I just started reading, Writing Past Dark by Bonnie Friedman (it covers envy, distraction, and other dilemmas in the writer’s life). So far it’s pretty powerful.
Your care comes through in your writing. And your writing is rich and beautiful. I know you’ll find your way back. And until then, I’m going to enjoy whatever you share from your archive. This one was terrific.
I've just tried to buy Writing Past Dark but it's not available on Kindle or Audible so I'll have to wait till I'm living in a country with actual books 😊. I've put it on my TBR list. 💕
“explore my life through writing and share my thoughts with others AND avoid hurting the people that I love.” - It’s not always clear where the minefields are. Maybe careful consideration of your words is all you or any of us can do. Wishing peace for you. 💕
That's exactly it, Tara. The people I hurt said they know I would never hurt them intentionally, and yet, still, I have. Maybe careful consideration plus sharing pre-publication is the way forward... Thank you for your thoughts. 💕
I don’t know if you know of the American novelist Wallace Stegner. He adopted that strategy (asking every family member to approve before he published a fictional version of their deceased parents), and it gave him peace of mind for his last novel, Crossing to Safety. He adopted this strategy only after upsetting people with his use of family papers in an earlier book. If sharing a draft feels right, it’s not without precedent.
What a powerful write up. You are officially one of my favorite writers now on Substack. I still can’t believe that man got shot instead of being taken into custody first. When did it become a “shoot first” policy in these regions. That’s so sad.
Thanks so much, Raj. You just made my writer heart do a little happy dance 😊.
A reset and to be more humane... YES. I was in Singapore a few months ago and the taxi driver who took me from the airport to the hotel was an extraordinary philosopher. One of those people you feel privileged to have spent some time with. He said that he approaches everyone with the knowledge that they are just as scared and out of their depth as he is. Even if a stranger's fear manifests itself as rudeness or anger, he looks beyond the facade and sees the person's humanity and innate similarity to himself. I try to do that now too.
I'm going over to read your post now. It's lovely to have met you.
I love the photo at the top of this piece, with the turn of phrase "Traveling Light"... a still photo, yet the light is still travelling. Choosing what to write and share can be difficult - there are things I want to write about, which includes my family of origin, and may still, but I haven't yet figured out the path of discernment for how to do so. Beth Kempton talks about "writing around the edges" of things, if the thing itself is too vulnerable. Perhaps that is a piece of the puzzle. Meanwhile, maybe you could take this time to 'play' in other genre's, just for your own enjoyment or for sharing. A piece of fiction, or a poem. Just a thought. I trust you will find your way.
Thank you so much, Lindsay. I love the idea of writing around the edges, though sometimes I want to jump straight to the heart of the matter... I'll check out Beth Kempton's books. I hope you'll find a way to write about your family of origin if those stories are calling to you. Go gently with yourself! I'm always prevaricating between fiction and non-fiction - it might be time to dust off that novel! - but actually now that I've just let myself sit with things for a couple of weeks, lots of topics are bubbling up and asking me to explore them... I'll take it slowly. Thank you so much for reading. x
You're welcome. I'll just point out that Beth Kempton and Beth Kephart are two different writers with very similar names... both are worth looking into. Yes, I will find a way, all in good time. Glad things are percolating through for you and new things are calling to you. That's great!
Oh thank you, yes, I failed to notice that difference! I'll have a look at both. Oh and I forgot to tell you that Travelling Light Photography is the name of my company, so I'm glad you like that phrase!
B. Kempton was a wonderful book The Way of the Fearless Writer, about writing in general. (She's on Substack but I can't seem to tag her). Beth Kephart specializes in memoirs. And a beautiful name for your company!
Oh hell! You're such a considerate, thoughtful person for a start, and you infuse these qualities in your writing too. I can't for the life of me see any offence in anything you have written...but god we can never predict how our words can be misinterpreted....
Keep writing Michelle, you're brave to share your life with us. But what you share is enriching, that is clear.
Again the conflict about whether to baptise or not given my own lapsed Catholic state resonates with. Not so much an insurance policy against damnation but wishing my kids, as they were, to fit in to the general society they were in....not feel like the odd ones out in school if not getting Communion etc.
What a powerful, awfully tragic tale of how words really do matter. How reassuring to be able to take my old religion with a pinch of salt and not have to live in fear because of that.
Yours is, of course, the most interesting possible take on Catholicism in Ireland! Yes, the question of fitting in... I remember learning that I hadn't been baptised in our local church, as I'd always assumed I had been - my parents remained friends with a priest who'd left the parish so took me to his new church to be baptised - and even that news was jarring, and felt like something I had to recover from! So to not be baptised in Ireland would be a huge deal!
Taking things with a pinch of salt and not living in fear... Those sound like recipes for a life well lived. 😊 Thank you so much for your always interesting take on things. 🙏💕
One final comment Michelle on good old Catholicism in Eire....we have gone from being a Church - State controlled society to Bouncy Castle Catholicism!!! Communion, Confirmation is all about the party now 😂
Thank you so much, Dana. Sending courage and care to you too, as you walk along this heavily mined road! Thank you, this post from Jeannine is wonderful, and exactly the sort of thing I need to be reading. I'll delve into her archive too. 🙏💕
I just started reading, Writing Past Dark by Bonnie Friedman (it covers envy, distraction, and other dilemmas in the writer’s life). So far it’s pretty powerful.
Your care comes through in your writing. And your writing is rich and beautiful. I know you’ll find your way back. And until then, I’m going to enjoy whatever you share from your archive. This one was terrific.
