Kurt Andersen: But any kind of writing – non-fiction or fiction – is a struggle. It’s a very moment-to-moment struggle of figuring out where the right sentence, the right paragraph, the right page, the right structure for the larger thing. And when you’re writing a book – my two novels have been 600 odd pages – that becomes an enormous structure to try to get as right as possibleIt’s a pleasurable struggle when you’re done; but it is a struggle while it’s going on. I actually find the work of writing fiction less of a struggle, less of a stressful procedure than I do writing a 1,700-word essay. The essay, or journalism, is almost pure struggle. And then I’m only happy when I’m done. Whereas writing fiction has moments of pleasure amid the struggle while it’s going on.
Recorded on: July 5, 2007.
Discuss
steven mosco on January 17, 2008, 9:42 AM
I love to write … essays, journalism, columns, humor, etc … I love to do it, and I wish it to be my profession one day. But every time I do it, I feel like I might kill myself. Sometimes, absolute zero is about all I can squeeze out of my depleted mind. It is comforting to know that many of the greats feel the same way … that fills me with warmth, gas, and the necessary drive to continue my suicidal career choice.
steven mosco on January 17, 2008, 2:42 PM
I love to write … essays, journalism, columns, humor, etc … I love to do it, and I wish it to be my profession one day. But every time I do it, I feel like I might kill myself. Sometimes, absolute zero is about all I can squeeze out of my depleted mind. It is comforting to know that many of the greats feel the same way … that fills me with warmth, gas, and the necessary drive to continue my suicidal career choice.
jessica baker on January 20, 2008, 1:42 PM
The struggle of writting is when you are not feeling what you are writing. I love to write but when i am not in the mood my words arnt as meaningful, to write best i think you need to be feeling what you are writting and for most people this is depression or sad writing, Most poems seem to be sad same for lyrics, It is also good to write when your mad or angry it seems a good time to write because you can express your emotion into your words. :):)
jessica baker on January 20, 2008, 6:42 PM
The struggle of writting is when you are not feeling what you are writing. I love to write but when i am not in the mood my words arnt as meaningful, to write best i think you need to be feeling what you are writting and for most people this is depression or sad writing, Most poems seem to be sad same for lyrics, It is also good to write when your mad or angry it seems a good time to write because you can express your emotion into your words. :):)
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