Hi friends. Today you will write 1000 words. Because you have a desire to be emotionally present for yourself in the way that only writing can help you to be. This fall #1000wordsofsummer will be sponsoring a Scholastic Book Fair for one lucky school in New Orleans. Nicole has asked that her donation go toward that pool.
Trust in myself and trust in myself writing. I was just talking about this yesterday--having enough confidence in myself to trust that I know more about my characters than I think I do. This gift from Nicole is one I’ll read over a lot. AND I’ve written 1000 words today and not finished!!!
I loved this letter, too. The trust resonated as did having patience and care for self. These lines are just what I needed to read: “We all deserve patience and care and time and rest. We deserve these things because we are human, not because they make us more productive or better at our jobs. But they can serve the work we want to do, too.”
Taking small steps and trusting myself. I loved Nicole’s thoughts on being present in writing and clear in your emotions. There’s no other place of work that feels like that to me but writing. I cheered myself on today with raised fist and a “Yesssss!” as I finished writing. Felt so good. One foot in front of the other!
Perfect message about gifting myself mercy and grace, giving myself writing as a gift, not treating it as a product to be extracted from myself. Yesterday i worked all day on my writing project but I didn’t generate connected prose and so shame arose -- having failed the spirit of the assignment. Today I might switch to another part of this how to book project that gives more room for narrative and exposition. Or whatever else my writer’s heart wants 💛
“What I mean is that if I’m not working in the way I want, if I’m not making what I consider real progress, it’s not a moral failing, nor does it (necessarily) mean that I am a talentless hack who should give up and go do something else—sometimes, what it means is that I’m not recognizing or fulfilling some genuine need in my creative life, and that’s what is keeping me from doing the work I want to do.” I love this.
Uncovering the hidden need under the public or stated goal... I think that is coming through in my own writing this week. I keep “planning” to write chunks of a book proposal, and instead I’m writing moody, meandering prose about a grief that is ancillary to the book topic, and might even be part of a different book. Am I procrastinating? I keep thinking. But maybe it’s this -- that my writing is here to serve my hidden need to explore those deeper feelings, and not to write a TOC today. Thankful for this permissioning.
Also: “All We Can Ever Know” has been on my to-read list for a while -- happy to see I can get a copy through this project now!
Trust. That word was exactly what I needed to read this morning. Thanks, Jami.
During this first week, I have been working on revising a major section because a relationship changed between my protagonist and a secondary character. I had to go back in order to move forward.
My word count this morning is negative 565. Trust the process. Trust my progress. And remember, revision is writing. Have a great day, y'all.
Really like Chung's outlook in this letter. This part especially spoke to me:
"I sometimes feel that most of writing and especially revising is figuring out which questions to ask—and follow whatever threads feel most urgent or fun."
I think that all too often we focus on the aspects of writing that feel like drudgery or grinding. This is a good reminder that we can have fun with it and focus (mostly) on the parts that light us up.
“This summer, I’m eager to get back to a regular writing practice and once again find ways to sustain it. I’ll remember to hold myself accountable to what I need and what feels possible—not because of any rule I’ve made for myself, or because I’m trying to master anything in my creative practice, but because writing never fails to remind me what is important to me. If I am patient with myself and ask myself the right questions, I know I’ll find a way back into the work I love best.”
Love this one! And Love Nicole's work. "Trust yourself today." Needed this. Also needed to start the day writing a poem, then putting in a few words on an essay, and then a little scene in the current WIP, 1748 words, all for me. Thanks for this.
It’s happening. The words that I’ve wanted to write are finally coming. This is what I hoped to “accomplish” with this writing retreat.
Today’s 1000 we’re about my response to my Dad’s Alzheimer’s. What it’s like to lose my hero and grieve him while he’s still alive.
Thank you for hosting:-) My soul has a voice.
Trust in myself and trust in myself writing. I was just talking about this yesterday--having enough confidence in myself to trust that I know more about my characters than I think I do. This gift from Nicole is one I’ll read over a lot. AND I’ve written 1000 words today and not finished!!!
I loved this letter, too. The trust resonated as did having patience and care for self. These lines are just what I needed to read: “We all deserve patience and care and time and rest. We deserve these things because we are human, not because they make us more productive or better at our jobs. But they can serve the work we want to do, too.”
love this! These are little love letters and I adore it. Thanks Jami for providing a comfortable space for us!
Taking small steps and trusting myself. I loved Nicole’s thoughts on being present in writing and clear in your emotions. There’s no other place of work that feels like that to me but writing. I cheered myself on today with raised fist and a “Yesssss!” as I finished writing. Felt so good. One foot in front of the other!
Perfect message about gifting myself mercy and grace, giving myself writing as a gift, not treating it as a product to be extracted from myself. Yesterday i worked all day on my writing project but I didn’t generate connected prose and so shame arose -- having failed the spirit of the assignment. Today I might switch to another part of this how to book project that gives more room for narrative and exposition. Or whatever else my writer’s heart wants 💛
“What I mean is that if I’m not working in the way I want, if I’m not making what I consider real progress, it’s not a moral failing, nor does it (necessarily) mean that I am a talentless hack who should give up and go do something else—sometimes, what it means is that I’m not recognizing or fulfilling some genuine need in my creative life, and that’s what is keeping me from doing the work I want to do.” I love this.
Uncovering the hidden need under the public or stated goal... I think that is coming through in my own writing this week. I keep “planning” to write chunks of a book proposal, and instead I’m writing moody, meandering prose about a grief that is ancillary to the book topic, and might even be part of a different book. Am I procrastinating? I keep thinking. But maybe it’s this -- that my writing is here to serve my hidden need to explore those deeper feelings, and not to write a TOC today. Thankful for this permissioning.
Also: “All We Can Ever Know” has been on my to-read list for a while -- happy to see I can get a copy through this project now!
Trust. That word was exactly what I needed to read this morning. Thanks, Jami.
During this first week, I have been working on revising a major section because a relationship changed between my protagonist and a secondary character. I had to go back in order to move forward.
My word count this morning is negative 565. Trust the process. Trust my progress. And remember, revision is writing. Have a great day, y'all.
Really like Chung's outlook in this letter. This part especially spoke to me:
"I sometimes feel that most of writing and especially revising is figuring out which questions to ask—and follow whatever threads feel most urgent or fun."
I think that all too often we focus on the aspects of writing that feel like drudgery or grinding. This is a good reminder that we can have fun with it and focus (mostly) on the parts that light us up.
“This summer, I’m eager to get back to a regular writing practice and once again find ways to sustain it. I’ll remember to hold myself accountable to what I need and what feels possible—not because of any rule I’ve made for myself, or because I’m trying to master anything in my creative practice, but because writing never fails to remind me what is important to me. If I am patient with myself and ask myself the right questions, I know I’ll find a way back into the work I love best.”
Yes. Absolutely this!
Love this one! And Love Nicole's work. "Trust yourself today." Needed this. Also needed to start the day writing a poem, then putting in a few words on an essay, and then a little scene in the current WIP, 1748 words, all for me. Thanks for this.
"...you have to be alert and ready and open." I love this, Jami.