This 10-part series, "A Way with Words," has focused up to this point on written sentences by notable authors. But for this post, I turn to the spoken word of Nobel laureate William Faulkner from his legendary 1956 Paris Review inerview, which I strongly encourage developing writers to read. The first page alone is worth memorizing as a mantra to guide one's writing life. Here is one such quote in response to a question about the importance of a writer's individuality:
All of us failed to match our dream of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible. In my opinion, if I could write all my work again, I am convinced that I would do it better, which is the healthiest condition for an artist. That's why he keeps on working, trying again; he believes each time that this time he will do it, bring it off. Of course he won't, which is why this condition is healthy.
For this reason, writers grow more metaphysical, painters more impressionistic, and composers more abstract. They continually and dutifully try to attain the unreachable in their artform. During the creative process, the representation of their imagination matters infinitely more to them than the linguistic mindset of their reader, the visual perspective of their viewer, or the aural sensibility of their listener. This creative endeavor, claims Faulkner, is the true work of the artist.
