The Good Writer
Saturday, February 28, 2009
"When asked why she wrote, she replied, 'Because I'm good at it.'"
That's Flannery O'Connor as quoted by Joy Williams in her New York Times Book Review review of Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor.
Because I'm good at it. And why not? Why not abandon all the philosophizing for a moment—put the moral avatars in one corner and the world peace makers in another, give the riff raff their pot of coffee (very black) and their prime rib (bloody rare), and make a declaration?
Flannery O'Connor wrote lonely, she wrote dying, she wrote in pain, she wrote through. Flannery O'Connor wrote, and she was good. Didn't need the world to tell her (though it did). She had no time to lose.
8 comments:
Love the photo of 'one upmanship' building.
When people ask me why I am a copywriter I also say "Because I'm good at it".
I know this sounds weird, but my grandmother had this astrogoler friend and he did my chart once when I was a child. The first thing he said was that I had an amazing talent for writing. Something about a grand trine between my air signs.
Astrologer! He didn't say I was a good speller...
I've always loved that quote.
And, yes, this "reason" works much better for me than any notion of taming civilization, etc.
XO
Anna
Great post. A writer feels compelled to write. Even if there is no audience, a writer "breathes" as he or she writes. I'm just becoming comfortable calling myself a poet. I haven't published anything, but I believe that I must honor my need to write poetry. It keeps me going. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and your kind comments :)
We're so glad she did something she was good at. My goal this year has been to read more Flannery O'Connor.
Thank you for the last line of your post, too.
I adore Flannery O'Connor. I first read her in college and have been captivated ever since. When I heard of this new book, I practically swooned. Love her.
Jinsky, what a fun way to caption that photo. Lenore, you are durn good (would love to read a hilfiger line or two from you).
And Anna, SM, Sherry, and B&BM: You know what is coming! ((hugs))
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