on writing by Erica Jong

“Writing is one of the few professions left where you take all the responsibility for what you do. It’s really dangerous and ultimately destroys you as a writer if you start thinking about responses to your work or what your audience needs.”

3 thoughts on “on writing by Erica Jong

  1. I like this quote and agree to a certain extent. But I think that still a little part of us cares about the audience’s reaction. What have we got to go on otherwise? Though I never write for an audience, or put much effort into getting my stuff out there. I hope that makes sense.

    • I understand what you mean and, of course, anyone who publishes, and blogging is a form of publishing because it is making one’s work public, has to care to some extent, even if they say the opposite, of what people who might read it will think. But I think she is referring more to accepting full responsibility for your work as opposed to pandering to public opinion. In that sense, I agree with her. We generally write for ourselves first, then hope someone of like mind will read it out there and appreciate it. I’m posting another take on this issue by John Updike as soon as I finish this response that you might find interesting. It actually reflects my own thinking more.

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