Footsteps, Shadows and Shoulders
by Tim Anderson
“We work in the dark - we do what we can - we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art.”
–Henry James
“Our doubt is our passion…”
A friend recently confided in me about the doubts he was having about his writing. It’s not that he feels he’s a poor writer. He just wonders if he has it in him to be more than common - a writer who touches people’s lives and moves them to reconsider, to wonder, to change…
He asked if he could read me the first couple paragraphs of an essay he’s writing. As I listened to the handful of sentences over the telephone his dilemma became clear. His writing was flowing and beautiful. He’d taken a complex concept and begun to weave a tale of intrigue and mystery. In a few short sentences he’d drawn me out of the narrow confines of my home, and I found myself trekking through my mind’s eye in search of new worlds.
But… our doubt is our passion.
The root of this writer’s doubts are those we all share. He’d been walking in the footsteps of great authors - laboring in their shadows, and awkwardly attempting to balance on their shoulders. How could he possibly measure up? What hope had he of placing his meager efforts beside their time-tested masterpieces…
It’s an inescapable part of the writer’s life. The tension between sheer inspiration and utter depression. The desire to emulate juxtaposed with the fear of glimpsing greatness beyond our reach.
I have no answer - I am as deeply entrenched in the struggle as others. But, I do wish for you what I wish for myself: that you will be patient with yourself, and gentle and kind. That on your good days you’ll find your hero’s footsteps have prepared the ground and eased your journey, that their shadow protects you from the ravages of the searing sun, and that their shoulders carry you along the path when you are too weary to take another step.
On your bad days? I hope you have the wisdom to laugh heartily, and write it off to the “madness of art.”
Enjoy the journey.
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Tim Anderson specializes in writing health content and press releases. Check out his bio. and other samples of his work by clicking on his name above.
Topics: writer's life, Tim Anderson, words, Uncategorized |