So it’s been a year and a half since I began this substack journey with you all in the hope that in helping others this practice might help me jump-start my fiction.
Do you really need to know in advance if anyone will read it? Are you also going to wonder if it is the right boy (like you were) who is going to read it? Are you really going to decide based on what strangers say in comments?IMO you might be looking for a reason to keep putting it off.
What would you tell me if I asked you the same question? That’s my answer to you.
Write for yourself. My writer friend said that writing is cheaper than therapy. I can guarantee if you don’t write it no one will read it and you will still be wondering the same thing…should I.
My question is, aren’t you curious to see how the story ends and what will happen if you follow through and write this story?
What happens to a story that isn’t written? Doesn’t it nag at you and keep circling around endlessly annoying you and reminding you of the rut you’re in and not giving your many fans a reason to compliment and appreciate you.
(Thanks for considering my comments wisdom. It is encouraging me to get back to my desk.)
Senz'altro. "There are plenty of universes, I am sure, where I never got into reading and yet that potential would still be in me, dormant, an X-Men who never activated their mutant gene."
I'd read it. I don't know whether you plan to collect some or all of these substacks for a textbook type manual on writing. I'd be for that too. I've read a lot of the textbooks designed for creative writing classes. They tend to repeat quite a bit and aren't that useful beyond a beginner's level. Your "writing on writing" is so fresh and substantial. But I digress: yes, please on a fantasy text on substack!
Of course! As a librarian I know that’s a tough crowd to get books in the hands of, but I do think you could do it and I would love to have something amazing to recommend to them! And as a mom I’d make my nerdy teenage sons read it.
You know we will!! I get happy every time I see you’ve posted something, just to see what you’re thinking about. Also, dying over here to read your voice for a young adult when you can’t let the full throated cursing fly. Or maybe you will despite the conventions of young adult? I’m here for it in any case.
Long time reader, first time poster here to say that reading this substack has always felt like Neo getting all the combat training downloaded into his brain. So I think the only answer is “Hell yes.”
are you kidding, bro? love it. ready for edge-of-my-seat-WTF-crazy mofongo will this dude-come-up-with-next- and if it aint perfect so what; neither is every jazz gig but if wynton marsalis or jorge delgado or cassandra wilson or bad bunny is playing every week in the hood and its affordable? who's not going? ta loco? vamonos! fiction for the people! f)(*k the critics
My daughter and I would read it. Is it motivating or the opposite to know she's rereading Oscar Wao bc she wants to write about it on her AP lit exam next week? Keeps stealing all your books off my shelves.
just give me time to get my coffee & i'm down to read anything from you...i read your books every season anyhow because i always get something new- there are so many layers. so we wait! 🙂
The ‘getting your butt in the chair’ habit of substack is great. But I would suggest opening yourself to something else as well.
You are so brilliant at the analysis of fiction. I keep your articles as if they were essays in a writing textbook. Perhaps one day you’ll turn them into something like that, but writing YA for young boys suggests something else, suggests play.
Walking my granddaughter home yesterday, I drew her attention to a pink azalea blossom, noting how the darker line emanating from the center enhanced the beauty. She said, G-mom, that’s the line left when the flower fairy gets born from the flower. She asked if I had noticed how, this spring, the blossoms were extraordinarily beautiful. I said I had. She said it was because she had left a special tribute to the tree and flower fairies in her backyard. We walked on. Sitting with my son as he cooked dinner, I noticed bubbles silently wafting in from the living room. My son looked up and said, “Bubbles are outside play.” The bubbles stopped.
Books are a safe place to play for children who don’t have safe places to play, who don’t have the confidence that comes from being accepted as creative beings. As a child, perhaps you turned to books for time in a world of make-believe. I think that when writing books for children, it helps to tap into a play mindset. Sure, keep that brilliant adult analyst in the wings; save him for later in the process (much later). And give yourself permission to play. Door open/Door closed.
Hahaha, you're asking but you know already, don't ya? It's happening and you can't stop it now. We're here. We'll read.
to be honest carolina, i dont know and wont know until tomorrow when i try to start. but thank you!
Do you really need to know in advance if anyone will read it? Are you also going to wonder if it is the right boy (like you were) who is going to read it? Are you really going to decide based on what strangers say in comments?IMO you might be looking for a reason to keep putting it off.
