Writing as smooth as... It is amazing. I was asked to write a short essay for Y.B.L., a young local painter who is currently artist-in-residence at R. D. I have been putting it off for days, preferring to write an endless number of blog postings on a remarkable hodgepodge of subjects. Today I sit down at my computer to begin work on this essay, titled On Moving Out, and Moving In, and I spit it out in an endless breathless run of two hours. There, it's done. And it's only 10pm. And in between there had also been a reasonably long phone-call interval.

I owe this efficacy to this blog and its faithful (if silent) readers. Also probably to the new book I have recently acquired: Paul Auster's Collected Prose. It is an anthology that includes his critical writings on such diverse personalities as Art Spiegalman (author of Pulitzer prize-winning graphic novel Maus), french poet Jacques Dupin and American poet Linda Jackson. His style is trenchant, potent, humorous, dark. He writes words like an artist makes art, that is, one half instinct and talent, the other half sheer breathtaking craft. He compels you, page after page, to swallow the words. I am completely awed. This is a perfect example in which good reading engenders good writing.

The last time I wrote this easily was the first time I had a joint. This is much better. If you ask nicely, I may post the results of that first encounter with herbal supplements.

I will post the essay after it is published.

Labels: art writing

  ¶ 10:42 PM