This was a lovely read and really speaks to how I've been trying to frame this year in my mind. I teach university undergrads whilst also trying to maintain a full-time research group (in science; remaining somewhat vague as I'm inclined to remain somewhat anonymous on here for now, partly because I'm toying with thoughts of "is this really what I want to do with my career" etc) and the past few years I've found my own creativity can gets lost in the seemingly stressful onslaught of semester and all the annoying administrative responsibilities and grant writing.
Anyway, I recently read Haruki Murakami's Novelist as a Vocation and -- being a massive Murakami fan -- I found his approach to writing inspirational. He sets daily goals of a set number of words, but puts no pressure on himself as to their quality or content. He just writes. I love your notion of just leaving things open and simply declaring what that timeslot ISN'T. I'm striving for that daily, mostly in the morning because that's when I can feel the tingle of the flow trying to reach me and I can be most open to receiving it, but at times late into the evening.
That's a big ramble, sorry. I just wanted to say how much this article spoke to me and reassured me, so thank you.
What roles do curiosity and puzzlement play in your writing and your daily life? What are the origins of your belief that you need the atmosphere of "brilliant writers and teachers?" How many of them associated with AWP &or MLA would take seriously what your son thought and wrote? What life and literary values evolve from being untrendy, disconnected from anything fashionable at this moment, alone with your own voice and spirit, daring to be curious, puzzled, with no relief around
Let the puzzle of what poetry is and why it exists as a necessity for you follow you like a stray cat. You can likely stop the puzzle easily given your level of craft and vision and alliances with others who know what poetry is and why it matters. Don't let the puzzle elude you too soon. This stray cat won't go away on your timetable. I realized after migrating from department after department in academia over decades that my learning and teaching and writing belonged only to a department of unsolved questions. Are you on the faculty there too?
New here, so firstly hello.
This was a lovely read and really speaks to how I've been trying to frame this year in my mind. I teach university undergrads whilst also trying to maintain a full-time research group (in science; remaining somewhat vague as I'm inclined to remain somewhat anonymous on here for now, partly because I'm toying with thoughts of "is this really what I want to do with my career" etc) and the past few years I've found my own creativity can gets lost in the seemingly stressful onslaught of semester and all the annoying administrative responsibilities and grant writing.
Anyway, I recently read Haruki Murakami's Novelist as a Vocation and -- being a massive Murakami fan -- I found his approach to writing inspirational. He sets daily goals of a set number of words, but puts no pressure on himself as to their quality or content. He just writes. I love your notion of just leaving things open and simply declaring what that timeslot ISN'T. I'm striving for that daily, mostly in the morning because that's when I can feel the tingle of the flow trying to reach me and I can be most open to receiving it, but at times late into the evening.
That's a big ramble, sorry. I just wanted to say how much this article spoke to me and reassured me, so thank you.
I might be more disciplined about my analogue notes from now on. And give myself a window to relax into them. Thanks for your wise words.
Reading this got me out of out of a small thesis writing slump today :) lovely!
This brightened my day! I’ll try to drop into a zoom one of these days, thanks for opening them up :)
What roles do curiosity and puzzlement play in your writing and your daily life? What are the origins of your belief that you need the atmosphere of "brilliant writers and teachers?" How many of them associated with AWP &or MLA would take seriously what your son thought and wrote? What life and literary values evolve from being untrendy, disconnected from anything fashionable at this moment, alone with your own voice and spirit, daring to be curious, puzzled, with no relief around
Let the puzzle of what poetry is and why it exists as a necessity for you follow you like a stray cat. You can likely stop the puzzle easily given your level of craft and vision and alliances with others who know what poetry is and why it matters. Don't let the puzzle elude you too soon. This stray cat won't go away on your timetable. I realized after migrating from department after department in academia over decades that my learning and teaching and writing belonged only to a department of unsolved questions. Are you on the faculty there too?