Thursday, September 27, 2007

On Being a Writer

Heidi has a wonderful article of what it is a follow the call of writing. She says:

The writing process is often... a solitary endeavor. The world of publishing is, first and foremost, about relationships between people: Those who read, and those who write, and those who mentor, and those who critique. Perhaps most important, those whose lives spin out before us, as we take it all in and try to make sense of it all. It is the desire to create, to write, to express that anchors us. It is also this desire that gives us wings to experience more....

To write well is to step into the void ... and to make no attempt to stifle the screams of terror or the shrieks of delight. This is perhaps the most painful part of the creative process, since many writers tend to be a bit introverted by nature. But to write well is, above all, to tell the terrifying truth, and to let the world listen in.
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautifully explained. Thanks.

Vara said...

There is something else in the process. Speaking for myself, I cannot say that writing is a completely conscious activity. When I complete either an original piece or a translation from the Russian, I am amazed at the beauty and symmetry of the written word. Yes, it is a different form of communication than speech, it follows very different rules, and it is very much a MONOLOGUE, wheras conversation is a DIALOGUE.

The written word is much more powerful than one spoken, that is perhaps why so many are reluctant to commit their thoughts to paper. Also, you cannot hide your flaws in language or reasoning with "body language" or "intonation". The written word reveals, in a very brutal and frank way, both the accuracies and fallacies of your thought.

Writing is a necessary outlet for me, as it is for so many others (including the author of this blog). If you have experiencrd the joy of a piece well-written ("By God, it floats!), you know of what I speak. If not... it is like describing colour to a blind man.

Vara