Notes on Writing From A Dumpster Fire
On my cv it says that I am currently working on a book about the color blue. I have been saying this for years without writing a word. It is, perhaps, my way of making my life feel “in progress” rather than a sleeve of ash falling off a lit cigarette.
- Maggie Nelson, Bluets
Dearest camerados,
Look! I took a break! Five days in Cape Cod and it was glorious and now I'm back and reunited with my kitties. (Pics at the end of the newsletter, promise). I know this missive finds some of you basking in summer and creativity, but I bet most of you are feeling torn between wanting / needing to write...and all the fun summer things and kids at home or trips or whatever. Also, the world is dumpster fire right now and, if you're in the US, the flames might feel particularly high with the election looming. Who can settle in and write in this mess???
I know I say this every single summer, but:
First, be kind to yourself. If can be really tough to write during the summer, which beckons with picnics and cold drinks and lakes and beaches. And it can be damn near impossible to write when you keep wondering if you've time traveled and now live in Berlin, circa 1933.
Know that you are STILL a writer even when you're not writing, that you're a writer 24/7, and that everything you do is grist for the mill.
As Maggie Nelson says above about creative fallow seasons, On my cv it says that I am currently working on a book about the color blue. I have been saying this for years without writing a word. It is, perhaps, my way of making my life feel “in progress” rather than a sleeve of ash falling off a lit cigarette.
(I grabbed that quote from a recent Isolation Journals newsletter - highly recommend the Sunday writing prompts!)
You are "in progress" - promise. Don't stop talking about your book, even if it's in your head. Ann Patchett wrote whole books in her head while waitressing and that seemed to work out pretty well for her. Patchett's essay, "The Getaway Car," in her excellent collection, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, is a must-read for writers. So maybe go read that and see if that stirs something generative up in you.
Next, consider how this might be a time to fill the well and gather inspiration and resources. I'm actually in a rare summer creative flow, so I'm finishing a book that I have been working on for eight years, maybe more. I say "finishing" like a prayer. Here's hoping.
But!!! I'm also doing some watercoloring and reading lots of yummy books. I'm doing some qigong and taking naps and drinking iced tea and thinking about all the things I care about and how I might weave them into my work.
I'm also trying to integrate doing something for my creativity before I do work for others or even other work for myself. Can I give my creativity a few moments - even a half hour - each day? Who's with me on this? Don't forget that my 31 Days of Writing workbook is yours for free on the perks portal. How about doing an exercise a day, or a few a week. Or one a week? Or just one?
If all else fails, try my new favorite meditation. I use it on the regular. 😂
One of the things that might be making it particularly difficult to write right now is that the world is on fire. I write about this a lot, but I wanted to share a lecture I gave at the Highlights Foundation in April on WHY the writing still matters and how to navigate what it feels like to be a writer right now, in 2024. You can access it and the accompanying handout on the perks portal.
Let's get some good news out here, though, about dreams coming true for resilient writers:
SHOUT-OUT TO DANA! This client of mine had the book we worked on together on GMA this month!!! What???
Drop everything and read In the Hour of Crows - it is SO DELICIOUS. Basically, if you like Alix E. Harrow, you'll love Dana. I'm currently reading Starling House and getting seriously good Dana Elmendorf vibes.
Congrats, Miss Dana! You worked your ass off and wrote a fantastic book and got the happy ending of dreams. Woot!
Click here to watch the segment. I almost peed my pants I was so excited for her.
Resources for Writing Through Trauma
(and in Dumpster Fires)
L-R: Amy (A.S.) King, Jane Houng, Jessica Rinker, and moi!
I know trauma isn't necessarily the vibe of today's newsletter, but if I don't get this info out to all of you, I never will. I had planned to send you all an email about writing through trauma in APRIL, but now it's nearly July. Better late than never! It actually timed out well because I have a couple extra things to share with all y'all. As many of you know, I'm the Program Director of Rebecca Dykes Writers and we had a fantastic retreat at Highlights again this past April, where over twenty writers gathered to talk about how to write stories about trauma for young people...while taking care of themselves. We're doing it again in Fall 2025, so stay tuned.
It was an incredibly powerful few days, with so much courage and vulnerability on display. Our scholarship recipient, the writer Jessica Rinker, wrote a gorgeous post about her experience in which she also shares an incredible piece she wrote about rocks while there. Rocks! I love how the simplest things can open us up.
Meanwhile, Jane, our founder, recorded a conversation with Amy on her podcast and it's one of the best interviews I've heard. It just dropped and you can listen to it here.
And, again, I'm offering you all the recording of the lecture I gave at the retreat, The Resilient Writer: Moral Suffering and Writing as Antidote, as well as the handout, which includes LOTS of resources for writing about and through trauma. May it be of benefit!
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On my cv it says that I am currently working on a book about the color blue. I have been saying this for years without writing a word. It is, perhaps, my way of making my life feel “in progress” rather than a sleeve of ash falling off a lit cigarette.
- Maggie Nelson, Bluets
Dearest camerados,
Look! I took a break! Five days in Cape Cod and it was glorious and now I'm back and reunited with my kitties. (Pics at the end of the newsletter, promise). I know this missive finds some of you basking in summer and creativity, but I bet most of you are feeling torn between wanting / needing to write...and all the fun summer things and kids at home or trips or whatever. Also, the world is dumpster fire right now and, if you're in the US, the flames might feel particularly high with the election looming. Who can settle in and write in this mess???
