words, the rhythm of a scene, and the structure of a story or novel.
Really, does this make sense to anyone else?
David, serious answer: that doesn't sound weird at all. I think good writing is best read out loud. I keep reading the first page of James Ellroy's White Jazz just for the sound of it.
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