Comments on: Why I Write

By: Kyrsten Bean

Kyrsten Bean — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 23:27:11 +0000

This was a refreshing article to stumble across. The writing I enjoy the most is from my own life. The writing I enjoy reading the most is from other people’s lives. With a similar background (home life, streets, drugs, etc.), I have come at the writing life from an unstructured place. It started very young. Writing and music, to me, are a lifeline. I don’t drink or do drugs anymore. I don’t force myself to fit into molds that make me self-destruct, based on hard experience. Writing and music are my drug and they help me make meaning of seeming nonsense. I do write freelance articles, but only if they teach me something, help a local business, or are enjoyable to write. I’ve attempted to write a couple of fiction stories–the best ones always end up being disguised non-fiction.

What I like most here is what you are alluding to…that when you follow your own drum/meaning/purpose in your art, it works, and when you ignore it for outside reasons that don’t inspire you deep down, you lose it, thus stultifying what makes your art your art.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 17:01:55 +0000

Heard of a book that kind of has me in it Stephen, I would love it if you could let me know which one so I can get it……but I am so glad to see you are doing great after all we went through!

By: Laurie

Laurie — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 08:11:23 +0000

Wonderful essay. I would say, however, some of the best American writing is on TV– The Wire, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Friday Night Lights, The Sopranos. It is as literate, emotionally true and thought provoking as any fiction published.

By: Ray

Ray — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 22:20:49 +0000

I think this was the first thing I ever read on the Rumpus back when it was first published. I guess one of my NOLA writer friends Sam or Mark must have forwarded it. Rereading it today, it means something totally different to me now than it did last year. This essay, The Adderall Diaries, the Daily Rumpus, have all had a huge effect on how I write and how I think about writing. I’m writing more now, I’m writing almost every day, and I’m digging deeper.

Thanks, Stephen.

By: Sharanya

Sharanya — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:49:49 +0000

Sometimes you make it so easy to love you, Stephen.

By: Jessica Raya

Jessica Raya — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:19:13 +0000

Damn, I wish I had a friend or two like you who I could meet for beers and talk out this curse/blessing of a vocation. Particularly now as I slog through a two-year-stale manuscript that I sometimes love and mostly abhor and my very enthusiastic agent just wants to sell already. Your exquisitely honest (and accurate) essay will have to suffice, but the next time I’m in a pub I’ll pour one for my west coast homie.

Thanks for this.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:30:18 +0000

Stephen, I’ve only read the first part (I) of this, but this is amazing stuff! I can’t wait to read Happy Baby now. Then I’ll go on to part II and so forth, if I have the patience to read you in chronological order! (oh, but I forgot I read the Adderall Diaries already! shoot! no matter — I can reread it when I’m done….)

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:23:55 +0000

Phew. I am so glad I found this piece. Thank you for writing it. I never wanted to teach but I have found myself edging toward it in my writing program because “it looks good.” But you are right – the pay is horrible, and it is a lot of work if you don’t really want to do it. I would so much rather be a bartender.

By: lali

lali — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:38:40 +0000

Honest.Powerful.Like a stinging slap. For some to action perchance!?

By: Darren

Darren — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:13:12 +0000

I am really inspired by this, thank you