Myles… you have a knack for saying just the thing that needs to be said. I agree 100% with all three of your points.
It explains why I’m weary of what seems to be two favorite topics on Substack these days: writing about writing and writing about AI (and not using it in one’s writing).
I should add that this particular piece does NOT fall in the aforementioned category of “writing about writing.” I mean, maybe it technically does, but it’s how one should write about writing if one does so. There’s no navel gazing here, and I appreciate that.
Thanks, Tsh— sometimes I’ll refer to myself in my writing, but most often I find that I just fall into a black hole when I try to do that. Better to focus on the thing I want to understand.
This piece is awesome truth. I love your summary thoughts about classic vices and how sometimes it's not that complicated. Much here for any writer to reflect upon.
I told a friend (and agent) yesterday that I was tired of the majority of writing on the internet, particularly "Christian" writing. It's become boring and predictable, at least to me. And there's so much of it.
There is a way to bend writing back to the heart of a thing, and the heart of most things are found in the transcendentals, I think. But there are times when even writing toward the transcendentals becomes its own vice. So in my mind, the question comes back to this: What makes writing good? Maybe it's whether there's a true, human connection in it.
Maybe this is just a spitball. Maybe it's an invitation to a riff.
Predictability is downstream from writing being unfree, having decided in advance that your speech is governed by what you presume the discourse needs or can hear but not what is true or at least teasing out the truth.
This is good stuff, my advice to you: keep writing!
I especially appreciate point number 1, as I have never understood people who have asked me the question "who is your audience?" My response has always been "whoever reads my articles." I read what I read, then I write about it. That should be enough.
As to point 3, there is a place to write against, but polemics must first be done after the thing being written against is properly grasped, and respected, and if you can then show how the Gospel fills in, fills out, and answers that which is missing in the system.
You weren't writing this to me, but I took it very personally. Not as gently as you intended it either, I don't think. Which tells me a lot about what's going on inside me. I'm going to have to keep coming back to this — probably for months to come. Thank you for loving us enough to write it.
I'm saving your words in my inspiration file so I can remind myself of these things every time I sit down to write. I'm about to retire from my paid freelance life, writing for different reasons now. This is such a wise way to think about this new kind of writing, which may be far more obscure than what I once did for clients, but is full of liberties that could become traps.
Thank you. I am grateful for Substack because I can find my audience that is very small. I write what is inside but do seek to serve them as well. Yes on what you say about writing about what’s wrong. Wise words here.
Yes. In putting together my newsletter over the years, that's is the kind of writing I’ve learned and tried to avoid. It gets olddddd.
Myles… you have a knack for saying just the thing that needs to be said. I agree 100% with all three of your points.
It explains why I’m weary of what seems to be two favorite topics on Substack these days: writing about writing and writing about AI (and not using it in one’s writing).
I should add that this particular piece does NOT fall in the aforementioned category of “writing about writing.” I mean, maybe it technically does, but it’s how one should write about writing if one does so. There’s no navel gazing here, and I appreciate that.
Thanks, Tsh— sometimes I’ll refer to myself in my writing, but most often I find that I just fall into a black hole when I try to do that. Better to focus on the thing I want to understand.
This piece is awesome truth. I love your summary thoughts about classic vices and how sometimes it's not that complicated. Much here for any writer to reflect upon.
I have been loving everything you have been posting recently dude! Another clear minded and well communicated take.
Great thoughts, Myles, thank you for sharing them. I share many of the same sentiments!
These are great words. So true and so needed.
I told a friend (and agent) yesterday that I was tired of the majority of writing on the internet, particularly "Christian" writing. It's become boring and predictable, at least to me. And there's so much of it.
There is a way to bend writing back to the heart of a thing, and the heart of most things are found in the transcendentals, I think. But there are times when even writing toward the transcendentals becomes its own vice. So in my mind, the question comes back to this: What makes writing good? Maybe it's whether there's a true, human connection in it.
Maybe this is just a spitball. Maybe it's an invitation to a riff.
Predictability is downstream from writing being unfree, having decided in advance that your speech is governed by what you presume the discourse needs or can hear but not what is true or at least teasing out the truth.
This is good stuff, my advice to you: keep writing!
I especially appreciate point number 1, as I have never understood people who have asked me the question "who is your audience?" My response has always been "whoever reads my articles." I read what I read, then I write about it. That should be enough.
As to point 3, there is a place to write against, but polemics must first be done after the thing being written against is properly grasped, and respected, and if you can then show how the Gospel fills in, fills out, and answers that which is missing in the system.
LOVE!! your words have challenged me -specifically on a piece I am working on!
You weren't writing this to me, but I took it very personally. Not as gently as you intended it either, I don't think. Which tells me a lot about what's going on inside me. I'm going to have to keep coming back to this — probably for months to come. Thank you for loving us enough to write it.
Wow--thanks for sharing that.
I'm saving your words in my inspiration file so I can remind myself of these things every time I sit down to write. I'm about to retire from my paid freelance life, writing for different reasons now. This is such a wise way to think about this new kind of writing, which may be far more obscure than what I once did for clients, but is full of liberties that could become traps.
Thank you. I am grateful for Substack because I can find my audience that is very small. I write what is inside but do seek to serve them as well. Yes on what you say about writing about what’s wrong. Wise words here.
A really helpful short piece, and things I need to keep in mind myself!
Great observations! They make me think, on many levels.
Brilliant! I needed these encouragements and admonitions. Thank you!
So well said. Thank you for this encouragement (challenge? direction?) toward Good.
Helpful!