Untitled (Never Perfect Enough), Barbara Kruger, 2020.
Dear Writers,
Another little incident around the extended family table, another little day of hashing out what the hell all that could have meant.
One thing I know, is that I was offended at the notion of not being noticed as a writer. What, is there a minimum page requirement? Psh. Are people using words without a publisher exempt from this action, then, of putting down words on to a screen or page? These ones are 'not-writers?' Psh.
I guess what I am saying here, and I invite you to rise up with me and claim your place as a writer, is that I WRITE, therefore, I AM (A) WRITER.
PS
I know, it's pretty forceful, but, I am pretty sure that I have already pleaded with, permitted you, to claim your place as artist, and I believe that the saying it is what makes it true, not anything else really. Let me try to give you an example... How many words in a language constitute knowing how to speak it? How many times do you need to pedal around your block before you are a bicycle rider? How many hours do you need to play guitar to be a musician? Of course I am aware of the fine points, of the tens of hours a week practicing, of the notion of some- I know some Spanish, un poquito. I play a few chords. Et cetera. If it makes you feel more confident, you can add the some: I am a sometimes artist. I do some writing. I can live with that; but I cannot live with arbitrary gate-making and -keeping, or the false notion that unless you make money at it, you are not it. The difference between you singing in your car and the singer in the band is that you are not in a band currently. Period.
