Writing is staying one half-step ahead of the reader en
route to an unknown destination. The unknowing writer is the best guide; the
reader will experience a description of each step as the writer figures it out
for himself.
The unknown is paradoxical. It is something that causes
anxiety in all of us. Each one of us has been nervous about the results of an
exam or worried about the future ups and downs of our jobs and debts. Even
digging beneath the Christmas tree sparks a feeling of uneasiness as we examine
presents and wonder what's inside.
Yet, the unknown is the only path to truth. The most
meaningful questions have the muddiest answers. Is there a God? What is the
meaning of life? Most of our time is occupied in the clear end of the pond as
we build the next Iphone and repair our lawnmowers. Life's important questions
are in the swamp.
So as the writer picks words and builds sentences, the best
ones do it as they are stepping through the swamp themselves. The stories that come
out of this writing lay bare the excitement, fear and regret of the new Dad and
the utility and greed of the corporation, stories that show conflict and
complexity. We know the truth lies in the blind and sluggish and we demand it
from our writers. So we should.
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