This is the kind of BS that writers with no talent like to say to curry favor with other writers

Saturday 1/7/23

Who also have no talent.

This popped up in my Facebook feed, a quote from Jennifer Egan. She has no ability but is handed awards and worshiped by the people of the publishing system. Her writing is as memorable as that of dust's, but dust makes a greater mark.

These people love this kind of thing. See how it encourages you to be a loser? See how limited the thinking is? See how low the ceiling is? See how defeatist this is? See how comforting this is if you also have no ability and put forth no effort and also would like to have things handed to you that your work doesn't merit?

You know what you can do? You can write amazingly. Every time. You are allowed to do that. You see me do it. Constantly. Without exception. You are allowed to get so good that every damn sentence you do is how it should be. Every piece is something special from the second of its conception. Even earlier than that. Through every sentence you put to it. Every word that comes out of your mouth can be meaningful, stunning, soul-punching in the good way. Soul-embracing simultaneously.

This is terrible advice. It's the mentality of a loser. It's also the mentality of a scared person who knows they're not very good, but doesn't want anyone else to clock on.

You see the lame metaphor of priming the pump? That is such an MFA program metaphor. These people who are terrified of life, of competing, of actually having to be good at writing, of needing to have work that matters in lives and being able to create it, eat up that kind of vanilla nonsense, as if it were deep because there's an image and "prime" as a verb.

Don't be a loser. Don't think like a loser. Don't tell yourself what you can't be if you believe you are something. Go out and be it. Find a way. Then find a way once you become it to get better. The next hour. The next day. Every day. Every hour.

You can't write regularly and well? Fuck that. You can't if you suck at writing, and that's your attitude for yourself. But you don't have to suck, and this shouldn't be your attitude if you don't.