"Hands!" Thanks Jami. What a delight to read. I'm remembering a quote from Annie Dillard when a student asked her if they could be a writer. Dillard asked: "Well...do you like sentences?" Me: I love sentences.
dang, what an amazing section! i love how she accounts for it, and her distinction between constraints vs. restraints. this especially: "if there are no moments when I can tell the writer was having fun, pushing themselves to make something truly beautiful, or even showing off—why not?—I feel cheated as a reader." such joy and defiance and wisdom.
“ I want my writing to sing, and when the moment is right I want it to swing.”
My favorite sentence from her response. I’ve already ordered The Wilderness and now can’t wait until it arrives. 💖
I want to read writers doing this. Earlier this morning I found myself doing something between reading and skimming a book I don’t especially connect to, but I believe is a good comp for me. It made me wish I had more words for ways of reading. I read for work, I read emails, I read for historical context, but all that seems different than what happens when a story carries me away and I’m reading to stay in that world with characters I care about.
Love love love the distinction between constraint and restraint!
"Hands!" Thanks Jami. What a delight to read. I'm remembering a quote from Annie Dillard when a student asked her if they could be a writer. Dillard asked: "Well...do you like sentences?" Me: I love sentences.
Thank you!
dang, what an amazing section! i love how she accounts for it, and her distinction between constraints vs. restraints. this especially: "if there are no moments when I can tell the writer was having fun, pushing themselves to make something truly beautiful, or even showing off—why not?—I feel cheated as a reader." such joy and defiance and wisdom.
I saw Angela speak at a festival after her last book came out. She was so inspiring I ran home to write.
She’s so smart!
“ I want my writing to sing, and when the moment is right I want it to swing.”
My favorite sentence from her response. I’ve already ordered The Wilderness and now can’t wait until it arrives. 💖
I want to read writers doing this. Earlier this morning I found myself doing something between reading and skimming a book I don’t especially connect to, but I believe is a good comp for me. It made me wish I had more words for ways of reading. I read for work, I read emails, I read for historical context, but all that seems different than what happens when a story carries me away and I’m reading to stay in that world with characters I care about.