Thank you Jami for always sharing your thoughts and the varied obstacles of the writing process. I truly wish you and every writer here clear sailing, serene strength, stamina, and the best of luck in all your endeavors. Keep going!
“Where will I find the energy to finish this when things are hard or sad or distracting? I just have to remember that I love this thing, and it’s mine, and I made it up from scratch. And if I don’t finish it, no one else will.”
Finally wrote a thousand words in one sitting, but none of them were in any way related to the novel I have allegedly been trying to write since December 2021, and which does not have a single completed chapter as yet.
Instead I wrote an essay on the topic of assigned for a writing class: “This Present Moment.” I had a lot to say, as there is a lot going on in my family life at this present moment. I thought I couldn’t write anymore, but I banged that short essay out in less than an hour.
So now I think I need to face the fact that I’m just not that interested in writing a novel right now. At least, not the one I’ve been trying to write!
Spent some extra time with the work this morning, and I'm back in love with it. #1012. Has taken me a few days to shake of the cobwebs, but that's part of showing up, slogging through until you're back in. Oh, hello! I said to the work. I've missed you! Nice to see you, let's play.
Yesterday and the day before were not my best days. I hit well under the goal, but at least I tried. Today, however! I got my game back - 1,298! Thanks for the fabulous encouragement, Jami. You & everyone here are helping me despite the distances between us. Cheers to all!
Loved this today. I am enmeshed in revisions and tightening of a few different short pieces, and I am playing with magical realism right now. I am in love with all of these new pieces and yet feel set adrift at how to edit the small things, when to know they are done, how to make them magical and tight and lovely. Yet, my love for them, and your reminder that I do love them through this message, can keep me centered on sorting it out. I haven't done any "writing" today (other than morning pages), but I did re-read the latest draft of one of the stories, which I worked on Monday. I wanted to let it breathe and didn't read it yesterday. As I read this morning, I saw the entry points for change, the little adjustments and nudges that I will circle back and make later, but mostly I saw that there is something beautiful here. It's on its way and that feels really good.
Thank you for sharing these feelings about your writing, Jami. From your calm sense of things “right now,” you’ve shared that calm with all of us. Love the four notebooks and their different qualities. I have three I keep writing in, wrestling with, turning to. Juggling several projects and maintaining the calm is difficult: I’m so there at the moment. And so, again, thanks for sharing your world, your worries, your forward motion. It’s good to know we’re all together in this.
I feel excited and confused about my work today. Things are at that formative stage where what comes out is messy, disjointed -- so even as I write I worry about how I'll somehow shape it into something readable in the future. It's a good stage though. Thanks for these emails, Jami :)
Thank you Jami for always sharing your thoughts and the varied obstacles of the writing process. I truly wish you and every writer here clear sailing, serene strength, stamina, and the best of luck in all your endeavors. Keep going!
This:
“Where will I find the energy to finish this when things are hard or sad or distracting? I just have to remember that I love this thing, and it’s mine, and I made it up from scratch. And if I don’t finish it, no one else will.”
YES & thank you. I needed that.
Finally wrote a thousand words in one sitting, but none of them were in any way related to the novel I have allegedly been trying to write since December 2021, and which does not have a single completed chapter as yet.
Instead I wrote an essay on the topic of assigned for a writing class: “This Present Moment.” I had a lot to say, as there is a lot going on in my family life at this present moment. I thought I couldn’t write anymore, but I banged that short essay out in less than an hour.
So now I think I need to face the fact that I’m just not that interested in writing a novel right now. At least, not the one I’ve been trying to write!
Spent some extra time with the work this morning, and I'm back in love with it. #1012. Has taken me a few days to shake of the cobwebs, but that's part of showing up, slogging through until you're back in. Oh, hello! I said to the work. I've missed you! Nice to see you, let's play.
Yesterday and the day before were not my best days. I hit well under the goal, but at least I tried. Today, however! I got my game back - 1,298! Thanks for the fabulous encouragement, Jami. You & everyone here are helping me despite the distances between us. Cheers to all!
Loved this today. I am enmeshed in revisions and tightening of a few different short pieces, and I am playing with magical realism right now. I am in love with all of these new pieces and yet feel set adrift at how to edit the small things, when to know they are done, how to make them magical and tight and lovely. Yet, my love for them, and your reminder that I do love them through this message, can keep me centered on sorting it out. I haven't done any "writing" today (other than morning pages), but I did re-read the latest draft of one of the stories, which I worked on Monday. I wanted to let it breathe and didn't read it yesterday. As I read this morning, I saw the entry points for change, the little adjustments and nudges that I will circle back and make later, but mostly I saw that there is something beautiful here. It's on its way and that feels really good.
Thank you for sharing these feelings about your writing, Jami. From your calm sense of things “right now,” you’ve shared that calm with all of us. Love the four notebooks and their different qualities. I have three I keep writing in, wrestling with, turning to. Juggling several projects and maintaining the calm is difficult: I’m so there at the moment. And so, again, thanks for sharing your world, your worries, your forward motion. It’s good to know we’re all together in this.
I feel excited and confused about my work today. Things are at that formative stage where what comes out is messy, disjointed -- so even as I write I worry about how I'll somehow shape it into something readable in the future. It's a good stage though. Thanks for these emails, Jami :)
This was a good reminder to me to use this time to do a bit of journaling!
I find myself truly looking forward to these emails. Thank you.