I went to visit Dr. Watson today. We ate in the dining hall of my old college and I'm happy to say I like what the students are looking like these days. I like how they're turning out, but I don't miss it. That time is over. Dr. Watson gave me a scenario which I truthfully said there was no way in hell I could honestly answer: the one that says "Five years from now what do you see your self doing?"

I think that it's easy to see a dare in this question simply because so many people place one there, and the dare often implied is: will you settle down, will you be secure? That strikes to the heart of who I am? What I have to be.

You see-- and London will understand this-- when the novel was finally finished and finally proofed, and I began to put it up that was when my career began. That was when I sold out. I offer no criticism to writers who write on the side. Write when you can, I say. But I know that if I have a hundred PhDs and three hundred bestsellers my career has begun now, with the long lovely work of writing for myself, out of myself to those who need whatever is in me. The work starts here, even-- especially-- with the hardships, the lack of funds, the occasional rejections. The work is gratified here with the letters and notes from friends, with finding a kindred spirit.

I promise this, and if you are someone who cannot not write, if you are someone who is possessed by it even if-- like certain people called Andrew-- you find that words do not come easily-- promise this to yourself-- not to back down, not to cower into safety, not to compromise the poet's voice, not to stifle the stuff of story. Right now the world needs stories, poems, true commentary more than ever before. Right mankind is sick for it. And I know that we will not go about writing or publishing in the same old way. That something new must happen if we are to get anywhere. And be anyone. If we are to really be healers and teachers, prophets and bards. Not just writers. It's not enough just to be a writer anymore.