This book was supposed to be fun (and don’t worry, I think it turned out fun in the end). But I was inputting a huge amount of pandemic news every day. And we were all isolated and anxious and scared for our lives. It was just a dark fucking time. But the book was under contract, so all I could do was grit my teeth and write anyway. I remember the first round of edits that I got, the big feedback was “Is this supposed to be fun?” And I went, oh fuck. Because the environment I'd been writing in had really gotten in there.
"I ask students to do this because we are all shaped by things we don’t choose and by things we might feel nostalgic affection for even as we critique them. Rich, true, nuanced art-making can come out of this space of complicated attachment when we’re willing to sit with our ambivalence." Indeed! And your students are so fortunate!!!
This post (and the one before about Nancy Reddy's problem and ideas) are coming at such a great time and I feel like I'm *finally* getting back into the "finding/creating space and time to write" mode of motherhood (for now!). I can really appreciate the idea of something external (tarot cards!) being the spark for ideas and characters. Especially love this question: "With what I maybe already know about the book or the world but haven’t fully articulated yet, even to myself?"...hmmm yes, what??! :)
Without having tarot cards in hand I feel like mining the books I am reading is bringing some of this energy... yet I like the idea of something non-literary being that opening.
Maybe it's also tapping into the frustration, disappointment, and anger part of life too! Today I started by writing about how making space to write means having another caregiver watch my child... and how I am still really conflicted about this! And that to value my writing time means spending money for the caregiver I'm not making at the moment... which feels a little bizarre. There is an underlying frustration that I can't do both. Not in a "do it all" kind of corporate sense, but more from a "what is necessary/what is fulfilling" kind of place... They rests so close - art-making and family/child care.
"I ask students to do this because we are all shaped by things we don’t choose and by things we might feel nostalgic affection for even as we critique them. Rich, true, nuanced art-making can come out of this space of complicated attachment when we’re willing to sit with our ambivalence." Indeed! And your students are so fortunate!!!
This post (and the one before about Nancy Reddy's problem and ideas) are coming at such a great time and I feel like I'm *finally* getting back into the "finding/creating space and time to write" mode of motherhood (for now!). I can really appreciate the idea of something external (tarot cards!) being the spark for ideas and characters. Especially love this question: "With what I maybe already know about the book or the world but haven’t fully articulated yet, even to myself?"...hmmm yes, what??! :)
Without having tarot cards in hand I feel like mining the books I am reading is bringing some of this energy... yet I like the idea of something non-literary being that opening.
Maybe it's also tapping into the frustration, disappointment, and anger part of life too! Today I started by writing about how making space to write means having another caregiver watch my child... and how I am still really conflicted about this! And that to value my writing time means spending money for the caregiver I'm not making at the moment... which feels a little bizarre. There is an underlying frustration that I can't do both. Not in a "do it all" kind of corporate sense, but more from a "what is necessary/what is fulfilling" kind of place... They rests so close - art-making and family/child care.
Thanks again Bronwen!
PS. What a great cover A.E.! Wow. Love it.
Thank you! Such a generous and inspiring piece. I am envious of your octopus and, of course, the bunk beds x