Dave Eggers

Yeah, you have to start getting it down.

And I think you do get more skilled at... I've taught a lot of memoir writing to older, you know, to adults.

And most of what people write is not for a mass audience or any audience.

It's for them.

I don't want to say that it's a cliche that it's therapeutic, but it is.

It's like you could, what you get down on the page half the time is as good as 100 therapy sessions with a professional.

Well, it's a cliche for a reason because it's true.

Yeah.

You understand things.

Yeah.

In some cases, like writing an angry letter that you keep in your drawer, nobody has to see it, but it does need to get out.

And if you don't take it that next step and make art from it, then, you know, that's a whole different set of issues.

I had an ancestor named T.S.

Hawkins who went across the plains from Missouri to founded the town of Hollister and wrote a book called Some Recollections of a Busy Life.

And he published 200 copies just for family.

And all of us that are descended from him have a copy.

And it unites us all.

And it's a great book.

But...

Without him having taken the time, none of us would be connected, none of us would know anything about what he went through, and also all of the particulars of that time.