When You Read Something Stirring…

This short bit of reading gave me such a strong feeling of deja vu, I felt like Kim Addonizio had used my brain and my hand to write  “How To Succeed In Po Biz.”

The brutal, ugly truth illustrated in this piece makes me uneasy; but I am happy at the same time because some one else has experienced similar things that I have experienced; not only as a writer, but also as a human.

“Humans who are writers are a devastation. Writers plunder,excavate, and strip mine without regard for the consequences to others. They suck their loved ones dry of vital fluids, revealing their beloveds’ deepest fears and yearnings. They expose the most precious secrets of their friends and family, and then take the credit and get the applause.”

“Feel anxious because you are basically a private person and can’t live up to the persona that is floating out there in the world acting tougher and braver than you. You are a writer, after all, and prefer to be alone in your own house with your cat.”

 

It’s eerie and haunting because it is true; the life of a writer is not one that is glamorous, and this painfully honest writers guide reminds me to be patient, persistent, and most of all humble.