Death-Defying Writing

I like to think that all my writing is now death-defying since I've come close to the idea of death. Perhaps it will make my prose all the more bittersweet and heartrending, although I doubt that.

Working on a blog but it seems a bit more focused on quantity rather than quality -- although what did I expect? Journalism as I know it is gone . . . which makes me a little sad sometimes. The good news? Another English class, which means I won't be suffering financially. But I'm now wondering how much I like teaching -- is it just because I'm only doing it part-time that I like it, or do I really like teaching in general?

I also know that I have to finish my book -- to have 150 pages done and not to finish the rest is the height of sloth and stupidity. I need to get it done because by doing so I'm creating several different new paths for my life. And my stories about the women in my family must be told, it's something that I've realized lately as I've read lackluster books and writers.

On that note, David Kirkpatrick also had something to say about journalists that echoes my sentiments exactly:



From the interview:

I knew for a good ten or fifteen years that I should write a book--because in our field, writing a book is the way to take your career to the next level. That's just proven, time and time again. No matter how good you are at magazine or newspaper journalism, if you write a book (even a crummy book!), you are a book author. Somehow that changes the world's perception of you.

God, it's so true. Once you write a book, your cachet really starts to equal cash -- either from speaking gigs, teaching or even freelance writing -- check how many articles are written in leading magazines by those with books. Somehow you become an expert and are paid accordingly.

So all signs still point to finishing my book. Isn't that the best defense against death? To have part of yourself live on after you die, perhaps (if you're lucky) forever?