I know I say this every single summer, but:
First, be kind to yourself. If can be really tough to write during the summer, which beckons with picnics and cold drinks and lakes and beaches. And it can be damn near impossible to write when you keep wondering if you've time traveled and now live in Berlin, circa 1933.
Know that you are STILL a writer even when you're not writing, that you're a writer 24/7, and that everything you do is grist for the mill.
As Maggie Nelson says above about creative fallow seasons, On my cv it says that I am currently working on a book about the color blue. I have been saying this for years without writing a word. It is, perhaps, my way of making my life feel “in progress” rather than a sleeve of ash falling off a lit cigarette.
(I grabbed that quote from a recent Isolation Journals newsletter - highly recommend the Sunday writing prompts!)
You are "in progress" - promise. Don't stop talking about your book, even if it's in your head. Ann Patchett wrote whole books in her head while waitressing and that seemed to work out pretty well for her. Patchett's essay, "The Getaway Car," in her excellent collection, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, is a must-read for writers. So maybe go read that and see if that stirs something generative up in you.
Next, consider how this might be a time to fill the well and gather inspiration and resources. I'm actually in a rare summer creative flow, so I'm finishing a book that I have been working on for eight years, maybe more. I say "finishing" like a prayer. Here's hoping.
But!!! I'm also doing some watercoloring and reading lots of yummy books. I'm doing some qigong and taking naps and drinking iced tea and thinking about all the things I care about and how I might weave them into my work.
I'm also trying to integrate doing something for my creativity before I do work for others or even other work for myself. Can I give my creativity a few moments - even a half hour - each day? Who's with me on this? Don't forget that my 31 Days of Writing workbook is yours for free on the perks portal. How about doing an exercise a day, or a few a week. Or one a week? Or just one?
If all else fails, try my new favorite meditation. I use it on the regular. 😂
One of the things that might be making it particularly difficult to write right now is that the world is on fire. I write about this a lot, but I wanted to share a lecture I gave at the Highlights Foundation in April on WHY the writing still matters and how to navigate what it feels like to be a writer right now, in 2024. You can access it and the accompanying handout on the perks portal.
Let's get some good news out here, though, about dreams coming true for resilient writers:
SHOUT-OUT TO DANA! This client of mine had the book we worked on together on GMA this month!!! What???
Drop everything and read In the Hour of Crows - it is SO DELICIOUS. Basically, if you like Alix E. Harrow, you'll love Dana. I'm currently reading Starling House and getting seriously good Dana Elmendorf vibes.
Congrats, Miss Dana! You worked your ass off and wrote a fantastic book and got the happy ending of dreams. Woot!
Click below to watch the segment. I almost peed my pants I was so excited for her.
Resources for Writing Through Trauma
(and in Dumpster Fires)
L-R: Amy (A.S.) King, Jane Houng, Jessica Rinker, and moi!
I know trauma isn't necessarily the vibe of today's newsletter, but if I don't get this info out to all of you, I never will. I had planned to send you all an email about writing through trauma in APRIL, but now it's nearly July. Better late than never! It actually timed out well because I have a couple extra things to share with all y'all. As many of you know, I'm the Program Director of Rebecca Dykes Writers and we had a fantastic retreat at Highlights again this past April, where over twenty writers gathered to talk about how to write stories about trauma for young people...while taking care of themselves. We're doing it again in Fall 2025, so stay tuned.
It was an incredibly powerful few days, with so much courage and vulnerability on display. Our scholarship recipient, the writer Jessica Rinker, wrote a gorgeous post about her experience in which she also shares an incredible piece she wrote about rocks while there. Rocks! I love how the simplest things can open us up.
Meanwhile, Jane, our founder, recorded a conversation with Amy on her podcast and it's one of the best interviews I've heard. It just dropped and you can listen to it here.
And, again, I'm offering you all the recording of the lecture I gave at the retreat, The Resilient Writer: Moral Suffering and Writing as Antidote, as well as the handout, which includes LOTS of resources for writing about and through trauma. May it be of benefit!
I just finished working on a book with a writer who explored her trauma and unpacked the wisdom of how she was able to get the healing she needed. It's such an honor to be able to do this work with writers, where we learn how to write from the wound and edit from the scar. It's a healing process for the writer and then the final work becomes medicine for the reader. This is my favorite alchemical process.
I'll continue to share ways to support this kind of work. In the meantime, I hope all the above is inspirational for those of you walking this particular path. You are NOT alone. Not by a long shot.
On a much lighter note....
Luna is getting so big! The picture below was taken by our very talented cat-sitter. She is four months old and is affectionately known as "Looney," "Luna Bug," "Sugar Bean," and many more terms of endearment. She is the sweetest and silliest and we adore her.
Also, Circe and Luna are becoming buddies! Yay! I snapped the one below of them the other day. And, yes, that is my laundry drying rack in the mirror. LOL.
May you nap like kitties and get your bare feet in some sand or grass. May you write when you feel like it, read good books, and take good care.
