Hi friends. This newsletter is called Craft Talk for a few reasons. One of them is it’s a little bit of a joke for me. I didn’t get an MFA, which is generally where a lot of craft talks are given, expert writers sharing their expertise. When I first got asked to give one eight years ago, I said I would be happy to do it because honestly most of the time I say “yes” to things when people offer to pay me, but then I had to google the definition, where I found…a lot of websites about scrapbooking. But surely they did not want me to talk about that? Finally, I sucked it up and asked a more educated writer friend who laughed at me, but how could I have known? I had no access to the information.
Thank you all for your prescription questions. I am noting all of them, and if I can answer them, I will, and if I do not, please do not be discouraged! Writing is a lifetime process, constantly unfolding. I am glad you are all here, and I appreciate your enthusiasm. <3
There is an app called Seek for your phone. You hold it over any tree or flower or plant (or even insect) and it identifies it for you. I love it. It's opened up worlds for me. Love the newsletter.
I love these Craft talks! What would you prescribe Jami: I’ve not published anything but I have scenes of stories, which for lack of a better word, need ‘stitching’ into a whole. I can see the whole, I feel the character’s yearning, what the arc is, but I can’t get there. I work really well with concrete prompts, freewrites, etc. Thank you!
these emails are my prescription reminders to write. place is everything in any book i love to read as well as write. when I think of Craft i think of cheese and no I never got an MFA.
thank you for this post. and I definitely need a prescription. I have so many stop-start pieces and so many places in mind to submit to. but I just never do.
Honestly, a very encouraging thing here for me is hearing that you never got an MFA. I’ve been struggling with this feeling that I’ll never be able to reach the level of skill necessary to bring my writing to the next level without one. One thing I’d love your thoughts on (if you ever are looking for a new craft talk topic), is advice specifically for writers who didn’t pursue MFAs and feel a little disconnected from the whole subculture of writers who came from that world. And, I guess related to that, any advice on plugging into the writing community? Understand you get a lot of comments and can’t respond to all—thanks so much for taking the time to share with us here.
Thanks for this prescription. I finished an MFA at the end of July and I seem unable to get going now and feel as if I don't know how to draw or write anymore. The more I look at other work, the more confused I get. Like Foxtrot Oscar, I think it's fear of failure. Making creative choices right now feels impossible. I just need to start doing.
I discovered your writing by chance on the "lucky day shelf" at my library and truly did not comprehend in that moment how lucky I really was. Thanks for doing this newsletter; I really appreciate it.
Thank you all for your prescription questions. I am noting all of them, and if I can answer them, I will, and if I do not, please do not be discouraged! Writing is a lifetime process, constantly unfolding. I am glad you are all here, and I appreciate your enthusiasm. <3
There is an app called Seek for your phone. You hold it over any tree or flower or plant (or even insect) and it identifies it for you. I love it. It's opened up worlds for me. Love the newsletter.
I love these Craft talks! What would you prescribe Jami: I’ve not published anything but I have scenes of stories, which for lack of a better word, need ‘stitching’ into a whole. I can see the whole, I feel the character’s yearning, what the arc is, but I can’t get there. I work really well with concrete prompts, freewrites, etc. Thank you!
these emails are my prescription reminders to write. place is everything in any book i love to read as well as write. when I think of Craft i think of cheese and no I never got an MFA.
After winning a tiny writing prize I am suffering from a debilitating fear of failure. Thank you for that prescription.
thank you for this post. and I definitely need a prescription. I have so many stop-start pieces and so many places in mind to submit to. but I just never do.
Honestly, a very encouraging thing here for me is hearing that you never got an MFA. I’ve been struggling with this feeling that I’ll never be able to reach the level of skill necessary to bring my writing to the next level without one. One thing I’d love your thoughts on (if you ever are looking for a new craft talk topic), is advice specifically for writers who didn’t pursue MFAs and feel a little disconnected from the whole subculture of writers who came from that world. And, I guess related to that, any advice on plugging into the writing community? Understand you get a lot of comments and can’t respond to all—thanks so much for taking the time to share with us here.
I’ll take that prescription, thanks
I LOVE this talk and the prescription is so spot-on for me, too. Thank you!
Thanks for this prescription. I finished an MFA at the end of July and I seem unable to get going now and feel as if I don't know how to draw or write anymore. The more I look at other work, the more confused I get. Like Foxtrot Oscar, I think it's fear of failure. Making creative choices right now feels impossible. I just need to start doing.
I discovered your writing by chance on the "lucky day shelf" at my library and truly did not comprehend in that moment how lucky I really was. Thanks for doing this newsletter; I really appreciate it.