💕
Thank you so much, Allison. 🙏🙏🙏
I've just tried to buy Writing Past Dark but it's not available on Kindle or Audible so I'll have to wait till I'm living in a country with actual books 😊. I've put it on my TBR list. 💕
“explore my life through writing and share my thoughts with others AND avoid hurting the people that I love.” - It’s not always clear where the minefields are. Maybe careful consideration of your words is all you or any of us can do. Wishing peace for you. 💕
That's exactly it, Tara. The people I hurt said they know I would never hurt them intentionally, and yet, still, I have. Maybe careful consideration plus sharing pre-publication is the way forward... Thank you for your thoughts. 💕
I don’t know if you know of the American novelist Wallace Stegner. He adopted that strategy (asking every family member to approve before he published a fictional version of their deceased parents), and it gave him peace of mind for his last novel, Crossing to Safety. He adopted this strategy only after upsetting people with his use of family papers in an earlier book. If sharing a draft feels right, it’s not without precedent.
Ah, I love that. Yes, I think I'll be taking a leaf out of Wallace Stegner's book... Thank you for drawing him to my attention!
What a powerful write up. You are officially one of my favorite writers now on Substack. I still can’t believe that man got shot instead of being taken into custody first. When did it become a “shoot first” policy in these regions. That’s so sad.
I grew up in the Middle East and I know what it’s like to be a stranger in a strange land. I wrote about it a recent article titled “Can Freedom & Safety Coexist?” https://rajofftherecord.substack.com/p/can-freedom-and-safety-coexist
We need a reset and be more humane.
Thanks so much, Raj. You just made my writer heart do a little happy dance 😊.
A reset and to be more humane... YES. I was in Singapore a few months ago and the taxi driver who took me from the airport to the hotel was an extraordinary philosopher. One of those people you feel privileged to have spent some time with. He said that he approaches everyone with the knowledge that they are just as scared and out of their depth as he is. Even if a stranger's fear manifests itself as rudeness or anger, he looks beyond the facade and sees the person's humanity and innate similarity to himself. I try to do that now too.
I'm going over to read your post now. It's lovely to have met you.
Beth Kephart's books on memoir writing are on my reading list.
I love the photo at the top of this piece, with the turn of phrase "Traveling Light"... a still photo, yet the light is still travelling. Choosing what to write and share can be difficult - there are things I want to write about, which includes my family of origin, and may still, but I haven't yet figured out the path of discernment for how to do so. Beth Kempton talks about "writing around the edges" of things, if the thing itself is too vulnerable. Perhaps that is a piece of the puzzle. Meanwhile, maybe you could take this time to 'play' in other genre's, just for your own enjoyment or for sharing. A piece of fiction, or a poem. Just a thought. I trust you will find your way.
Thank you so much, Lindsay. I love the idea of writing around the edges, though sometimes I want to jump straight to the heart of the matter... I'll check out Beth Kempton's books. I hope you'll find a way to write about your family of origin if those stories are calling to you. Go gently with yourself! I'm always prevaricating between fiction and non-fiction - it might be time to dust off that novel! - but actually now that I've just let myself sit with things for a couple of weeks, lots of topics are bubbling up and asking me to explore them... I'll take it slowly. Thank you so much for reading. x
You're welcome. I'll just point out that Beth Kempton and Beth Kephart are two different writers with very similar names... both are worth looking into. Yes, I will find a way, all in good time. Glad things are percolating through for you and new things are calling to you. That's great!
Oh thank you, yes, I failed to notice that difference! I'll have a look at both. Oh and I forgot to tell you that Travelling Light Photography is the name of my company, so I'm glad you like that phrase!
B. Kempton was a wonderful book The Way of the Fearless Writer, about writing in general. (She's on Substack but I can't seem to tag her). Beth Kephart specializes in memoirs. And a beautiful name for your company!
Oh hell! You're such a considerate, thoughtful person for a start, and you infuse these qualities in your writing too. I can't for the life of me see any offence in anything you have written...but god we can never predict how our words can be misinterpreted....
Keep writing Michelle, you're brave to share your life with us. But what you share is enriching, that is clear.
Again the conflict about whether to baptise or not given my own lapsed Catholic state resonates with. Not so much an insurance policy against damnation but wishing my kids, as they were, to fit in to the general society they were in....not feel like the odd ones out in school if not getting Communion etc.
What a powerful, awfully tragic tale of how words really do matter. How reassuring to be able to take my old religion with a pinch of salt and not have to live in fear because of that.
Thank you so much, my friend. 🙏💕
Yours is, of course, the most interesting possible take on Catholicism in Ireland! Yes, the question of fitting in... I remember learning that I hadn't been baptised in our local church, as I'd always assumed I had been - my parents remained friends with a priest who'd left the parish so took me to his new church to be baptised - and even that news was jarring, and felt like something I had to recover from! So to not be baptised in Ireland would be a huge deal!
Taking things with a pinch of salt and not living in fear... Those sound like recipes for a life well lived. 😊 Thank you so much for your always interesting take on things. 🙏💕
One final comment Michelle on good old Catholicism in Eire....we have gone from being a Church - State controlled society to Bouncy Castle Catholicism!!! Communion, Confirmation is all about the party now 😂
I too am working through this, Michelle. Sending much courage and care!
You might find Jeannine's work helpful, including this one: https://writinginthedark.substack.com/p/from-the-archives-dear-as-long-as
Thank you so much, Dana. Sending courage and care to you too, as you walk along this heavily mined road! Thank you, this post from Jeannine is wonderful, and exactly the sort of thing I need to be reading. I'll delve into her archive too. 🙏💕