Here’s one of my favorite writing quotes:
“Love what you do and do what you love. Don’t listen to anyone else who tells you not to do it. You do what you want, what you love. Imagination should be the center of your life.”
― Ray Bradbury
It’s an inspirational quote from a fabulous writer, but that’s not why I like it.
I like it because it’s a useful quote for me now, especially the first four words “love what you do.”
You see, I want to become a good writer. I do some things well, helping me move towards this goal—for instance, I am a consistent writer—but as I have discussed before, I have yet to master the craft of editing, something which I believe underpins all good writing.
And that’s where the first part of the quote comes in, because I now like the process of editing. Heck, I would say I even look forward to editing.
Granted, liking isn’t the same thing as loving, but it is a necessary step towards it, and I have a suspicion that as I improve at the craft of editing—and certainly editing is a craft—there will come a time when it will become a spark of joy.