The Virtue of Stability in the Vocation of the Writer

Peter Keepman suggests that the vocation of a fiction writer can be guided by the Benedictine virtue of stability. Writing for Word on Fire, Keepman notes that this perspective offers a different model for Catholic creatives compared to modern cultural trends.

Keepman observes that contemporary culture often links genius with madness or eccentricity, citing various films and classical traditions that associate creativity with mental instability. He contrasts this view with the approach of writer Flannery O’Connor, whose work can be understood through the lens of The Rule of St. Benedict.