WRITING
A License To Steal
Our very existence as writers is grist for the storytelling mill, and everything around us must be mined for the truth
It has recently occurred to me that many of my favorite lines from many of my favorite writers, were things they didn’t come up with on their own. It wasn’t an original thought or idea, but the comments, quips, or quotes of the author’s friends, family members, or unsuspecting strangers, sublimely captured and expertly delivered solely for our pleasure. They discovered gold, among the flotsam and jetsam of life, and were wise and experienced enough to recognize its value — then share it with the world.
That’s quite a gift, all the way around and possibly the best reason I know of to surround yourself, whenever possible, with smart, funny, insightful people. It might be the only reason. Stealing the best lines of those around you might just be the only rational excuse for leaving your home or engaging with the other humans. It’s got me thinking about joining a club of some sort, but I can’t think of any group I would ever want to be involved with. I could start a band — but musicians? Lord, have mercy, no.
I was reading a story the other morning about the recording artist Maggie Rogers and her sudden thrust into the harsh light…
