Writing True
This was tweeted out by someone earlier today, and I liked it so much I’m posting it here so I can always find it again.
Write what you really think and mean, not what you think you should think and not what you thought you would think and not what you hope it will mean, but what is really authentic and true.
SUSAN ORLEAN
8 Comments on “Writing True”
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man….you always post interesting stuff when I haven’t the time to comment properly. LOL, were I the suspicious type, I would assume it was a conspiracy. So I’ll have to wait for the morning.
AHahaha
And these short posts suit my own lack of time to write much of anything.
So…..what do I say about this:
Yep.
That is probably the best word for it. I find so many people these days who love to write censor themselves for the masses. It has become more or less a habit of ours…not wishing to offend or be misunderstood, we censor ourselves and do a great disservice to everyone. Yes, you might write something that someone doesn’t like. Yes, you have a responsibility to be tactful if possible. But, damn-it, if you go around trying to change everything you want to put down on paper to suit whomever might read it….
That’s about as smart as wearing a different shoe on each foot because you’re not sure if you are going dancing or to the beach.
And it’s pretty obvious most of the time, if you are familiar with the way a person writes, that they are not saying what they intended for some reason.
The best way to write as always been from the heart.
For writers to write is the only way for humanity to chronicle it’s experiences. Future generations need to see that whatever they are feeling, seeing, experiencing…it has happened to someone else before.
It’s not the end of the road.
I like that analogy of wearing two different shoes. Not only can we not write to please everyone, we have to write in our own voice, without trying to mimic someone else. I often read advice to beginning writers not to try to write in the style of a writer they admire.
Orlean really nailed it, didn’t she? Without that, why write at all…
And how. I may do this one up in calligraphy and hang it on the wall.
I like that…very much.
Hi Linda!
It’s such a great thing to keep in mind. Hope all is well with you.