Oct 29 2009
Writing: Getting Ready
“If you write for God, you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men, you may make some money and you may give someone a little joy and you may make a noise in the world, for a little while. If you write only for yourself, you can read what you yourself have written and after ten minutes you will be so disgusted, you will wish that you were dead.” — Thomas Merton, “New Seeds of Contemplation”
I got up at 4 am and did a little writing, just to see how it felt. Fast. I gave myself just 30 minutes.
The National Novel Writing Month (aka Nanowrimo) is November. Last year, I signed up for the Flint group, but I didn’t participate. I was too busy at work. This year, I’m even busier – but I’m going to do it, anyway.
I read two recent novels and they are 1) a re-working of the author’s previous fantasy novels but in the gothic/horror genre, and 2) yet another re-telling of a classic novel. Between them, I decided that there is more entertainment value (despite the work) in writing my own novel.
For whom am I writing? God and me.
[...] “If you write for God, you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men, you may make some money and you may give someone a little joy and you may make a noise in the world, for a little while. If you write only for yourself, you can read what [...] Read more… [...]