Greetings, writers—
I’m a sucker for a “Why Write?” essay. Here’s the most recent one I’ve come across.
I especially liked the Joy Williams bit: “The writer writes to serve that great cold elemental grace which knows us.”
Why do you write?
Are you still writing?
Your prompt today is the simplest ever.
Write for 20 minutes.
That’s it. Just sit down, start the timer, and go. Type or write without stopping if you can. Clear out the cobwebs or the reluctance or the performance anxiety with speed. With faith that something worthwhile will come out, even if it’s by accident.
If you’re thinking, Really, Emily? That’s all you’re going to give me today? Well, the answer is of course not.
If you want some parameters to your 20-minute write, here they are! Use one, two or a few:
Abstract ones:
a flash of belated understanding
an attempt at cooperation that goes awry
a petty conflict between friends
More concrete ones:
an object, once thought lost, that is found
an object that gets deliberately broken
an object that is given away
Happy writing—