“It is not merely that writing ‘helps’ thinking - it is the case that thinking above a certain level of complexity and scale is not possible without writing.”
That is why I write. Writing forces me to see my thoughts in print, to examine them, to organize them, and to be critical of them. It is the best therapy known to man.
Whether it is the golden rays of dawn for a glorious new age in our civilisation, or the kindling of a conflagration that will consume it utterly, it matters not. We will carve our interpretations of this Light into the bowels of databanks for future cyber-explorers to discover in the rotting ruins we will one day certainly leave behind. It may fall tomorrow, or in a thousand years; regardless, we will write. Even if only for the devouring void, like a Babylonian tablet tossed into a well, never to be read again. But as sure as our time births a new Light,
Thank you. I hope to do it more. This app is a blessing for writers and readers alike; the sheer volume of quality to be found here is fantastic. It’s certainly easy to think someone has already said what I have to say, and perhaps that is completely true. Nevertheless, as you suggest, there is more to writing than just conveying ideas; for myself, it is almost cathartic, and a joy. And that alone is worth it, even if those words are squirrelled away in a forgotten corner of a hard drive. But then… why not share it? Perhaps I shall.
Thank you for your encouragement, and your own posts. God bless.
This is lovely and compelling. Thank you for the included letters as examples. There's nothing sweeter than a letter from a friend, yet so rare to receive one these days. Keep writing! We are reading and inspired by your words.
Inspiring... Maybe I will start writing here in my so-far empty Substack, although I have no idea what I'd write about... But this: "Too many excellent men in our sphere inhabit a purely passive role, consuming without producing." That rings too true, in my experience. Maybe it's the fault of Facebook (yeah, OK, it is) ; everyone likes the idea of getting a letter, but rare is the friend who actually engages in actual correspondance....
For to me Substacke is in trooth a forge in which one might mayhap perchahnce ackomplish an Alloy of The Passions and The Raison, ain Durable Match for the Stinginge Blayde of Veracitie.
PS: I looke forwarde to readinge your follow-up piese
Writing is such a beautiful thing. It truly does transcend the thoughts of the writer. Before, he was tangled in a mess that vaguely pointed in one direction or another, perhaps a thousand. Yet by the writing and rewriting, he becomes something more. He becomes beyond time, a gift of God that the writer shall have discovered time travel to such a degree that even the vaunted camera could not achieve. The camera captures the sight, but writing captures the heart.
There are many observations writing has allowed me to arrive at that I simply could never have grasped otherwise. This is especially true as I move along the spectrum of abstraction from prose to lyrical prose to poetry, with the latter constructing ideas which allow me to resolve paradoxes.
Of utmost importance, however, is that in order to write well, you must observe in honesty, while actively denying your prejudices. And you must also put yourself into the shoes of another, including those who you might be repulsed by
Yes, quite so. It’s a shame that Substack doesn’t really reward poetry at all, but something about this medium means that it never seems to get much traction.
A case for writing to be sure. Substack is very monetarily driven though which will always incentivize pandering to existing subscribers and attracting new ones in a way personal correspondence does not. Of course personal correspondence also has its own set of incentives to be sure.
Thanks for the inspiration. One of these days I’ll get a newsletter going in earnest. I write legal briefs for a living and am quite confident in my ability to persuasively construct and deconstruct arguments in that context.
But every time I try to write something more creative, I hate it. Intensely. I suppose that’s some sort of psychological block I need to work through. And the only way to break through it is to just do it. Uggh.
Creative writing is brutal. If it’s any consolation, looking back I was so embarrassed about my early essays on here that I deleted a few of them. You just have to start, accept it’s going to be bad at first, and keep refining your craft again and again
A few years ago I wrote a legal history of speech in the classroom in relation to the Rufo anti-CRT laws and posted it on Substack. Some rando on Twitter said something like, “We already knew all that. You wasted your time.” I hadn’t seen any other piece making the same points or providing the same historical context, but upon reflection, the exercise did feel like a waste of time.
But you make a good counter-argument here as to why it’s worthwhile regardless of engagement. Especially if I can dig deeper than I did in that initial trial run.
Yeah the ‘we already knew all of that doesn’t hold water’. Information is unevenly distributed. Even if you hadn’t made an original contribution- and I have no doubt you did - the synthesis and distribution is a valuable service. No new ideas under the sun, after all.
Thank you for your inspiring letters. This is a real wake-up call to try and put one's thoughts to words and test if his ideas can form coherent and sensible works.
“It is not merely that writing ‘helps’ thinking - it is the case that thinking above a certain level of complexity and scale is not possible without writing.”
That is why I write. Writing forces me to see my thoughts in print, to examine them, to organize them, and to be critical of them. It is the best therapy known to man.
Thank you for a wonderful essay.
Thanks Roger
Writing is magic.
What you are really asking us to do is to perform magic, to collectively ensorcell the world.
Not a bad plan. I usually don't bother; few, if any, bother to read what I post. But you make an excellent point this is more for me than for others.
Besides, my wife has nagged me for years to write what I think. She seems to believe whatever butter is churning between my ears has some value.
Maybe she's been right.
Thank you for this essay. I hope you will present more along this line.
Thanks Sean. Hope you share your butter with us
Think about what you just said…
;)
There is a Light on the horizon.
