Demonic

#3: Demon: A Memoir, by Tosca Lee

If you haven't read anything by Lee yet, I encourage you to do so. And I encourage you to start with Demon, as I did.

It won't disappoint.

1. A study in writing

This is a book written about a man writing a book. He's ghostwriting it, really, as told to him by a demon.

Interesting idea, isn't it?

For me, it became a study in writing. Lee used several techniques I'd never seen before, and she carved everything out into a story that had me itching to find out what was going to happen next. I had great difficulty in putting the book down once I picked it up, and for me, that's saying a lot.

In reading this book, I was pushed to be more creative in the way that I see the world around me, and in the way that I write about it.

That alone would've put it on the list, but the thing that really got it here is...

2. A study in living

Lee was married when she started writing this book. By the time she finished, if I recall correctly, she was divorced. In many ways, from what I understand, that this book cost her her marriage. She'll be the first to tell you that it wasn't a bad thing. After all, she's about to get remarried.

But for me this book showed me what it really is to be a writer. We commit fully to what we do. When we're inspired to write something, literally nothing is going to get in our way.

We're called to write, and we're going to write.

Some of us end up losing things because of that -- but look what we gain along the way! The things that we lose are things that don't line up with our calling, they're things that we'll realize at some point are expendable.

If you can't give things up to follow this calling, then maybe you're in the wrong place. Maybe. Or maybe you'll learn to get stronger along the way.

Maybe we all will.


[love]

{Rani Divine}

P.S.  This time next week we'll have a huge announcement from RAD Writing! Stay tuned for more information!