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tmcgGotta 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
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no subject
Date: 2002-10-01 08:21 pm (UTC)I decided that I don't know how to quit, which might not be a very good reason for writing, but for now 'tis mine own :-) Plus, over the course of the conversation I added almost a page to '46 Directions' and started deconstructing one of my novels so it was a _productive_ conversation.
I hated the Epstein piece, BTW, which read to me as _I_ am a writer, but you, the little people, are probably not.
And I agree with Liath, BTW, though in my case at this moment, I'm not so certain it's a thing the world will appreciate me taking into it.
Deb
no subject
Date: 2002-10-02 01:52 pm (UTC)Not knowing how to quit is a good reason in my book. :) And sometimes you need to give yourself permission to quit in order to take the pressure off. Since you got so productive after starting the newsgroup conversation, maybe that's what happened!
I hated the Epstein thing, too. I cut a bunch of stuff out of the Why ask? post to do as a separate entry. Will see if I can pull it together.
Too long in grad school, huh?
Date: 2002-10-02 07:09 am (UTC)"Why are you a plumber?" is a question you'd ask someone conversationally while they were fixing your sink. "So, Mr. Johnson, how did you ever get into this line of work?" And then he (or she, I shouldn't be so sexist here) would natter on about his father the plumber(did it again), perhaps, tell you a little bit about his life, to pass the time.
"Why do you dance?" is a question about the mysteries of creativity. After all, almost none of us can do ballet. We're not asking why do you dance, why was this your choice, as opposed to something else. Asking "Why do you dance?", we want to know what it means to dance. We never really want to know what it means to be a plumber.
So why do you write? Writing falls between dancing and plumbing, I think, in most people's eyes. It's obviously a creative endeavor. But it's something any literate person might do. "Why do you write" might mean, why did you quit a well-paying job? Or why would you think your thoughts are so interesting (as opposed to mine)? Why should I read what you have to say? Why aren't you a stockbroker? How did you ever decide this is what you want to do for the rest of your life?
The question of writing seems to be--at least in part--a question of justification. Anyone can write, the idea goes. Look how many fanfic authors there are (as I know only too well). What makes you so special? Why you? Why this?
To which Liath's reply is beautiful and fitting. Sometimes explanations are not what is called for.
Re: Too long in grad school, huh?
Date: 2002-10-02 02:42 pm (UTC)Asking "Why do you dance?", we want to know what it means to dance.
I love that. It's so totally unanswerable, and still we can't help but yearn to know. And so we ask.
That works for me.