A Daily Dose of Art: “Thirty Recommendations for Good Writing Habits” by Lydia Davis
Started my day with Lydia Davis’s “Thirty Recommendations for Good Writing Habits”—her insights on observation, curiosity, and following creative tangents remind me how much art grows from life’s smallest fragments and fierce attentiveness.
Davis helps me make art and encounter art.
And her “Thirty Recommendations” reminds me to set aside some time later today for note-taking. I ended up going to see Joe Minter again late yesterday afternoon after a memorial service. I was on that side of town and thought seeing his art would cheer me up. It did. However, there’s so much more I want to write about my visit, so I need to take some notes ASAP to avoid forgetting all the details.
Anyway.
Davis’s essay is a gentle nudge to honor the private urgings of inspiration, to let a notebook become both playground and laboratory—her wisdom translates beautifully to both encountering art and writing about anything you want to write about.
Reading Davis always helps me show up for the page, make space for my own questions, collect odd details, and trust that everyday moments matter for both art and living.
*
You can see quotes from the first ten recommendations here.
*
Thank God for Lydia Davis.
What do you think? Please share your thoughts on this essay/book/topic or a glimpse into one of your recent doses of art in the comments below.