Big Magic

An inspirational read. First, the book is genuinely well-crafted (sure, it comes off a little cheesy at times but in the end, it is a self-help book...), Gilbert's tone gentle but assertive with nice conceits from her life and those of other creatives to illustrate her points. But I think what struck me most when reading this is how almost everything she was saying corresponded to my relationship with competitive running – how I put an incredible amount of time and effort into it, how I dedicate myself to it everyday through highs and lows (in constant recognition that most days are in-between), how I use it as a means to escape myself, how much I've come to realize the only way to run so much and stay sane is if performance matters, but also doesn't matter at all... And I realize that this is because my relationship with running is the same love relationship Gilbert has with her writing. I don't run to make a living off it, or because of what someone else will think of it... I run because I have to. I run because it feeds my soul. And writing, though I do not practice it so religiously as I run, has the same effect for me. So why am I so afraid to pursue that relationship?

Alright I'm getting a little too deep into my own experience here. Basically, this book has lit a fire in me to get writing – without fear, but also without expectation. Because I love it, and I think, maybe, it too loves me.