Thursday, September 17, 2026

Annie Dillard

Annie Dillard said this about writing:

 

It is life at its most free, if you are fortunate enough to be able to try it, because you select your materials, invent your task, and pace yourself.

 

One of the recurring themes of this online collection of notes is that writing doesn’t start with questions of craft. Dillard talked about writing as a way of life, rather than a collection of skills or competencies.

I suppose you saw her obituary in the newspapers too.

• Source: Annie Dillard, The Writing Life; New York, HarperPerennial, 1990, p. 11.
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