Baudelaire wrote that writing happens when one meets the desk every day, sits there in a routine manner, and just works. In her 1930s autobiography, Edith Wharton paraphrases it as "the discipline of the daily task, that inscrutable 'inspiration of the writing table.'"
She was speaking of her first novel, "The House of Mirth," and about how the publisher switched up her deadlines to accomodate some other slacker writer.
"I had expected to devote another year or eighteen months to the task, instead of which I was asked to be ready within six months; and nothing short of 'the hand of God' must be suffered to interrupt my labors, since my first chapters would already be in print!" (The novel was serialized by Scribner's Magazine.)
So, should we be daring and toss about resolutions? Tomorrow, after all, is the beginning of the new year of the planet. Everyone I know has headaches, and personally, if I could slip away and hibernate, I would. I never woke up all day, but the festivities of the coming weekend mean that "no, you can't slack now; think of the upcoming time off," and that I'll be zombie-t. in the grocery store tonight.
However, yes, work equals works - unless one is "at work," in which case, work equals distractions and/or blogs of no lasting import.
After all, a blog is no novel or autobiography or social commentary-nonfiction book.
"This post is too long." "This post is too short." "This post is juuuuust right."
Right on.
1 comment:
ah yes. the old, butt+pen+chair=book scenario. it would be nice, wouldn't it?
Here is the quote I have on my desk:
"Perhaps it would be better not to be a writer, but if you must, then write. If all feels hopeless, if that famous 'inspiration' will not come, write. If you are a genius, you'll make your own rules, but if not--and the odds are against it--go to your desk no matter what your mood, face the icy challenge of the paper--write."
--J.B. Priestley
Not as succinct as the other way of saying it, but his quote uses "icy," which is one of my favorite words this month. After "pipplesqueak."
sigh. write me a sonnet :)
a.
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