What would you tell me if I asked you the same question? That’s my answer to you.
truth is im always looking for reasons to put it off. and thank you for the wisdom
Write for yourself. My writer friend said that writing is cheaper than therapy. I can guarantee if you don’t write it no one will read it and you will still be wondering the same thing…should I.
My question is, aren’t you curious to see how the story ends and what will happen if you follow through and write this story?
What happens to a story that isn’t written? Doesn’t it nag at you and keep circling around endlessly annoying you and reminding you of the rut you’re in and not giving your many fans a reason to compliment and appreciate you.
(Thanks for considering my comments wisdom. It is encouraging me to get back to my desk.)
Senz'altro. "There are plenty of universes, I am sure, where I never got into reading and yet that potential would still be in me, dormant, an X-Men who never activated their mutant gene."
I'm so in.
Resounding yes— We are all here for it.
The boy that is past You is waiting—maybe write to him, one-to-one
Maybe a super-short video of you reading it for the kids who have a hard time with paper and text rn?
Start with a paragraph. A sentence. A fkn word. Here for it.
I'd read it. I don't know whether you plan to collect some or all of these substacks for a textbook type manual on writing. I'd be for that too. I've read a lot of the textbooks designed for creative writing classes. They tend to repeat quite a bit and aren't that useful beyond a beginner's level. Your "writing on writing" is so fresh and substantial. But I digress: yes, please on a fantasy text on substack!
Of course! As a librarian I know that’s a tough crowd to get books in the hands of, but I do think you could do it and I would love to have something amazing to recommend to them! And as a mom I’d make my nerdy teenage sons read it.
You know we will!! I get happy every time I see you’ve posted something, just to see what you’re thinking about. Also, dying over here to read your voice for a young adult when you can’t let the full throated cursing fly. Or maybe you will despite the conventions of young adult? I’m here for it in any case.
Yo lo leería! I will read it!
This is what I'm here for. To read pieces of fiction.
I do enjoy insights about writing, but I'd be thrilled to read your serialized novel. Plus, it's something I could send to my nephew too.
Long time reader, first time poster here to say that reading this substack has always felt like Neo getting all the combat training downloaded into his brain. So I think the only answer is “Hell yes.”
are you kidding, bro? love it. ready for edge-of-my-seat-WTF-crazy mofongo will this dude-come-up-with-next- and if it aint perfect so what; neither is every jazz gig but if wynton marsalis or jorge delgado or cassandra wilson or bad bunny is playing every week in the hood and its affordable? who's not going? ta loco? vamonos! fiction for the people! f)(*k the critics
My daughter and I would read it. Is it motivating or the opposite to know she's rereading Oscar Wao bc she wants to write about it on her AP lit exam next week? Keeps stealing all your books off my shelves.
Estoy lista.
YesYesYesYesYes. Please.
just give me time to get my coffee & i'm down to read anything from you...i read your books every season anyhow because i always get something new- there are so many layers. so we wait! 🙂
Yes, I would read it.
The ‘getting your butt in the chair’ habit of substack is great. But I would suggest opening yourself to something else as well.
You are so brilliant at the analysis of fiction. I keep your articles as if they were essays in a writing textbook. Perhaps one day you’ll turn them into something like that, but writing YA for young boys suggests something else, suggests play.
Walking my granddaughter home yesterday, I drew her attention to a pink azalea blossom, noting how the darker line emanating from the center enhanced the beauty. She said, G-mom, that’s the line left when the flower fairy gets born from the flower. She asked if I had noticed how, this spring, the blossoms were extraordinarily beautiful. I said I had. She said it was because she had left a special tribute to the tree and flower fairies in her backyard. We walked on. Sitting with my son as he cooked dinner, I noticed bubbles silently wafting in from the living room. My son looked up and said, “Bubbles are outside play.” The bubbles stopped.
Books are a safe place to play for children who don’t have safe places to play, who don’t have the confidence that comes from being accepted as creative beings. As a child, perhaps you turned to books for time in a world of make-believe. I think that when writing books for children, it helps to tap into a play mindset. Sure, keep that brilliant adult analyst in the wings; save him for later in the process (much later). And give yourself permission to play. Door open/Door closed.