Whether it is the golden rays of dawn for a glorious new age in our civilisation, or the kindling of a conflagration that will consume it utterly, it matters not. We will carve our interpretations of this Light into the bowels of databanks for future cyber-explorers to discover in the rotting ruins we will one day certainly leave behind. It may fall tomorrow, or in a thousand years; regardless, we will write. Even if only for the devouring void, like a Babylonian tablet tossed into a well, never to be read again. But as sure as our time births a new Light,
We shall write.
Nice writing
Thank you. I hope to do it more. This app is a blessing for writers and readers alike; the sheer volume of quality to be found here is fantastic. It’s certainly easy to think someone has already said what I have to say, and perhaps that is completely true. Nevertheless, as you suggest, there is more to writing than just conveying ideas; for myself, it is almost cathartic, and a joy. And that alone is worth it, even if those words are squirrelled away in a forgotten corner of a hard drive. But then… why not share it? Perhaps I shall.
Thank you for your encouragement, and your own posts. God bless.
This is lovely and compelling. Thank you for the included letters as examples. There's nothing sweeter than a letter from a friend, yet so rare to receive one these days. Keep writing! We are reading and inspired by your words.
Thank you Marybeth. I’m glad you found it meaningful
Inspiring... Maybe I will start writing here in my so-far empty Substack, although I have no idea what I'd write about... But this: "Too many excellent men in our sphere inhabit a purely passive role, consuming without producing." That rings too true, in my experience. Maybe it's the fault of Facebook (yeah, OK, it is) ; everyone likes the idea of getting a letter, but rare is the friend who actually engages in actual correspondance....
You should. Once you start, the ideas flow, and writing the next piece becomes easier
This is encouraging.
For to me Substacke is in trooth a forge in which one might mayhap perchahnce ackomplish an Alloy of The Passions and The Raison, ain Durable Match for the Stinginge Blayde of Veracitie.
PS: I looke forwarde to readinge your follow-up piese
In all seriousness I find you hugely inspiring in that you put a great amount of work into a truly niche subject. Eccentric aristocrat behaviour
Autistocrat more like
Thanks mang
Writing is such a beautiful thing. It truly does transcend the thoughts of the writer. Before, he was tangled in a mess that vaguely pointed in one direction or another, perhaps a thousand. Yet by the writing and rewriting, he becomes something more. He becomes beyond time, a gift of God that the writer shall have discovered time travel to such a degree that even the vaunted camera could not achieve. The camera captures the sight, but writing captures the heart.
It’s incredible how many things I didn’t know I believed until they emerged out of my own writing
There are many observations writing has allowed me to arrive at that I simply could never have grasped otherwise. This is especially true as I move along the spectrum of abstraction from prose to lyrical prose to poetry, with the latter constructing ideas which allow me to resolve paradoxes.
Of utmost importance, however, is that in order to write well, you must observe in honesty, while actively denying your prejudices. And you must also put yourself into the shoes of another, including those who you might be repulsed by
Yes, quite so. It’s a shame that Substack doesn’t really reward poetry at all, but something about this medium means that it never seems to get much traction.
Nice post
Cheers Sam
Ok, but how do you get good at writing?
Practice, and lots of reading of high quality works. I've also heard good things about the book 'On Writing Well' by Zinsser
The greatest privilege it is to bear the written word
From elder days into our time, for by it we are spurred
To dream--to dare--to do! And thus the Keeper of that Flame
May stir a sleeping man awake, remind him whence he came.
To rich and poor without regard this benefit is giv'n,
That we may imitate the Lord, Worder of Earth and Heav'n.
But let the writer ware, for he who uses wording's wealth
To shape the world is shaped thereby, and writing, writes himself.
An excellent piece, and timely. You earned a sub with this one. Thanks.
I took your advice and plan to continue. Thanks, your suggestion was important to me.
Very good!
A case for writing to be sure. Substack is very monetarily driven though which will always incentivize pandering to existing subscribers and attracting new ones in a way personal correspondence does not. Of course personal correspondence also has its own set of incentives to be sure.
True. But I’m inspired that some people seem to post purely for the love of the game
Thank you very much for this beautiful essay
Thanks Janine
Thanks for the inspiration. One of these days I’ll get a newsletter going in earnest. I write legal briefs for a living and am quite confident in my ability to persuasively construct and deconstruct arguments in that context.
But every time I try to write something more creative, I hate it. Intensely. I suppose that’s some sort of psychological block I need to work through. And the only way to break through it is to just do it. Uggh.
Creative writing is brutal. If it’s any consolation, looking back I was so embarrassed about my early essays on here that I deleted a few of them. You just have to start, accept it’s going to be bad at first, and keep refining your craft again and again
A few years ago I wrote a legal history of speech in the classroom in relation to the Rufo anti-CRT laws and posted it on Substack. Some rando on Twitter said something like, “We already knew all that. You wasted your time.” I hadn’t seen any other piece making the same points or providing the same historical context, but upon reflection, the exercise did feel like a waste of time.
But you make a good counter-argument here as to why it’s worthwhile regardless of engagement. Especially if I can dig deeper than I did in that initial trial run.
Yeah the ‘we already knew all of that doesn’t hold water’. Information is unevenly distributed. Even if you hadn’t made an original contribution- and I have no doubt you did - the synthesis and distribution is a valuable service. No new ideas under the sun, after all.
Thank you for your inspiring letters. This is a real wake-up call to try and put one's thoughts to words and test if his ideas can form coherent and sensible works.