The Maytrees, by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Dillard was just promoted on NPR with a radio interview. It struck me because of her insistence on brevity. Annie Dillard’s new novel was once 1,200 pages, but she shortened it to just 216 by focusing solely on the central love story. In her interview, she emphasized editing descriptive words to a minimum.

Superfluous… not encouraged.

The computer was identified as a tool of disservice. It encourages writers to unnecessarily expand on every thought. The speed of a keyboard facilitates instant “chatter to page” excess. Good writing demands slowing down the brain. Contemplative states produce definitive conclusions. Interesting point of view that I’d like to emulate.

The radio interview revealed her desire to retire from writing and pursue other interests! It is always encouraging to hear someone who has gained aclaim in their field, express a desire to move towards other modes of expression. Time will tell if a writer of such discipline and status can do such a thing. As an artist, how do you stop the words?