When a man becomes a writer, I think he takes on a sacred obligation to produce beauty and enlightenment and comfort at top speed.- Kurt Vonnegut
Vonnegut is one of my favorite writers, so it’s hard to argue his point.
But I’ll add that “beauty and enlightenment” are aspirational. You need not be able to produce either to become a writer. It would be ideal, of course, and it will probably increase both readership and profits, but you can be a writer without producing either of these things.
We write to be known. To be remembered. To improve our skills. To connect with others. To find meaning in our lives. To tell the stories that reside in our hearts and minds.
These reasons and a million more.
“Top speed,” however? Produce your work at top speed?
Yes, I agree with Vonnegut. Wholeheartedly. It’s how I’ve been living my life for a long, long time.
Many people sent me messages after seeing the musical Hamilton commenting on how the song “Non-Stop” reminded them so much of me.
Why do you write like you’re running out of time?
Write day and night like you’re running out of time?
Every day you fight, like you’re running out of time?
Also…
How do you write like tomorrow won’t arrive?
How do you write like you need it to survive?
How do you write every second you’re alive?
Every second you’re alive? Every second you’re alive?
Hamilton also apparently wrote at top speed, just like Vonnegut advises.
I suspect it’s for two distinct reasons, similar to my own:
1. We have a lot to say. Perhaps too much to say. I’ve written a blog post every day for the last 19 years without ever missing a day. Add to that a dozen books, hundreds of magazine columns, thousands of letters, four musicals, poems, and much more. Add to that the hundreds of stories, two solo shows, stand-up sets, and other public speaking performances that I’ve performed onstage.
I’m sure much of it wasn’t exactly scintillating content (and a lot less impressive than Hamilton’s or Vonneguet’s prose), but still, I always have something to say, even when people would like me to shut the hell up.
2. We are under no illusion that tomorrow is guaranteed. It’s not easy to carry the burden of an everpresent, relentless awareness of your mortality on your back, but it certainly encourages you to move at top speed. It fans the flames of desire and creativity when you live in constant terror that tomorrow is an illusion.
Hamilton was also giving birth to a new nation, which perhaps lit an additional fire under his belt.
Hamilton and I also came from humble beginnings with much to prove, which also helped, I think, but Hamilton was also an immigrant, which probably fueled his fire even more.
Hamilton also didn’t suffer through meaningless meetings or useless professional development seminars. He wasn’t schlepping his kids to Little League games and dance practice and Scout meetings. He wasn’t asked to fill out questionnaires online prior to a doctor’s visit, only to answer the same damn questions with paper and pen when you arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment that is 30 minutes late.
So maybe he had more time, too.
Lucky him.
