I’ve been reading posts from various people who are all talking about creative work and process, and how your work & process intersects with your identity.
And it’s dawning on me again that you hear so much about “the writing life” and what it’s supposed to be like — and there’s no such thing. There are just lots and lots of writers’ lives.
Sure, there are similarities — I think most of us can’t get by without, oh, say, knowing how to type — but. Way back when I was at Clarion, the fabulous Karen Joy Fowler told us that it was really debilitating to compare ourselves to other Clarion graduates — and by extension, to other writers in general. But it’s so hard not to. It’s a lesson I have to relearn over and over, so I’m glad for the chance to learn it again.
deborahb Says:
Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 3:55 pm. |
‘As many different ways of being a writer as there are writers’. That’s my motto. :)
ribinder Says:
Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 8:47 pm. |
Thanks, I needed that.
I was feeling like I should just quit writing two days ago, because I’ll never write something as lovely as something I read.
xo cc
beelavender Says:
Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 9:34 pm. |
There are even people who don’t type - ever! Amazing how we are all so different in how we work.
susanwrites Says:
Tuesday, May 16, 2006 at 11:55 pm. |
Yes…living a writer’s life should mean living a writer’s life that works for you. There are some writer’s lives I wouldn’t want to live. As soon as we start comparing ourselves, our process, output, etc to one another we start to lose that very something that sets us apart.