I’m feeling some kindred spirit vibes with you today -- I posted about creative grief just this morning! 😆 These are so great. I’m about 20 books into my writing career (plus many, many shelved) and one thing that really helps me is recognizing that sometimes the book just needs to be written to get OUT of you. And sometimes, it may go somewhere after that - and that’s okay! And other times, it’s literally just a clearing out, to make room for the other stuff that needs to be written. Seeing it as “no wasted writing” has helped so much, especially since as authors as we get fixated on outcomes of what happens *after* the writing. It’s all worth putting down on the page when you play the long game. Glad to discover you here!
Absolutely. Nothing is ever wasted. Often, I find I can still take a section or two out of those 'shelved' projects and use them as a starting point for something else... :)
I loved every word of this but felt this especially hard: “If it has returned to you, uncrowned, sit with it for a while.”
I am so scared of my manuscript coming back uncrowned, and sometimes I let the fear freeze me. It’s helpful to not hide from that worry but to sit with it, to remember that even if my ms goes uncrowned, it’s not over. There will always be a next, and a next, and a next thing. There will still be writing. As long as I’m here. That’s the best and worst thing ever!
Thank you for this. I needed to hear it today. It all just seems so impossible hard sometimes. Like why in the world do I feel compelled to do this? If I could let go of the piece of myself that feels it must write and try to share and feel nothing about it I probably would.
Well that is uncannily accurate for my mood today, as I grapple with letting the project that I lurve sit fallow over *there* while I dig into this project over *here* in hopes that... well, I won't articulate the hopes. It's got feathers and perches, etc etc. I think Wallace Stevens would applaud this use of his poem (or maybe not b/c he was an old grump most of the time). Hope the opening of the query floodgates hasn't washed away you and all the blackbirds.
This is so validating and true. I'm staring down the end of a long hard revision, kind of feeling like I want to run up the steps of the Philadelphia art Museum for getting this far.
Ok so maybe I should make a print of this, hmmm?
I planned to print it, yes.
I’m feeling some kindred spirit vibes with you today -- I posted about creative grief just this morning! 😆 These are so great. I’m about 20 books into my writing career (plus many, many shelved) and one thing that really helps me is recognizing that sometimes the book just needs to be written to get OUT of you. And sometimes, it may go somewhere after that - and that’s okay! And other times, it’s literally just a clearing out, to make room for the other stuff that needs to be written. Seeing it as “no wasted writing” has helped so much, especially since as authors as we get fixated on outcomes of what happens *after* the writing. It’s all worth putting down on the page when you play the long game. Glad to discover you here!
Absolutely. Nothing is ever wasted. Often, I find I can still take a section or two out of those 'shelved' projects and use them as a starting point for something else... :)
🙌🙌
“If it feels impossible, you’re doing it right.” Thank you for this 🫶🏽
I loved every word of this but felt this especially hard: “If it has returned to you, uncrowned, sit with it for a while.”
I am so scared of my manuscript coming back uncrowned, and sometimes I let the fear freeze me. It’s helpful to not hide from that worry but to sit with it, to remember that even if my ms goes uncrowned, it’s not over. There will always be a next, and a next, and a next thing. There will still be writing. As long as I’m here. That’s the best and worst thing ever!
Cherishing the reframe of: "If it feels impossible, you're doing it right." :)
Now this is something to print and post by my writer's desk! Thank you Kate!
Gonna print this and stick it on the wall. Thank you!!
Thank you for this. I needed to hear it today. It all just seems so impossible hard sometimes. Like why in the world do I feel compelled to do this? If I could let go of the piece of myself that feels it must write and try to share and feel nothing about it I probably would.
Well that is uncannily accurate for my mood today, as I grapple with letting the project that I lurve sit fallow over *there* while I dig into this project over *here* in hopes that... well, I won't articulate the hopes. It's got feathers and perches, etc etc. I think Wallace Stevens would applaud this use of his poem (or maybe not b/c he was an old grump most of the time). Hope the opening of the query floodgates hasn't washed away you and all the blackbirds.
Bookmarked
This sums it up ever so well.
Needed this reminder this week -
I love this. It would be wonderful to have it beautifully printed and framed!
Printing and posting this in my office. So much necessary truth.
OMG--exactly what I needed today (and tomorrow and the day after etc.)!
This is so validating and true. I'm staring down the end of a long hard revision, kind of feeling like I want to run up the steps of the Philadelphia art Museum for getting this far.