An Author And A Quotation

For your next posting the challenge is to find a quotation about writing that resonates with you.
a) give some basic information about the author, and include a photo if you can
b) list the quote
c) explain why this quotation has meaning for you.
Remember that there are many quotations to choose from within the lesson presentation in our class folder.

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969)

Jack Kerouac is a French-Canadian author who is known for a style called "spontaneous prose". You hear his name bandied about whenever literature is being discussed, but I will admit that I have not read anything he has written. He lead a radical life tainted by substance abuse and dramatic relationships. When I finish the book that is currently on my bedside table (another French-Canadian author, Louise Penny) I will ask the school librarian to recommend a Kerouac novel for me.

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” 

― Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Bums

To me this quotation rings true because I believe I try too hard to write well. I agonize over finding the perfect word or sparkling figure of speech. There is a story of Kerouac fastening paper together so he had a continuous roll to feed into his typewriter, thus allowing him to write without the disruption of feeding pages into the machine. In my current writing course the instructor challenges us to write without stop for given periods of time. I've switched from handwritten to my laptop because gripping a pen stresses me, and it is wonderful that word-processing is indeed like an endless page. I just need to stop over-thinking everything.