Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Quitting

There's a writer I know who has called it a day. He/she has decided to stop writing.

This is someone who has published two books, received glowing reviews, appeared in Best American Short Stories, and last I heard had completed a novel.

Now he/she is done.

And I understand, I do.

There's probably nothing worse than hearing/reading about a writer bitch and moan about how hard it is to be a writer. So I won't. Go. There.

But I will say that I do think of quitting. Frequently. Especially lately.

Despite these bouts, though, I always seem to stumble my way back to that Beckett quote: I can't go on, I will go on. Or something like that.

But it makes me sad that this writer has stopped. The reading world has lost a light. And we need all the light we can get.

2 comments:

Alicia said...

This is something that's crossed my mind a time or ten. There is a burn-out factor to it. Maybe your friend just needs a break and will reconsider? I hope so. And I sure hope you don't stop!

Andrew Roe said...

Alicia! I think you're my one and only too!

Don't worry. No plans to stop. Not yet anyway...