Monday, March 26, 2012

The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#121) -- Ultimate Writing Goal

Why do you want to be published? What is your ultimate goal for your writing?

Wow! There's a metaphor and a theme
in this story if you look hard enough!
Ten years ago, I would have answered this question: "I want my stuff to be taught in schools long after I'm gone."

But that has changed.

My goal for my writing now that I'm a far more weathered creator (that's a big writer word for "old") is simply to be remembered for telling a good story and making people care about people don't really exist but feel like they should. That's it.

No more aspirations of being the next Hemingway (Carver already did that, right?) or being some paragon of literary technique whose works are studied and scrutinized under a microscope in literature classes for me (although I still love to scrutinize stories and discuss technique like nobody's business and will for the rest of my life, I'm sure). I'm content to merely create tales that make people care enough to remember them.

All in all, I don't think that's such a bad goal. (After all, one could do worse than be a swinger of birches; thank you, Mr. Frost.)

2 comments:

  1. I used to have literary aspirations. I used to want to be a huge success and be emulated and all that. Now I just want to raise my kids. That's my only goal now. To make enough money to help raise my family. Not very inspirational, I guess. But there it is. I think everybody ought to be able to eke out a living doing what they do best and for me this is it.

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