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Gotta love synchronicity. It's just struck my Friends list. Today, in this post, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
coollibrarian linked to this Joseph Epstein editorial from the September 28th Times: "Think You Have a Book in You? Think Again." And yesterday, in this post, adarkjewel linked to "Why I Write" in Professor Barnhardt's Journal.
Why do we ask "Why do you write"? Does anyone ask contractors why they build stuff? "Uh...because I like doing it, and because I'm good at it?" Does anyone ask chefs why they cook stuff? "Uh...because I'm a chef?"
A friend of mine once (ill-advisedly) said to another friend, a ballet dancer, "Why do you dance?" The dancer shot back, "Why do you breathe?"
Why do I write?
It's what I am. It's what I do. Why ask why?
There's a lot more of an answer than that, and writers love to write (or to have written), and many writers love to talk about themselves, and writing about writing is often easier than writing...some of which probably explains why they ask themselves this question and bother to answer it.
The answers in Professor Barnhardt's Journal are interesting. Roger Ebert says, "I write because it is my job to write, and the only job I ever wanted. ... It was what I did, and needed to do." (Plus, he published a mimeographed SF fanzine in high school! Hah!) Will Leitch says, "The only trade I have in this world is writing. It's the only craft I've ever shown any particular proficiency in. ... This is just the only skill that has ever inspired a girl to tell me I'm good at it. Shoot, why wouldn't I devote my life to that?" Claire Zulkey says, "I like writing, and I like writing."
They all boil down to the same thing. Because it's what I do. It's what I'm good at. It's what I like.
Okay, there's still more. James Norton says, "And when all that surface shit goes away, and when there's nothing tangible and physical that will make me feel all right, writing is still there as a way to sort out and understand what's going on, and rise above it." Bob Sassone says, "I write because writing explains the world, or invents new worlds that have to be explained."
Those are more up my alley.
And then there's my very favorite, from TC Boyle: "First you have nothing, and then, astonishingly, after ripping out your brain and your heart and betraying your friends and ex-lovers and dreaming like a zombie over the page till you can't see or hear or smell or taste, you have something. Something new. Something of value. Something to hold up and admire. And then? Well, you've got a jones, haven't you? And you start all over again, with nothing."
Okay. Now we're really getting somewhere.
But I'd like to know whether there are "Why do science?" panels at scientific conferences, "Why plumbing?" panels at plumbers' conventions, "Why academia?" panels at MLA conferences.
"This is what I am. This is what I do. This is what I take with me into the world." --Liath Illuminator
coollibrarian linked to this Joseph Epstein editorial from the September 28th Times: "Think You Have a Book in You? Think Again." And yesterday, in this post, adarkjewel linked to "Why I Write" in Professor Barnhardt's Journal.Why do we ask "Why do you write"? Does anyone ask contractors why they build stuff? "Uh...because I like doing it, and because I'm good at it?" Does anyone ask chefs why they cook stuff? "Uh...because I'm a chef?"
A friend of mine once (ill-advisedly) said to another friend, a ballet dancer, "Why do you dance?" The dancer shot back, "Why do you breathe?"
Why do I write?
It's what I am. It's what I do. Why ask why?
There's a lot more of an answer than that, and writers love to write (or to have written), and many writers love to talk about themselves, and writing about writing is often easier than writing...some of which probably explains why they ask themselves this question and bother to answer it.
The answers in Professor Barnhardt's Journal are interesting. Roger Ebert says, "I write because it is my job to write, and the only job I ever wanted. ... It was what I did, and needed to do." (Plus, he published a mimeographed SF fanzine in high school! Hah!) Will Leitch says, "The only trade I have in this world is writing. It's the only craft I've ever shown any particular proficiency in. ... This is just the only skill that has ever inspired a girl to tell me I'm good at it. Shoot, why wouldn't I devote my life to that?" Claire Zulkey says, "I like writing, and I like writing."
They all boil down to the same thing. Because it's what I do. It's what I'm good at. It's what I like.
Okay, there's still more. James Norton says, "And when all that surface shit goes away, and when there's nothing tangible and physical that will make me feel all right, writing is still there as a way to sort out and understand what's going on, and rise above it." Bob Sassone says, "I write because writing explains the world, or invents new worlds that have to be explained."
Those are more up my alley.
And then there's my very favorite, from TC Boyle: "First you have nothing, and then, astonishingly, after ripping out your brain and your heart and betraying your friends and ex-lovers and dreaming like a zombie over the page till you can't see or hear or smell or taste, you have something. Something new. Something of value. Something to hold up and admire. And then? Well, you've got a jones, haven't you? And you start all over again, with nothing."
Okay. Now we're really getting somewhere.
But I'd like to know whether there are "Why do science?" panels at scientific conferences, "Why plumbing?" panels at plumbers' conventions, "Why academia?" panels at MLA conferences.
"This is what I am. This is what I do. This is what I take with me into the world." --Liath Illuminator
