The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true.
American author John Steinbeck was born on this day in 1902. (died 1968)
I’m pretty convinced that my writing, in particular my script and current novel, are among the most important things that will be written in this decade. Perhaps this century.
Vain?
Of course.
If I don’t believe that, no one else will.
Maybe I’m fooling myself. But believing it helps me to keep writing. It helps me to think that someday, perhaps someday soon, someone will want to put these words on stage or put them in print.
The day is coming.
A lot of the more successful writers will tell you not to talk about writing, but instead, to write.
Then of course they probably said that in something they wrote.
It’s been a while since I read Steinbeck. I should probably put him on the ever-growing list of writers of whom I need to read more.
Mug Shots
For now, it’s important that I keep writing.
What’s important in your life?
The things that are really important to us are the things we talk about, we think about, and yes, even the things we write about.
They’re the things where we spent most of our time.
I have already realized, and have even written about, the fact that I was, as usual, a little over ambitious at the first of the year.
And now, as March approaches I reach the season of the year when I’ll be working seven days a week. That actually happened this past weekend. I had a meeting for my regular day job (don’t get me started because yes, meetings can and should happen Monday through Friday) and Sunday I had training for my weekend job.
My reasons for this schedule are my own. Among those reasons are perhaps the fact that my novel has yet to make it to the New York Times best seller list.
Of course, it has to be written before it can make the list.
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