Thanks for this "confessional" which most of us can identify with, as you must know! I look forward to watching this tale unfold... now that you have discovered what it is truly about. Thanks for the Anne La Motte quote. I had never read it before, but it matches exactly a little 50-word observation I posted just today, about our writing, which we label "fiction", is not fiction at all.
Love your link … great to hoover up inspiration from other folk’s lines … love “They’re the gathered truths of who we’ve been, and all that we’ve witnessed and felt and done in our little lives.”
Love ‘Bird by Bird’, such a regular re-read. Always dipping into it.
I wonder if one of the biggest obstacles we face in making progress is that distracting obsession we have in measuring it. From the outside reading in, it looks like you are making progress, B. You write a good measuring tale regardless! x
Thank you, Matt. It’d be a waste of a good blockage if I didn’t write about it!
I am pleased to step over the psychological threshold of recognising that I’m into uncomfortable emotional territory. I suspect it might create some good words if I can wrestle them into view. X
I am at the same place Barrie, my last post was an enormous struggle (which shows) and the next which I am up early to continue and haven't even looked at yet, one which should be so easy because it actually happened and all I have to do is write the facts, is just a muddy puddle (no ripples) and nothing is forming despite a vivid memory - I think I need to read Anne Lamott's 'Bird for Bird'!
I don't feel I can label it writers block either, not really believing I am such a beast but damn it sure feels that way...
Your chapter, or part of, makes me even more impatient to read the whole story Barrie, the fact that you will have to look inwardly to your own demons to finish it, even more so! Keep going - it will be worth every soul searching second!
Hey Susie, thank you for the encouragement at the heart of this lovely reply.
I am pretty sure my ‘block’ is a self-inflicted defence mechanism, one I have used to shield myself from the tough stuff. But why should readers engage if it is not to get to the heart of the emotions that sit underneath the imagined world I should actually be hiding behind. I need to wade through the ‘muddy puddle’ and get a bit of me inside the wellies!
‘Bird by Bird’ is superb … I read it every year. It is back out for this year’s perusal!
I hear you, Barrie. Be kind to yourself and take your time.
I'm reading Bird by Bird at the moment!
Thank you so much for your kindness, Sue. You see where I’m at!
Enjoy Anne Lamott’s no nonsense words … it truly is a favourite of mine.
Have you read Cathy Retzenbrink's Write It All Down?
No, but I am writing that down!
Thanks for this "confessional" which most of us can identify with, as you must know! I look forward to watching this tale unfold... now that you have discovered what it is truly about. Thanks for the Anne La Motte quote. I had never read it before, but it matches exactly a little 50-word observation I posted just today, about our writing, which we label "fiction", is not fiction at all.
https://sharronbassano.substack.com/p/angels-and-pages
Love your link … great to hoover up inspiration from other folk’s lines … love “They’re the gathered truths of who we’ve been, and all that we’ve witnessed and felt and done in our little lives.”
Love ‘Bird by Bird’, such a regular re-read. Always dipping into it.
And thank you for the kind words, Sharron.
My heart ! I am soooooooo excited for you and for this. ✨
Ah, thank you, Joel. I’m going to have to wring the words out of my achy heart!!
I wonder if one of the biggest obstacles we face in making progress is that distracting obsession we have in measuring it. From the outside reading in, it looks like you are making progress, B. You write a good measuring tale regardless! x
Thank you, Matt. It’d be a waste of a good blockage if I didn’t write about it!
I am pleased to step over the psychological threshold of recognising that I’m into uncomfortable emotional territory. I suspect it might create some good words if I can wrestle them into view. X
I am at the same place Barrie, my last post was an enormous struggle (which shows) and the next which I am up early to continue and haven't even looked at yet, one which should be so easy because it actually happened and all I have to do is write the facts, is just a muddy puddle (no ripples) and nothing is forming despite a vivid memory - I think I need to read Anne Lamott's 'Bird for Bird'!
I don't feel I can label it writers block either, not really believing I am such a beast but damn it sure feels that way...
Your chapter, or part of, makes me even more impatient to read the whole story Barrie, the fact that you will have to look inwardly to your own demons to finish it, even more so! Keep going - it will be worth every soul searching second!
Hey Susie, thank you for the encouragement at the heart of this lovely reply.
I am pretty sure my ‘block’ is a self-inflicted defence mechanism, one I have used to shield myself from the tough stuff. But why should readers engage if it is not to get to the heart of the emotions that sit underneath the imagined world I should actually be hiding behind. I need to wade through the ‘muddy puddle’ and get a bit of me inside the wellies!
‘Bird by Bird’ is superb … I read it every year. It is back out for this year’s perusal!
Cameras are easily hidden. Movements less so and silent servos are expensive and rare.
Old whirring camera sticking out like sore thumbs and combine well with the brutality of the regime to terrorise the population into compliance.