Our Endless and Proper Work: Starting (and Sticking To) Your Writing Practice

by Ron Hogan

Writer and editorial consultant Ron Hogan helps readers develop an ongoing writing practice as an end in and of itself, not a means to publication. Many people pick up the guitar without eyeing a career as a professional musician, or start painting without caring if they get a gallery. But with writing the assumption seems to be that the goal must be to get published. Why? Why is it acceptable to attain technical proficiency at "Stairway to Heaven" or plein air watercolors as a hobby, while writing is expected to earn its keep? In Our Endless and Proper Work , the second in Belt’s series of books about writing and publishing―along with Belt founder Anne Trubek’s So You Want to Publish a Book? (2020)―Ron Hogan argues writing should be an end in itself for more people. The founder of the literary site Beatrice, and creator of the popular newsletter "Destroy Your Safe and Happy Lives", Hogan offers concrete steps to help writers develop ongoing creative practice in chapters such as “Reclaiming Your Time for Writing,” “Finding Your Groove,” and “Preparing Yourself for the Long Haul.” Sprinkled throughout are adorable illustrations by “Positive Doodles” creator Emm Roy. This concise, inspirational book encourages all people to take up writing not, as so many other handbooks and resources suggest, in order to make money or become famous, but because it can help you become a happier, more whole and engaged person.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

126 pages, Paperback

Published June 8, 2021

About the author

Ron Hogan is the author of Getting Right with Tao A Contemporary Spin on the Tao Te Ching and The Stewardess Is Flying the Plane. He also contributed to the New York Times bestseller Not Quite What I Was Planning and Secrets of the Lost Symbol.


Ron helped create the literary Internet by launching Beatrice.com in 1995. Fifteen years later, after writing about the business side of publishing as a senior editor for GalleyCat for several years, he served briefly as the director of e-marketing strategy for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of the book comes from a line in a Mary Oliver poem (with the intriguing title "Yes! No!"):
"To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work."

I guess it's no surprise that I would like a book about writing that waves the flag of paying attention. Especially since the author wants writers to pay attention to the experience of their eventual readers.

I'm not always a fan of collecting columns to make a book, but in this case, it worked well (which makes sense since the author is also an editor). Thanks to the wonderful Anne Trubek at Belt Publishing for welcoming the idea and turning it into the handy little volume that I enjoyed reading!

[Paul Glanting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early on in Hogan’s book, he apologizes for its adjacency to spirituality. However, this apology is entirely unnecessary, as one of the key themes in this book is how mystical the writing process can be. The dipping between writing as a spiritual practice and a hopeful practice, that hopefully yields a book, provides a comforting and quick read that explores the role writing can play in a life/world fraught with stress, anxiety, racism, illness, etc.

I appreciate that the books skips the how-to wonkery (though that certainly has its place) and instead explore how we can integrate writing into our busy and fatigued lives. This was a much needed and refreshing dose of inspiration.

[Jenna Leann Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our Endless and Proper Work is a warm, insightful resource for writers. Written by a man with experience in the publishing industry, it is not a traditional how-to book. Rather, Hogan weaves in elements of contemplative spiritual practice, general wisdom, insights about mental health and then also nuts and bolts about the industry. The result is a magical little book.

As someone with a writing project that needs finishing I found this book to be a helpful reminder as to the reason I’m writing and how to present to my audience my best offering.

[Jeffrey Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some sound advice and motivation for writers. Best bit is that writing can be a means to itself, like learning a musical instrument with no need to become a 'rock star'. One can write without needing to publish or reach for fame. Nice.

[Mitzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not as structured as I thought it might be. It was more like a conversation with someone who has some success in writing and publishing. Still, it did have some good motivation, if only to remind you why you are writing in the first place.

[Addison Rizer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book about the various aspects of a writing life. The author's love of writing seeps off every page.

*ARC received from Edelweiss*

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely "gateway" book.

[TJ Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully thoughtful.

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

As long as you're not looking for prompts and exercises: this is an excellent book in the "helping writers understand why they're writers and how to get to it" vein. Exactly what I needed to be reading write now.

[Bridgitte Rodguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pretty much love all books published by Belt. This was no exception. A nice, concise, short read on writing and the the writing life.