Definition of a Writer

I had a really rough day (only worked 10 hours today) so I went to the bookstore to unwind. The bookstore is my next favorite place besides the library to gain focus and draw energy from the thousands of books.

I found a gem of a quotation in the November issue of O Magazine. It comes from writer Junot Diaz. In an article about creativity, he talked about how hard it was to write his second book. It took him 5 years before he decided to quit and live a “normal life” but his heart could not let go, so he came back to his book project. After 2 years he had a draft and then after 3 more years of revision, he finally finished his novel.

Not only did his story of perseverance strike me but also his definition of a writer:

“In my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.”

This is what I needed to hear after long stressful hours at the day job. I may not get to write as much these days—this is my reality. But I will never give up finishing my novel.