Writing Is The Act Of Discovery.

The Things That Make You A Functional Citizen In Society - Manners, Discretion, Cordiality - Don't Necessarily Make You A Good Writer. Writing Needs Raw Truth, Wants Your Suffering And Darkness On The Table, Revels In A Cutting Mind That Takes No Prisoners.

Let's Say I've Directed That [writing] Energy Into Writing My Latest Book But Suddenly, I Really Want To Write About An Onion. I Don't Say To Myself, "no, You Have Stay On The Subject," Because I Know That The Longer I Stay On The Subject The More Boring I Get. So, If My Mind Wants To Write About An Onion, It Might Be A Deeper Way To Go Into What I'm Working On, Even Though It Might Seem Irrelevant. This Is How I've Learned To Follow My Mind.

Write What Disturbs You, What You Fear, What You Have Not Been Willing To Speak About. Be Willing To Be Split Open.

It’s Much Better To Be A Tribal Writer, Writing For All People And Reflecting Many Voices Through Us, Than To Be A Cloistered Being Trying To Find One Peanut Of Truth In Our Own Individual Mind. Become Big And Write With The Whole World In Your Arms.

I Consider Writing Practice A True Zen Practice Because It All Comes Back At You. You Can't Fool Anyone Because It's On The Page.