What They Say about Writing (and How They’re Probably Right)

Hey, writer people: If you want to write, you write, they say. Do it every day, they say. And you can’t want to write, they say, based on your craven need for external validation. The writing, they say, has to be its own reward. I think this is true of every writing class I’ve ever given or taken. We beat this particular horse to a pulp. But still, we the writers want more and more and more. We want not only a publishing contract, but one with a marketing guarantee, a summer launch tour, endcaps in bookstores, and a promised Zillion Dollar Income. We want to hear our names on NPR and see our titles on the NYT Bestseller Lists. More and more and more.

I just wanted to come over today and tell you that I’m finally, fully there – in the place of writing for the sake of writing. For the joy of the words filling up the pages. For the internal validation that I can, in fact, do what I say I’m going to do. I’ve said out loud that it doesn’t matter if I never publish another thing. I’ve said it, but I’ve been lying. I cared a lot about publishing other things. And today, at least, I’ve come to realize that THEY are probably right. The writing I’ve been doing may not be great. It may not even be good. It may not ever lead to a complete, beautiful, funny, interesting story. But guys. It’s happening. It’s consistent. It’s Fun Again. And the fun is worthwhile, even if that’s all it ever is.