I check out books at the library like my friend buys wine. If it's highlighted on the shelf and the label is creative and cool, I give it a try. That's how I came to borrow "In Fact The Best of Creative Nonfiction". I renewed the term of borrowing I loved it so much! This is a book that starts with an introduction by Annie Dillard that is, basically, advice for young writers. (It reminds me of a book I've read a few times and recommend to young artists called: Letters to a Young Artist, by Anna Deavere Smith.)

The essays are full of delicious descriptions for a visual artist like myself. I've read and re-read Diane Ackerman's Language at Play piece. It is so visual! She describes the act of making/creating so accurately it almost hurts. As is to be expected, she puts words on a process that so many of us visual artists tend to struggle with.

It would be easy, lazy, even, to say, "Well, she's a poet, a writer - that's easy for her. I'm a (insert visual artist label) - I work with color, shape, form, etc." But I expect it is more like when someone looks at a fit woman and says, "Well, she's lucky"...or, "She's skinny".....which totally discounts the fact that she gets her ass out of bed every morning before 6a.m. and walks, runs, bikes, swims and (mostly) eats healthy.....you get the picture.