Writing as the Art of Connection
Why write? Why create? Artist, authors, and actors have given hundreds of words to the topic, but last week, I laid hands on a copy of Jeff Tweedy’s new book, How to Write One Song. In it, he writes,
“At the core of any creative act is an impulse to make manifest our powerful desire to connect—with others, with ourselves, with the sacred, with God? We all want to feel less alone, and I believe that a song being sung is one of the clearest views we ever have to witness how humans reach out for warmth with our art.”
Truer words I’ve not read on the process of writing. This is why I’ve written and published two books and am working my way through a redraft of a novel. It’s why I pen a regular newsletter and why I marry prose with photography.
Every effort of writing is an effort toward creating connection, whether with a friend, yourself, or the Divine. In that way, every effort of writing is an effort toward formation—of relationship, community, or Divine communion.
I’ll share more about the act of creation as connection with the Divine tomorrow, but in the meantime, tell me: Is there some method or mode of art, some creative effort you use to connect with others, yourself, and God? Drop me an email and let me know.
DON’T GO JUST YET
If there’s one regret I have about The Book of Waking Up, it’s that I didn’t realize just how addicted we are to politics at the time of its writing. I suppose I understood it at a macro level, but this election cycle has exposed a much deeper addiction. If you haven’t picked up a copy, please do, and consider just how the framework of waking up applies to our political addictions.