Annie writes again

I literally do the same thing every day. I believe that discipline and self-love are the total secrets to freedom. I sit down at the same time every day because I don’t want it to be an issue. I’m like a teenager. If you give me a chance to negotiate around sitting down at 9 a.m. and beginning the piece, I’m going to be like a 15-year-old. I may have a reason why that doesn’t really make sense and why you’re trying to bum my trip.

My dad taught me that to be a writer is a decision and a habit. It’s not anything lofty, and it doesn’t have that much to do with inspiration. You have to develop the habit of being a certain way with yourself. You do it at the debt of honor. I’ve written 13 books now. It’s not really important that I write a lot more books, but I do it as a debt of honor. I got one of the five golden tickets to be a writer, and I take that seriously. I don’t love my own work at all, but I love my own self. I love that I’ve been given the chance to capture the stories that come through me.

-Anne Lamott, interview on goodreads.com

Comes out March 20th.

4 Comments

Writer / Mummy

March 16, 2012 at 11:08 am Reply

I was really moved by this description of being a writer.

I particularly relate to this – “I don’t love my own work at all, but I love my own self” because I kinda feel like that myself (well I’m a long way from loving myself but I find it encouraging that you don’t have to love your own work to be a writer!)

I sincerely hope that one day I might earn a golden ticket. :O)

Rachael

March 17, 2012 at 9:13 pm Reply

annd think how grateful we are that she took the time to write, edit, and eventually get it out there! That’s what you have to remember when it starts to feel like “why do I even bother?” (or at least, that’s what I have to tell myself.)