The Best Thing About Being A Writer
The August issue of O magazine has a special section on "Inside the Writer’s Mind," wherein they interview "six terrific novelists" about writing.
The first question they ask is, "What’s the best thing about being a writer?"
Jeffrey Eugenides , author of Middlesex, said that, "The best thing is also the worst thing. It’s that, no matter how long you’ve been at it, you always start from scratch." National Book Award nominee Mary Gaitskill, author of Veronica, said that, "The best thing about writing is being able to clearly express things in a way you can’t express in conversation." Reading these responses made me ponder what I considered to be the best thing about being a writer. The answer came instantly–it’s that I’m never bored. Ever. Here are the ways in which I’m never bored:
- I’m never bored professionally, because, as a writer, there’s always something else to learn.
- I’m never bored mentally, because, as a writer, I can, and do, always make up stories. Making up stories is how I order and make sense of my world.
- I’m never bored in that world, because as long as I have pen and paper (and I go nowhere without it), I can always write.
Anybody else want to tell what they consider the best thing about being a writer?
Elizabeth Potts Weinstein
Wow, my greatest fear is being bored, so I totally hear you. I love being an entrepreneur, and a writer, because I can avoid being bored. I can always learn something new, read a new book, start a new business, write a new book.
Charlotte
I’m with you. I hate being bored! Luckily it hasn’t happened in, oh, about ten years. Being a writer or some kind of creative person is my all purpose cure for everything, including boredom.
Charlotte
lordmanilastone
I like the ideas here. I am sure this site will help me a lot as I need to do a lot of improvement in my writing skills. Thanks for sharing.^^
RennyBA
It might be a bit outside the subject, but I feel being a blogger gives some of the same experience. They say ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’, so maybe the vid at the bottom of this post says it all?
http://www.terella.no/2007/06/20/meet-rennyba-with-digital-story-telling
Roy Burkhead
The best thing about being a writer? Feels sort of like…what is the meaning of life. :-) Fun question to think about, though. For me, not sure if there is a single best thing. Just typing….
* Leading a writing life continually expands the writer’s circle of influence, bringing like-minded people into his/her life on an on-going basis.
* The writing life promotes the volunteer spirit, a public-service mindset, i.e.: most people do not do it for money and that creates more of a community.
* The quality of people in our lives increases since we become involved with people who share common passions and sensitivities.
* The continual sense of hope we feel each day as we wonder how many rejections are in our mailboxes.
* And of course, the best thing about writing is…the discovery process that continues within ourselves.
I could continue forever, but these are some of my strongest feelings.
Charlotte
Hey you guys,
Thanks for all your comments. Typepad was out all afternoon, so its really great to be able to get back on and find a whole new batch of comments. And everyone go check out Renny BA’s digital story. His motto is make blogs, not war, and I think we all should adopt that.
lordmanilastone
I like writing because I have a lot of repressed thoughts and writing paves the way for me to somehow express them. Writing is stress beater.^^
Charlotte
Writing is indeed one of the best stress beaters ever! Sometimes just sitting down and writing can be the most refreshing thing in the world.
Charlotte