I used to be the person that got all my great ideas late at night and could write and complete assignments at that time with ease and creativity. Recently, my brain seems to be quite smooth when its that time of the night and I had work piling up. I decided to do something I normally never do and wake up instead in the early hours of the morning and work which has drastically improved my focus, writing and mood. I now look forward to early days and early evenings. Its weird, its not the old me and not the kind of solution I would have thought of 5 years prior. I think my age definitley has something to do with it but im welcoming these new solutions.
Oh, I love when your body just develops new habits seamlessly and on its own terms. Once again reinforces that the more we let go of control, the more we find.
yesterday i reread julia cameron's Write for Life: Week 2 chapter, "begin where you are." (working back through the book, this time with a writing pal.) the old thing that's not working for me is THINKING TOO MUCH about the whole project: instead of starting where i am today and just... writing. two pages. start there. gain some confidence in today's work instead of thinking about the BIG, looming, finished thing that eventually, i want to be great. (if not perfect.)
so here's to no more procrastinating with "research" or just flipping endlessly thorugh my project idea notebook(s)-- and just staring to put SOMETHING down that i can edit later.
I'm loving these, by the way. It gives me encouragement for my own novel. Though I'll admit I'm surprised that you edit as you go along - I was advised to push through until I finished. I'm almost ready to edit now, though. Will you be covering the editing process in one of these entries? Some advice would be really helpful. Thanks
What a gorgeous piece of writing. Something about it has nestled deep down inside my brain -- I'm at the beginning of trying some very new and different things, and I think this is just the frame I needed to see them through. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you so much. I'm learning more and more that opening yourself up to new things that you can't even really conceive of but somehow mysteriously appear might just be the secret to life.
I’m so happy that y’all found a way save the calves!! My heart is full from knowing that they are ok!! We grow from learning and seeking new ways to do things! I’ve learned the hard way that a true life worth living is in never being afraid to ask questions for what we don’t know and embracing new ways to do what we do better!
Boy do you know how to capture an audience or what? I’m so relieved that the cows are doing better. I wish I was just as relieved about the political climate of our country though. I’m on a flight back from your neck of the woods, Miami, to mine to deal with all the repercussions of the hurricane. Sadness and tragedy just seem to be more abundant lately everywhere you look. Keep putting your pen to the paper(or laptop). We need a respite from reality through your writing.
Thank you so much. I'm working as hard as I can to find ways to process everything through writing, whether it's here or a new book. I wish there wasn't so much despair everywhere, though. Maybe it's that societally we've also depended on the old things which aren't working... And we need to find new meaning.
My eyes were not working properly, even with progressive lenses. Life was becoming too blurry for my keen senses. After 25 years in glasses, cataract surgery was on the agenda. I now have one bionic eye and will have the second tomorrow (fingers crossed). The delight in reading small print, tough fonts and beautiful ink colors can’t be overestimated! Now that this is in place, how will I view the world around me? It’s time to re-examine what we’ve always known and accepted and look afresh!
It's definitely been a shift in routines. What worked in my previous years of schooling is no longer an option. As I grow, winging it become more and more perilous and scary. Which is in itself a reminder to be bold and still try winging things here and there.
That whole old ways of kids reading/publishing thing not working as they once did is quite nerve-wracking, isn't it? But humans are nothing if not adaptable, and I'm very curious to see what the new ways look like when the crazy dust settles.
Glad the calfs are doing better, and can't wait for next weeks announcement!
I guess lately for me it's mostly my beliefs and sometimes even what I want to do for a career now that I'm working so much. Also, being a part of my co op group certainly has helped parts of me develop into something else.
I am excited about the fact you are going far in your book! Is abandoning the old or developing something new a prevalent theme in your upcoming book?
I used to be the person that got all my great ideas late at night and could write and complete assignments at that time with ease and creativity. Recently, my brain seems to be quite smooth when its that time of the night and I had work piling up. I decided to do something I normally never do and wake up instead in the early hours of the morning and work which has drastically improved my focus, writing and mood. I now look forward to early days and early evenings. Its weird, its not the old me and not the kind of solution I would have thought of 5 years prior. I think my age definitley has something to do with it but im welcoming these new solutions.
Oh, I love when your body just develops new habits seamlessly and on its own terms. Once again reinforces that the more we let go of control, the more we find.
