The Writing Life
Every writer and artist claims some books as favorites. Oh, the list of books expands and contracts, but some books remain forever. They either leave a permanent impression or speak to a particular moment in time. The eighteen quotes that follow come from the former rather than the latter.
I’ve read John 10 numerous times over the year and probably have memorized portions of it. Sometimes, though, the words slip across the mind’s surface without being fully acknowledged. Other times, God causes the mind and heart to pause. He shows something new or reminds the person — me — of a truth not thought about for a while.
I trade in words. If I were to go back to school, I would probably study linguistics and etymology. I like history and learning about how words morph in spelling and definition. They delight the senses, and the perfectly placed word—it’s an experience hard to describe. It prompts delight, occasions a “yes!” or an “oh” and scribbles in the margin.
I keep returning to the subjects of creativity and integrity—this marks the third occasion of writing about them in the span of a month. The predilection seems to indicate a new obsession, which I think is fine. The two topics, particularly their interactions with each other, matter. They relate to how I view work, art, and faith.
Some days, the writing life requires you to sit in the chair. Other days, the writing life ejects you from it. The words won’t come, no matter how long you stare at the screen or flip through ideas written on a Post-It or stored in Evernote.
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