Sterling Terrell

smart ideas from books (mostly)

  • Home
  • About
    • My CV
    • Books
    • Series
  • Newsletter
  • Advertising
  • Tools
You are here: Home / Books / Still Writing, By: Dani Shapiro

Still Writing, By: Dani Shapiro

Still Writing, By: Dani Shapiro

Still Writing
By: Dani Shapiro
Atlantic Monthly Press (October 1, 2013)
242 pages

Still Writing was an encouraging delight. I write, and of course, I have completely fallen into the cliche position of immensely enjoying books about writing. Cannot. Look. Away. This book belongs on the shelf beside Bird By Bird and On Writing. Of course, I loved that Shapiro points to being an only child as almost being a prerequisite for the writing life. I’m so sorry that most of you will not qualify for this. It’s sad, really. But you know who does qualify? I do.

Two of my favorite quotes:

The more we have at stake, the harder it is to make the leap into writing. The more we think about who’s going to read it, what they’re going to think, how many copies will be printed, whether this magazine or that magazine will accept it for publication, the further away we are from accomplishing anything alive on the page.

It is the job of the writer to say, look at that. To point. To shine a light. But it isn’t that which is already bright and beckoning that needs our attention. We develop our sensitivity—to use John Berger’s phrase, our “ways of seeing”—in order to bear witness to what is. Our tender hopes and dreams, our joy, frailty, grief, fear, longing, desire—every human being is a landscape. The empathic imagination glimpses the woman working the cash register at a convenience store, the man coming out of the bathroom at the truck stop, the mother chasing her toddler up and down the aisle of the airplane, and knows what it sees. Look at that. This human catastrophe, this accumulation of ordinary blessings, of unbearable losses. And still, a ray of sunlight, a woman doing the wash, a carcass of beef. The life that holds us. The life we know.

Buy this book.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: BooksTagged With: #Books, #MyReadingLife2018

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Free Weekly Newsletter:

Search

Top Posts

  • The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
    The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
  • Hyatt Hill Country Sunday House
    Hyatt Hill Country Sunday House
  • Finally Making It
    Finally Making It
  • Sentience vs Consciousness
    Sentience vs Consciousness
  • How A Human Life Is Like A Single Letter Of The Alphabet
    How A Human Life Is Like A Single Letter Of The Alphabet
  • Another Great Riddle For You To Try
    Another Great Riddle For You To Try
  • Wonder Park Pi Song (Watch It Stick In Your Head)
    Wonder Park Pi Song (Watch It Stick In Your Head)
  • Economics 101: Rosy Scenario Policy
    Economics 101: Rosy Scenario Policy
  • Random Thoughts - 123
    Random Thoughts - 123
  • Sarick Effect
    Sarick Effect

Supporting = Loving

Recent Posts

  • Finally Making It
  • Thankful You Are Here To Chat
  • 2022 Kentucky Derby
  • Random Thoughts – 338
  • Cafe Energy
  • Instabooks 362
  • Overwhelming and Stressful
  • Oblique Humor Is Better Than Anonymity
  • Random Thoughts – 337
  • With You Watching Tinker Bell
  • This Celebrity Grew Up With John McEuen
  • The Magic Of Comedic Confidence
  • Random Thoughts – 336
  • Not Offering Punchlines
  • A Needle In A Haystack, Not A Haystack
  • Living Closer To All Of
  • Instabooks 361
  • Random Thoughts – 335
  • My Mad Money Stash
  • Where I Sit 22
  • Of Farming But It’s Mostly
  • Unique Comedy
  • Bathrooms I Despise
  • A Letter To Every Email Unsubscribe
  • Skipping The Needless Drama

Copyright © 2022 · Generate Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in