The Perils of Public Writing

Public writing, while empowering, is not without its pitfalls. It's a realm where scrutiny is inevitable and criticism, a constant companion. Let's delve into the challenges that public writers face and how they navigate this complex landscape.

William Hazlitt in “On Living to One’s-Self”

“It is better to be a silent spectator of the mighty scene of things than an object of attention or curiosity. It is better, he maintained, to be ‘a silent spectator’ than ‘an object of curiosity or attention.’ “

• Most of us hope to do and to say things that people might receive and benefit from, and we hope to profit from the things they say in turn.”

The virtues of self-restraint and humility possess an attractiveness all their own

Their beauty can appear in our character as well as in the written word.

• Say everything clearly, without ornament, and do not draw attention to yourself for the sake of vanity.

Writing as Performative Performance

Writing for a public audience is fulfilling in the near term since millions of people have access to what is written for general consumption.

• A key peril of public writing is that it tends to place the writer at the center of the work. A desire to be seen, to be thought smart or witty or erudite, can – imperceptibly, at first – begin to overtake the writing itself. A.k.a. writing to develop a platform for the promotion of oneself as a commodity.

Writing Humorously

To undertake careful investigation – to make an inquiry into a particular, bounded aspect of a larger field – is to make a contribution akin to doing the small but vital tasks that go into the furnishing and maintenance of a large house or institution.

• In scholarly work, an author is not just writing to an audience; he is taking into account the views of others, whom he cites either to support his case or to refute something he believes is mistaken.

The Invisible Writer

No “self” stands in the way of argument; the author is invisible.

• The writer gently takes our hand and leads us to well-reasoned conclusions that we wish were our own.
• Of course, this is why writing teachers since time immemorial have eschewed the use of the personal pronoun “I.”

We think we must compulsively manage our images and brands so that everything we produce has its greatest impact and receives its widest recognition.

In truth, almost all of this is outside our control

• Nobody ever really knows the future impact of his words or actions
• Academics would benefit from marking the differences between public and scholarly writing, seeing that each has its perils and rewards

For Christians in particular, ambition ought to be “commensurate with invisibility in our work.”

Matthew Lee Anderson favors this approach

• “Those who are keenly attuned to the power of Christian ambition will disregard that standard, and attend to the work that needs to be done with an enthusiasm that disclaims those standards and works for the rewards that come in heaven.”

The Virtues of Scholarship

If writing is meant as a form of communication, but scholarship is meant for an audience so narrow that it may never be read at all, why should it endure as a genre?

• At its best, scholarly work aspires to understanding and insight that transcend our daily concerns. At its worst, it can be pretentious, jargon-filled, unclear, or boring – or any combination thereof.
• Writing is profoundly and unavoidably social. Both author and reader matter.

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