ART AND WRITING: BREATHE DEEPLY OF IT

If anything in your life is more important than writing—anything at all—you should walk away now while you still can. Forewarned is forearmed.
For those who cannot or will not walk away, you need only remember this.
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Writing is life. Breathe deeply of it.
 
— Terry Brooks, “Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life

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A friend disagreed with me once about the blessings of art in contrast to the curses of the artist. It is a fascinating subject indeed. And those who are not a slave to the muses have difficulty understanding the yoke the artist wears around their neck.
Art is the most beautiful burden, and that does not necessarily make it a bad thing.
In a conversation with my wonderful editor on if writing my second book will be easier than the first, I replied that, for a writer, ease is the enemy. Ease is the sign that you have stopped; ease is the sign that you have become comfortable with your writing ability, and that—well--that is a most dangerous position to be. If you ever believe that writing is “easy,” you must know that you are simply fooling yourself:

Danger! Danger! You must turn back!

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Side note: This is an amazing book. You should read it!

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So how do these two topics amalgamate? How does the burden of writing keep us from the dangers of ease?
Burden is the sign of growth; hardship is the sign of progress. Triumph over burden means that your passion is true, and true passion is the crux of good Art.
So, let me broaden the words of the great master above me...

​“[Art] is life. Breathe deeply of it.”

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