Shaking Up The 'Familiar'

“The role of a writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say.” – Anaïs Nin

Anaïs Nin was largely ignored as a writer until the 1960s. Today she is regarded as one of the leading women writers of the 20th Century and a source of inspiration for all who challenge conventionally defined gender roles.

Born in 1903 to Cuban parents living in France, she spent some years in both Spain and Cuba before living most of her life in the United States where she honed her writing skills through her journals,   meticulously kept from age 11 until her death at age 74.   Nin is yet another great example of the value of journal writing and how it can not only shape one's writing, but also provide a mirror on the day-to-day happenings of the world around us. 

                    “It is the function of art and writing to renew our perception,” she said.  “What we are familiar with we cease to see. The writer shakes up the familiar scene, and, as if by magic, we see a new meaning in it.”

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