John Stanko

Usually I only refer to books when I've finished them, but I just started Julia Cameron's The Right to Write:  An Invitation and Initiation into the Writer's Life.  I just can't help jumping ahead and passing on her words from the introduction as Cameron answers the question, "Why should we write?"

We should write because it is human nature to write.  Writing claims our world.  It makes it directly and specifially our own.  We should write because humans are spiritual beings and writing is a powerful form of prayer and meditation, connecting us both to our own insights and to a higher and deeper level of inner guidance as well.

We should write because writing brings clarity and passion to the act of living.  Writing is sensual, experiential, grounding.  We should write because writing is good for the soul.  We should write because writing yields us a body of work, a felt path through the world we live in.

We should write, above all, because we are writers whether we call ourselves writers or not.  The Right to Write is a birthright, a spiritual dowry that gives us the keys to the kingdom.  Higher forces speak to us through writing.  Call them inspiration, the Muses, Angels, God, Hunches, Intuition, Guidance, or simply a good story--whatever we call them, they connect us to something larger than ourselves that allows us to live with greater vigor and optimism.

Convinced?  Make sense?  If so, then what are doing to fulfill this common human expression of life?  Start a blog, keep a journal, look to self-publish a book of poetry or a children's' book.  Write an article for a magazine and submit it for publication.  So what if they say, "No thanks!"  Start your own magazine! 

I am reading Cameron's book, one chapter at a time, sort of as a daily devotional.  She always stimulates and massages my desire to write and helps me see myself as a writer.  I will pass along other quotes as I move through the book.

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