Sterling Terrell

recovering economist

Anne Lamott, Writer

Anne Lamott, Writer

I like to think of myself as a bit cosmopolitan.

Born in Europe, grew up to a large extent in Saudi Arabia, went to high school in Texas, I have two graduate degrees, blah, blah, blah…

Closer to the truth, is that I am as libertarian, white, Baptist, conservative(-ish) as you can be.

And through everything I have read, Anne Lamott is as opposite of me as you can get.

I find her a complete contradiction in so many ways.

And you know what?

I love her.

I love the way she is a mess (or has been).

I love the fact she is not like me.

I love that we share a common faith.

And I love the way she writes.

If you care about writing, do not miss her book, Bird By Bird (Amazon).

And do not miss her interview with Tim Feriss.

Writing Is Not Always Pretty

Writing Is Not Always Pretty

News flash: Writing is not always pretty.

It’s not easy either.

You fumble around and give your heart to something. You look at it for hours, for days, sometimes for months.

And when you finally show it to the world, nobody cares.

Then you write 25 words, take a picture of your foot, and everyone loves and shares it.

Sometimes your routine can be magical.

Sometimes you need to put clothes on, brush your teeth, and take out the trash.

Writing can be wonderful – we can at least make it seem so.

But writing is not always pretty, especially to a spouse.

“No woman should spend her first year of marriage watching her new husband pace the floor in his boxers, mumbling to himself. The writing life is only romantic on paper. The reality is, what writers write and the way they live can be as different as a lump of coal and a diamond. The written life is shined to a deceptive gloss.”

–Donald Miller, Scary Close

 

Sterling Terrell