Monday, June 15, 2009

Being a Writer

In the July issue of "O Magazine" Pam Houston has a conversation with the great Nobel novelist, Toni Morrison, one of my favorite authors. Here Morrison describes her relationship with writing.

"Writing...holds me in the world in healthy relationship, with language, with people, bits of everything filter down, and I can stay here. Everything I see or do, the weather and water, buildings...everything actual is an advantage when I am writing...When I am not writing...then I see chaos, confusion, disorder."

Does writing help to order our world? If this is so, does my concern with regards to the de-emphasis of sentence structure matter? Or, is it perhaps a different kind of order that will prove advantageous for future generations? I have my doubts.

Perhaps my concern for sentence structure, or the eroding lack of structure in so many areas, is centered in my belief that such assists in developing our ideas and goals. Writing seems to order our world, individually and collectively. Without such what do we have?

7 comments:

Marion said...

That is a fabulous quote and so true. Toni Morrison is one of my favorite writers. "Song of Solomon" has no equal, IMO.

Judith Ellis said...

Hi Marion - Good to see you. I love the "Song of Solomon!" In fact, there is nothing that Morrison has written that I do not love!

Opaque said...

It is interesting that Morrison mentioned this - "When I am not writing...then I see chaos, confusion, disorder."

Frankly, when I see "chaos, confusion and disorder", then is when I hold my pen and start writing.

A nice post, as always!!!

Opaque said...

Hmm, I realize my last comment is a bit... confusing. I mean, that it is "chaos, confusion and disorder" that act as a muse to me. I mean, I write songs against it.

But, then, thinking of it in a literal sense, I reckon I am with Morrison. Instead of "looking" and being able to do nothing, you are better off writing.

Writing something about it to evoke a strong emotion amongst masses shall at least help raise your voice against it.

Making sense?!

Judith Ellis said...

Yes, Ajey, your comments both make a lot of sense. I think the impetus that you are writing of maybe the same as Morrision's, that of trying to make sense of it all. This is what artists often do: They try to bring order to disorder through structured imagination.

The Write Girl said...

Tony Morrison is amazing. Well I've read three of her books. "Bluest Eye," "Sula," and "Beloved" (which was a masterpiece). Writing is amazing because it captures a moment in time and space. I am always fascinated with historical docucments and old writing. It's amazing how some of these writers and artists have retained its relevancy. Writing will always be important, and blogging to me is another form of creativity.

Judith Ellis said...

Yes, The Write Girl, Morrison is amazing and your comment about writing and space and time is true. I am also fascinated that regardless of the time human nature remains that same as is expressed similiarity, even with the variances in style.