Big Magic

I firmly believe that we all need to find something to do in our lives that stops us from eating the couch. Whether we make a profession out of it or not, we all need an activity that is beyond the mundane and that takes us out of our established and limiting roles in society (mother, employee, neighbor, brother, boss, etc.). We all need something that helps us to forget ourselves for a while—to momentarily forget our age, our gender, our socioeconomic background, our duties, our failures, and all that we have lost and screwed up.

Instead, I simply vowed to the universe that I would write forever, regardless of the result. I promised that I would try to be brave about it, and grateful, and as uncomplaining as I could possibly be. I also promised that I would never ask writing to take care of me financially, but that I would always take care of it—meaning that I would always support us both, by any means necessary. I did not ask for any external rewards for my devotion; I just wanted to spend my life as near to writing as possible—forever close to that source of all my curiosity and contentment—and so I was willing to make whatever arrangements needed to be made in order to get by.

My fear became boring to me, I believe, for the same reason that fame became boring to Jack Gilbert: because it was the same thing every day

Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.

Never apologize for it, never explain it away, never be ashamed of it. You did your best with what you knew, and you worked with what you had, in the time that you were given. You were invited, and you showed up, and you simply cannot do more than that.

I noticed that my fear never changed, never delighted, never offered a surprise twist or an unexpected ending.

The work wants to be made, and it wants to be made through you.

My favorite refrigerator magnet: “I’ve suffered enough. When does my artwork improve?”

Bravery means doing something scary.
Fearlessness means not even understanding what the word scary means.

Because if you love and want something enough—whatever it is—then you don’t really mind eating the shit sandwich that comes with it.