Curiosity is a Form of Longing

I think if you’re a fiction writer and you’re too intelligent, you cannot write. But if you’re stupid, you cannot write. You have to find a position in between. That is very difficult.

— Haruki Murakami

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The above quote resonates– as do most words by Haruki Murakami. The fact is, my intelligence pales in comparison to most. Conversing with friends perplexes me due to how much knowledge and vocabulary they’ve acquired and apply to everyday dialogue. It’s hard to keep up.

However, what I do seem to possess is a healthy amount of curiosity.

To me, curiosity is a form of longing. It exists because I’m lacking something intellectually, relationally or spiritually.

Asking questions, if even to myself , is what drives the writing and ideas.

Curiosity also drives my decisions in most areas in my life.

On a given day, I might say, “Hey, I really hate running, but why?”

To understand this, I go deep in running and compete in races.

Or else I might say, “Hey, I’ve been doing this job and belonged to this community a while. What might happen if I leave it?”

And I’ll leave and I’ll learn.

And the same rule applies to writing. I wonder what would happen if character A did X?

And that’s what makes the act of writing like dreaming for me, so I continue it.