for whom do we write? what about all this publishing? I've been thinking about Tom Orange's reply to Ron Silliman re: a superabundance of writing and not enough time. there ain't enough of it, time, at all but good writing finds its readers, should there be good readers.

I posit writers are first readers: and a readerly creature sniffs out its own kind, at first. then, by degrees, reading becomes larger and deeper until the readerly creature develops its habits of reading. and these habits are pure pleasure of every sort: physical (who hasn't experienced physical reaction to a text?), spiritual, intellectual, economical, etc. etc.

so Orange's remarks are twofold: first, a manifestation of despair (what, whom to read, will I be read in return?), and second, a very writerly concern about silence (when should a writer employ silence in his/her writing by not publishing?)

Orange asks no small questions re: WCW's "What about all this writing?" go on, I say, and ask, "What about all this reading?"

for me I'd rather have superabundance than a dearth in writing. enough despair about it, books have a way of finding their readers, for reading is a supreme pleasure.