I wrote a six-hundred page manuscript about my EARLY life only in December 1988-January 1989. I never tried to publish it, but it changed my life. My advice is just write it like a robot. Get it out. You might feel better having it written. If you want to publish it after that, you'll find a way to polish it to your satisfaction. My memoir was never published in whole, but I have mined it for decades, writing plays, poetry, and essays.
That is such a good idea, Sandra. Good to remind myself that sometimes it's useful to write something, even if it's just for me. Also, six hundred pages! Wow.
I’m not sure writing it is always the best door in and sharing it is a whole other step. Drawing or coloring might be a different door. And I wonder if you trust yourself not to publish it if you write it, and tell you really feel the time is right? If I didn’t trust myself not to publish it, I would have a hard time writing it I think. Obviously not knowing what the specific thing is.
I love the idea of using some different artistic form--drawing or coloring. So much more freeing.
I can refrain from publishing it. I think sometimes I find it hard to motivate myself to write something that's not going to be published. It feels like a waste, which I know isn't the case, but I have to struggle to get past that.
I have always feared sounding like the angry, blaming, self-obsessed ex-husband when writing about my unhealthy first marriage and very bad divorce. Which I have not written about yet except for some subtle hints. Today I dropped a mention into an upcoming essay which is not even about my marriage, it's about my book-reading history. Will I publish it? Yes, I think so. But I never decided to write that part in, it just popped in seemingly on its own.
—Maybe clarity will come with time.
—Maybe not "decide" to write about your thing with humor. Maybe it's way too serious for that, or you don't feel humorous about it (My thing was traumatic but I think I am reaching a point of humor).
—Maybe write for yourself and not for an audience. The freedom may open up some truth.
—Maybe write in angry bullet points or numbered lines.
—How about a "letter" to someone who may have been a part of this thing (now I'm just brainstorming)
I wish you the best, love, authenticity, courage, time, space, and for your best intentions to be realized.
Exactly, Don. I don't want to sound like an angry, blaming asshole. Interesting that the bit about your marriage popped into a different post. Maybe that's it. Come at it sideways?
Thanks for sharing all the great ideas. So appreciated!
I wrote a six-hundred page manuscript about my EARLY life only in December 1988-January 1989. I never tried to publish it, but it changed my life. My advice is just write it like a robot. Get it out. You might feel better having it written. If you want to publish it after that, you'll find a way to polish it to your satisfaction. My memoir was never published in whole, but I have mined it for decades, writing plays, poetry, and essays.
That is such a good idea, Sandra. Good to remind myself that sometimes it's useful to write something, even if it's just for me. Also, six hundred pages! Wow.
I’m not sure writing it is always the best door in and sharing it is a whole other step. Drawing or coloring might be a different door. And I wonder if you trust yourself not to publish it if you write it, and tell you really feel the time is right? If I didn’t trust myself not to publish it, I would have a hard time writing it I think. Obviously not knowing what the specific thing is.
I love the idea of using some different artistic form--drawing or coloring. So much more freeing.
I can refrain from publishing it. I think sometimes I find it hard to motivate myself to write something that's not going to be published. It feels like a waste, which I know isn't the case, but I have to struggle to get past that.
I've been playing around with neurographica art (found it on YouTube). At the very least it's very calming.
I have always feared sounding like the angry, blaming, self-obsessed ex-husband when writing about my unhealthy first marriage and very bad divorce. Which I have not written about yet except for some subtle hints. Today I dropped a mention into an upcoming essay which is not even about my marriage, it's about my book-reading history. Will I publish it? Yes, I think so. But I never decided to write that part in, it just popped in seemingly on its own.
—Maybe clarity will come with time.
—Maybe not "decide" to write about your thing with humor. Maybe it's way too serious for that, or you don't feel humorous about it (My thing was traumatic but I think I am reaching a point of humor).
—Maybe write for yourself and not for an audience. The freedom may open up some truth.
—Maybe write in angry bullet points or numbered lines.
—How about a "letter" to someone who may have been a part of this thing (now I'm just brainstorming)
I wish you the best, love, authenticity, courage, time, space, and for your best intentions to be realized.
Exactly, Don. I don't want to sound like an angry, blaming asshole. Interesting that the bit about your marriage popped into a different post. Maybe that's it. Come at it sideways?
Thanks for sharing all the great ideas. So appreciated!
I think we're all afraid of being changed. It's the thing that scares us the most.