Write. No amount of self-inflicted misery, altered states, black pullovers or being publicly obnoxious will ever add up to your being a writer. Writers write. On you go.
Interpretation
Being a writer is defined by the act of writing, not by external circumstances or personal struggles.
A.L. Kennedy emphasizes that the essence of being a writer lies in the commitment to writing itself, regardless of the challenges or eccentricities one may face. This quote suggests that true writers must continuously engage with their craft rather than let life's difficulties define their identity or abilities as writers.
In practice
During a motivational speech for aspiring authors.
You can look at the words on this paper and, because they are the ones I am used to choosing, they will show you the shape of me. I am here to be read in the way you might read the impression of my weight in a bed after a still night, a restless night, a night not alone.
Remember you love writing. It wouldn’t be worth it if you didn’t. If the love fades, do what you need to and get it back.
Read. As much as you can. As deeply and widely and nourishingly and irritatingly as you can. And the good things will make you remember them, so you won't need to take notes.
I think the idea of art kills creativity.
Because of 'World War Z' and 'The Walking Dead,' I can't pitch a modest little zombie film which is meant to be sociopolitical.
I was 7, and I remember being given a part in a play and thinking, This is exciting.
To me, beauty is inclusion - every size, every color - that's the world I live in.
Sashimi is velvet dust, verging on silk, or a bit of both, and the extraordinary alchemy of its gossamer essence allows it to preserve a milky density unknown even by clouds.... my cheeks recalled the effects of its profound caress.
Everyone who gave me food, who took away my hunger, inspired me to compose. They told me their stories, and I had no other way to console them than with a piece of music, and that is how I learned. I did not resolve their problems with my songs, but I created a moment of release.
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