BUT HOW DID YOU SOLVE THE CALF PROBLEMS
Ha ha ha. An inadvisable cocktail of drugs that worked as promised and saved all of their lives!
yesterday i reread julia cameron's Write for Life: Week 2 chapter, "begin where you are." (working back through the book, this time with a writing pal.) the old thing that's not working for me is THINKING TOO MUCH about the whole project: instead of starting where i am today and just... writing. two pages. start there. gain some confidence in today's work instead of thinking about the BIG, looming, finished thing that eventually, i want to be great. (if not perfect.)
so here's to no more procrastinating with "research" or just flipping endlessly thorugh my project idea notebook(s)-- and just staring to put SOMETHING down that i can edit later.
i need to trust that progress counts.
I'm still a firm believer that writing is an unconscious process. You just show up and the rest happens on its own...
i believe it more than i let myself practice it…!! i’m a work in progress, too!! 🥰💙
A surprise next week? Yeh tease!
I'm loving these, by the way. It gives me encouragement for my own novel. Though I'll admit I'm surprised that you edit as you go along - I was advised to push through until I finished. I'm almost ready to edit now, though. Will you be covering the editing process in one of these entries? Some advice would be really helpful. Thanks
Absolutely. Lots on editing to come!!!
What a gorgeous piece of writing. Something about it has nestled deep down inside my brain -- I'm at the beginning of trying some very new and different things, and I think this is just the frame I needed to see them through. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you so much. I'm learning more and more that opening yourself up to new things that you can't even really conceive of but somehow mysteriously appear might just be the secret to life.
I’m so happy that y’all found a way save the calves!! My heart is full from knowing that they are ok!! We grow from learning and seeking new ways to do things! I’ve learned the hard way that a true life worth living is in never being afraid to ask questions for what we don’t know and embracing new ways to do what we do better!
Life keeps picking me up and putting me down facing a different direction.
I’m getting better at Accepting it and seeing the possibilities. Thank you for your perspective
The possibilities. What a great word. Theme of the week.
Boy do you know how to capture an audience or what? I’m so relieved that the cows are doing better. I wish I was just as relieved about the political climate of our country though. I’m on a flight back from your neck of the woods, Miami, to mine to deal with all the repercussions of the hurricane. Sadness and tragedy just seem to be more abundant lately everywhere you look. Keep putting your pen to the paper(or laptop). We need a respite from reality through your writing.
Thank you so much. I'm working as hard as I can to find ways to process everything through writing, whether it's here or a new book. I wish there wasn't so much despair everywhere, though. Maybe it's that societally we've also depended on the old things which aren't working... And we need to find new meaning.
My eyes were not working properly, even with progressive lenses. Life was becoming too blurry for my keen senses. After 25 years in glasses, cataract surgery was on the agenda. I now have one bionic eye and will have the second tomorrow (fingers crossed). The delight in reading small print, tough fonts and beautiful ink colors can’t be overestimated! Now that this is in place, how will I view the world around me? It’s time to re-examine what we’ve always known and accepted and look afresh!
Oh, that's a beautiful example of embracing change and accepting that you need some outside intervention :)
It's definitely been a shift in routines. What worked in my previous years of schooling is no longer an option. As I grow, winging it become more and more perilous and scary. Which is in itself a reminder to be bold and still try winging things here and there.
I think winging it might be the only way to survive into the new world... Our bodies are ahead of our brains in figuring this stuff out.
This is one of my favorite substacks. Excited for your next book, Soman!
Thank you :) I'm excited too. Working on it as we speak.
That whole old ways of kids reading/publishing thing not working as they once did is quite nerve-wracking, isn't it? But humans are nothing if not adaptable, and I'm very curious to see what the new ways look like when the crazy dust settles.
Glad the calfs are doing better, and can't wait for next weeks announcement!
We can't be precious about the old ways, otherwise we're going to be like fine wines sitting in a basement somewhere...
I guess lately for me it's mostly my beliefs and sometimes even what I want to do for a career now that I'm working so much. Also, being a part of my co op group certainly has helped parts of me develop into something else.
I am excited about the fact you are going far in your book! Is abandoning the old or developing something new a prevalent theme in your upcoming book?
Absolutely. It is, perhaps, the entire crux of this new book :)