Not Writing by Anne Boyer

Overview

• A poem that emphatically describes all the things the author is not writing.
• Serves as a meta-commentary on the acts and expectations of writing.
• Provides a list of genres and themes the author is consciously avoiding.

Key Themes

Avoidance of Traditional Genres

• Novels: Mentions not writing novels with specific titles such as 1994 and Nero.
• Memoirs: Explicitly states not writing any type of memoir, particularly critical of the memoir genre as being for "property owners".
• Poetry: Lists numerous forms of poetry that are being avoided, including prose poems, conceptual poems, epiphanic poems, etc.

Specific Works and Authors

• Anne Boyer: Not writing works titled after herself, nor works like "Leaving the Atocha Station" or "Nadja".
• References to other authors:
  • Rousseau
  • Blake
  • Milton

Social and Political Commentary

• Non-Writing Stances:
  • Not writing political philosophy or a constitution for the "republic of no history".
  • Avoidance of critical theory or commentary on popular songs.
  • Not engaging in reviews or essays for publications.

Personal and Daily Life

• Daily Writing: Refuses to write daily accounts or reviews.
• Modern Technology: Rejects writing social media updates, online profiles, and digital communications.

Literary Devices

• Irony: The poem itself is a work of writing about not writing.
• Repetition: Repeated structure of "I am not writing" to emphasize the point.
• Allusion: References to notable works and writers, adding depth to the critique.

Meta-Commentary

• The poem itself serves as a critique of literary expectations and the burden of creation.
• Reflects on the nature of inspiration and the rejection of external pressures to create within defined boundaries.

Conclusion

• "Not Writing" challenges the traditional roles of a writer by listing what is deliberately not being written.
• It showcases the tension between creation and the refusal to conform to genre constraints.
• Ultimately, the poem is a statement of artistic autonomy and a reflection on the act of writing itself.