Images

"To write is a humiliation." -  Edward Dahlberg

Some of you noticed my new photo, taken by Alicia Berardi of Ivy Photographers. It will be the photo for my book cover and promotion. My youngest stepson James said, “This looks like it belongs on the inside jacket of a New York Times bestseller.” Now that is what I call positive thinking.

I have mixed feelings about the photo. It seems very mature, as in conservative, middle-aged, middle class, WASP. It did not help that my very best friend in the world, the kind of friend that you want to have because she is the kind of friend who would tell you that you are getting fat and would notice if there is hair growing out of your ears, asked me if I wanted feedback on the photo. We’ve known each other almost 50 years, so I knew that she didn’t like the photo, so I declined the offer.

What I like about the photo, is that it matches how I see myself. It is neither better than I look, nor worse than I look, it just is. Sure, the frizzy hair was photo-shopped out, but basically, I am a head in my hand, smiling kind of girl.

What does this have to do with writing? Everything. The moment we put ourselves out there in print, weather as our creation, or a photograph of the manifestation of our DNA, we are vulnerable. Edward Dahlberg’s statement, “To write is a humiliation” rings true on some level. For me, the bottom line is this: since I can’t imagine a life without writing, I might as well get over the humiliation of it. Besides, I am just not that important.