Should writing be fun? On value, commenting on comments and first proofs
Some days ago someone posted some fierce comments on a comment I wrote to comment on a comment on a post, somewhere here on Steem. It had to do with writing, and how that should be fun. This person was basically saying that if I wasn't enjoying writing, if I wasn't freewriting my way to bliss basically, than I was doing something wrong. And although everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I am also entitled to completely disagree.
Fun is not the highest value
Thing is, I don't consider 'fun' to be a good indication of value. Sure things may be fun, and yes, I also do things purely because I think they are 'fun' to do. And I'm also not trying to say everything should be morally sound and efficient. Nor does something need to be full of suffering before it can be valuable.
But. When something is the result of simply going with the flow, not putting in any effort, how then am I to say that the outcome is truly my doing? Value can only be a valuable value when I recognize effort, some sort of transformative moment in a struggle. Sure things can be easy, sure some people have talent and are able to magically concoct a beautiful piece of writing. But value comes about when what is written truly reflects a lived experience. Something deep.
So yes, even though a post may contain all the relevant information, there is a difference between someone adding bits and pieces from other places, putting in some appealing pictures stolen from other places, and using one's reputation and name (see my previous post on the fallacy of authority on Steemit), and someone who has struggled through a learning experience.
Consider literature...
Maybe I've read too much good literature, but in each and every one of the memorable stories, people work through some sh*t to get to something they value above all. Fun is never a goal. Fun is not even a good indication of being on the right track of things.
Imagine Frodo was magically resistent to Sauron's influence, to the power of the ring, and he would have simply walked through Mordor and thrown the unburdensome ring down that magic mountain without risking his life. Imagine... no. I will stop. No more spoilers. Value is valuable because of the struggle it entails. It's as simple as that.
But... shouldn't writing be fun?
I write every day. It's my desire, it's my dream come true. It is also a struggle every single day, sitting in front of that white piece of paper / empty screen. And at the end of the day, I count my words, I see what I've learned, what to continue, what to abandon. And I count my blessings, and I feel happy. (Or frustrated, or upset, or I abandon all hope, or I wonder why again I am doing this to myself.) But I also feel happy.
There is also REAL fun, but that only started when a publisher messaged me, and it wasn't the umptieth standard rejection letter, but a request for a meeting. That was almost one year ago now, and since then I've had to work through hours of editing, writing some new chapters, deleting things, explaining things better, and a lot of extra levels of frustration. But. There was also a real goal in sight. In March the book will be in the book stores. And perhaps then the real frustration will begin, facing the judgment of readers... But for now, I'm quite enjoying the processes. Yesterday I got the first proofs through the mail. So another round of editing and proofreading awaits. But this time, I cannot stop myself from smiling all through proofreading it.
I never thought I could be so happy. And I think not having happiness as a goal, has made this possible.
Let the final proof reading begin! Picture made by me. This is page 10 of the upcoming book (in Dutch) "Diagnosis of the modern philosopher - on why philosophers are mad". Still looking for an English publisher that is interested in publishing philosophy for general audience...
~Welcoming all (non-spammy) comments, including of those who strongly disagree. I would love to learn from your approach to writing, your experiences. That is also what I found in @thewritersblock, learning from each other is the most valuable experience for me so far on Steemit. So thank you for your support by sharing your own side of things!~
An incredible depth can be found in a two-lined piece, preceded by a period of doubt, effort and obsessive work. This two-lined piece may cause the reader who sees this end product to burst into resounding laughter or be moved to tears.
Being touched in one way or another is what we want from each other. No one would write or paint anything if they didn't want to reach an audience or if they didn't have a sense of mission.
Fun is a matter of definition. If hard work allows me to do a release, then this hard work is fun for me.
When I am kissed light-footed by the muse and I create something that is loved or hated through ease, it depends on the point at which this effortlessness begins. But also it is always preceded by something. To become effortless in something is, in my opinion, always the result of years of practice. When I write an article and it is written by easy hand, I have done something difficult somewhere else.
LOL: Yes, I would have been deeply disappointed if Frodo had just thrown the ring into the volcano, like it was nothing.
If we were all here for fun, that would be boring to death.
No disagreement from my side. Bummer. I thought I might find something, but can't. Actually I am in high awe of your accomplishment with the publishing industry. I know it's tough.
Great post. For me, writing can be fun or not, mood dependent. What there is at the end of writing a good piece is satisfaction and a feeling of completeness. I'd define it as joy.
If writing were easy, it would bore me quickly. What is fun is working to find the best wording. To find the right words to leave the reader with the image I want them to have (and not something else entirely). Fun is having someone read my fine-tuned polished work and tell me it had an impact on them of some sort. Real writing is work. The fun is in the results.
Absolutely.
Great article. I tend to find more frustration than "fun" in any creative process, just because i tend (like most people i guess) to never be satisfied with what i produce. This frustration is a necessary fuel for improvement.
I don't think writing, composing music or painting should necessary be fun, but reading, listening to your favorite song and appreciating great art should.
For me it's more a struggle than it is fun. There are many moments when I enjoy it. That is usually the publishing phase - knowing I have completed the piece, feel that it is as good as I can get it (at least for the time being), and proceed with releasing it for others to read.
But the actual act of putting words together isn't easy. It's a challenge, it's confronting, and usually for me at least requires much introspection. None of that I consider a burden, or an onerous task. I choose to do it. And perhaps having that choice makes me happy.
I get moments of frustration. The words wont come out right. They are all laughing at me as I attempt to corral them into an enclosure and make sense of them, and hopefully put them together in a way that others can make sense out of hem also.
It's great that you experienced happiness through your writing, eventually. It's interesting that it came about as you say 'because it wasn't your goal'. I get that, and that perhaps makes it even more real.
Somehow I thought you would agree.... Yes. I totally recognise my own experience in what you mention. I also agree that writing without introspection wouldn't be possible. Or I wouldn't call it writing. And yes, it's not a burden. It's something you do because you believe in its value. Thanks for sharing!
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