Math and Creative Writing

[alanajoli]

Having read the post from Whedonesque written by Joss Whedon about how many people don't consider writing to be "work," fellow Browncoat Nitsan (aka Snackyette) wrote:

"I'm a mathematician, and what I do each day is in many ways similar to what a writer does. I go to my office and I sit, think, write some things down that other people haven't thought of yet (hopefully), think some more, read something to give me background or ideas, think some more, write some more, and then listen to someone else talk about what they're thinking about.

"Most people find it incomprehensible that I think about math and come up with new math for a living, kind of like making a living out of thinking about stories and coming up with new ones."

I've often compared musicians, theater folks, and visual artists to writers, but it had never before occurred to me to think of math as a creative profession. The idea enchanted me so much that I asked Nitsan if I could pass it along. It also makes me wonder what other professions I've taken for granted that are both work--and creative!

Comments

[amieroserotruck.livejournal.com]

Oh good grief, that's right, it WAS myth. Actually, I don't mind talking about that at all because I'm writing a story about unicorns and I'm balancing using traditional legends and inventing some of my own and I think that could be a fun thing to talk about. But if you want to revive this discussion for a change I can do that too.

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

OOooh, unicorn stories. Awesome. I'd love to have you write about that--and then if you want to come back and guest blog again sometime, we'll talk about video games as art. :)

[amieroserotruck.livejournal.com]

Shounds good! Just let me know when you want to put me on schedule for blogging.

[alanajoli.livejournal.com]

I've asked a bunch of people to write them, but most wanted to wait 'til the end of the semester/deadline/page proofs/etc. I'll have to send out little reminders coming up soon.

Which is to say, my plan is to "stockpile" them once they start coming in, and then post them on a once-a-week basis.

[amieroserotruck.livejournal.com]

Good idea. I'll try to whip one up in January, after the holidays but before I register my thesis.