Creativity is Not Martyrdom: Part I

“When I first moved to Paris, I found a library near my apartment and vowed to write there every day. I’d quit my job and my new one was to finish my novel, get it published, and be a real writer. At gorgeous historical libraries, bags, food and even water are forbidden, and I’d bury my distracting cellphone and computer in their mandatory lockers before submerging myself in a silent reading room.

I’d write by hand in notebooks for hours, break for lunch, take out my laptop, WiFi pre-turned off, and type up my morning’s work. Most days, I’d leave feeling exhausted and vaguely hopeless, though I told myself the more down-trodden I felt, the more I accomplished…”

Essay for Paris Lit Up about creativity, community, and the joy of collaboration.

Read full text here.