Final answer:
Joan Didion believes her perceived inability to deal with ideas rigidly has helped her in becoming a writer because writing promotes exploration and the discovery of deeper insights. The recursive nature of the writing process demands critical thinking and articulation, which is crucial for understanding our surroundings and personal experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Didion suggests that her approach to writing, one that focuses less on the rigid formulation of ideas and more on process and discovery, has aided in her development as a writer. This is because writing is inherently about exploration and discovery; it's a platform through which writers engage with their thoughts and refine them through the act of writing itself.
Writing about literature, as mentioned, allows writers to exercise their critical thinking skills and develop the ability to communicate those thoughts coherently. It's not merely about expressing predefined ideas, but evolving them through the process of writing, which often yields deeper insights about our surroundings and lives. This is why writing allows exploration and discovery, aligning with the point that writing helps writers understand the 'why' behind certain ideas or events, often leading to a more robust and thoroughly considered conclusion.
The recursive nature of the writing process, as described by writers like Anne Lamott and Salman Rushdie, suggests that writing is not so much about inspiration, but concentration and perseverance through iterative revision. This aligns with Didion's perspective that her perceived inability to rigidly deal with ideas is not a drawback but part of a dynamic process that can lead to genuine discovery about oneself and one's environment.