I'm Not A Very Good Writer, But

About A Billion Years Ago, Long Before The Continents Had Separated To Define The Ancient Oceans, Or Their Own Outlines Had Been Determined, A Small Protuberance Jutted Out From The Northwest Corner Of What Would Later Become North America.

As A Younger Man I Wrote For Eight Years Without Ever Earning A Nickel Which Is A Long Apprenticeship, But In That Time I Learned A Lot About My Trade.

You Write That First Draft Really To See How It's Going To Come Out.

Being Goal-oriented Instead Of Self-oriented Is Crucial. I Know So Many People Who Want To Be Writers. But Let Me Tell You, They Really Don't Want To Be Writers. They Want To Have Been Writers. They Wish They Had A Book In Print. They Don't Want To Go Through The Work Of Getting The Damn Book Out. There Is A Huge Difference.

Although Most Of Us Know Vincent Van Gogh In Arles And Paul Gauguin In Tahiti As If They Were Neighbors -- Somewhat Disreputable But Endlessly Fascinating -- None Of Us Can Name Two French Generals Or Department Store Owners Of That Period. I Take Enormous Pride In Considering Myself An Artist, One Of The Necessaries.