Writing is a method of paying attention to the experience of being alive. More than just putting words on the page, it is about engaging with the world in an attuned, open, and curious way. Whether it’s writing essays, painting, dancing, or cooking — it’s all variations of the same act: A way to show your work as you figure out how to be alive.

You’re talking to a person at a party and his or her attention is elsewhere, annoyingly. How do you get their attention back to you, and then hold it?

For me, that’s the essence of my approach to writing.