Done

The crime writer Don Winslow recently turned in a trilogy to his publisher and told them he was finished. Said what he wanted to say as a storyteller and was not going to write anymore. Philip Roth did the same thing a few years before he died. Hermann Hesse did it too after turning in his gigantic last novel MAGISTER LUDI. I’ve heard of both musicians and artists who have done this. I think it’s admirable. To appraise the work you’ve done in really any endeavor and come to the conclusion anything more will either be repeating yourself in one form or another, or doing more just for the money. To know in your heart you have completed the task you set for yourself long ago as best you could. There’s no need or desire now to do any more. To be convinced it’s time to move on to something else that may or may not bring you what you’re looking for at this stage of your life. That takes courage.

Years ago in an interview I was asked if I thought there would come a time when I’d stop writing because I had run out of ideas for stories to tell. I said probably. And I hope I’ll have the guts to admit to myself it’s time. She asked when do you think that’ll happen? I only smiled and said hopefully not soon.