My god. I doubt that you remember this, but back when Twitter was okay-ish, I tweeted about writer’s block & feeling bored & you shared that you’d once heard someone say that boredom is fear in disguise. I’ve kept that phrase in front of me while writing ever since. I will now add that final paragraph here, about how something in you thinks it’s protecting you & giving that thing a specific job of keeping you going. So beautiful, so real, so exactly what I needed to read at this moment.
I love the idea of live-blogging your writing. I’m going to try that the next time I’m stuck.
Also: I am also often told that I am prolific, which I truly don’t understand. So I think you’re right in that no one ever feels prolific, despite how it looks from the outside.
Thank you for writing this hugely resonant piece: the only way is through it! It reminded me of two both disparate and similar quotes. Marcus Aurelius' "the obstacle is the way" and Helen Oxenbury's children's book We are going on a bear hunt, where before every obstacle they encounter, the children say "we can't go under it, we can't go over it - oh no! We've got to go through it!". Thank you💙
Ah. I needed this tonight and so it found me, stepping into the bath after a long day. I almost slipped and dropped my phone because I couldn’t put it down, even though I know stepping into the bath with a phone in your hand and your eyes glued to it is a bad idea. Reading this was a very good idea though, and my phone is safe. Thank you. I’m going to Nancy Drew my way through a few things tomorrow (or maybe tonight if my brain won’t stop) and not worry so much that I haven’t (yet) finished the book that’s waiting for me to write it.
And actually the last bit that everyone else has commented on so far is what really got me, but then I immediately forgot it as I finger pecked my comment because something in me clearly DOES NOT think safety is that way.
I absolutely love the idea of embracing the block. Naming it, giving it a seat at the table, and then telling it that good manners mean allowing other people to speak. There's a playfulness to that I find so appealing. Recently, I named my imposter syndrome Marjorie. She's a bit annoying and always wants to come to the party. The only thing to do, really, is to not invite her and apologize later.
So true. Often you have to put work away for a while and forget about it so that when you stumble upon it later you understand the depth, layers and beauty of it. We're often fish in water not knowing we're in water.
Mr. Chee, I was introduced to you by my former mentor, Garrard Conley, in a Literary Nonfiction course. "The Guardians," "The Rosary," and "After Peter" were three essays that were pivotal to my life. They gave me an insight that my life was worth memorializing.
I've written a number of essays, some with mundane topics, that I found were important for me simply because they were mundane. Recently, I've lost morale, finding myself jaded, but remembering one of your other essays towards the end of "How to Write", I remembered I didn't need to be someone with a mountain of accolades in order to write about my life because the act of survival in living is worthy enough.
I have used this idea of humor to trick myself into doing hard things by making satirical lists. The more ridiculous, exaggerated or funny I can make the reasons in favor of doing the thing, the better. I sometimes think I could talk myself off a plank with this strategy— it’s dangerously effective. But then again lists are great for procrastinating, too.
Alex, at AWP in March, I heard you speak about the “lost” archives and unfinished projects that plague many of us writers — it’s something I’ve cataloged in my brain that helps me ground myself after the threat of serious self loathing. Thank you for being so candid about the fragmented process that writing is — even for our favorite authors. 💛🙏🏼
Thank you for this! I don’t know if I’ll ever live up to the title of prolific, but I’ll take a steady and meaningful writing routine as meditative practice and sharing feelings out. I think live-blogging your writing shares a similar practice to what Louise DeSalvo for her Writing to Heal book calls “process journaling.” We write about what feelings stirred us up while we were writing the piece, and if there’s a sense of tension or blockage, write through that too. Often, I find the process journaling informs the rest of the piece and I can cobble together lines from my process journal into the final piece of work. Thank you for this! Wonderful advice 💓
Thank you for the magical reframing. I stumbled on this just when I needed it. In the messy garden of a ¾ finished memoir and struggling with schedule and, now I see, fear. 🪷
Alexander, here you are, nailing it again with what is happening under the surface as we write/try to write/avoid writing. This piece feels essential and so much a part of other incredibly impactful writing you’ve done on this constellation of writing issues. I am here for this always. Thank you for it.
Wow, this essay was so salient for me, and your advice about being a ghost haunting your own life or live-blogging your way through a wall is brilliant. Thank you thank you thank you.
My god. I doubt that you remember this, but back when Twitter was okay-ish, I tweeted about writer’s block & feeling bored & you shared that you’d once heard someone say that boredom is fear in disguise. I’ve kept that phrase in front of me while writing ever since. I will now add that final paragraph here, about how something in you thinks it’s protecting you & giving that thing a specific job of keeping you going. So beautiful, so real, so exactly what I needed to read at this moment.
I do remember that and I’m so happy to be reminded of it. Cheers Amy, really glad this spoke to you.
I am reading this great post, and just wanted say, what a beautiful line!: “I do live amid the ruins of many ideas and sometimes it is a garden.”
I love the idea of live-blogging your writing. I’m going to try that the next time I’m stuck.
Also: I am also often told that I am prolific, which I truly don’t understand. So I think you’re right in that no one ever feels prolific, despite how it looks from the outside.
Ha. Yes, I for example would call you prolific.
What???????? See, that just seems bonkers to me.
“You have to explain that safety is actually in that direction. And then see if you can keep going.”
Love this so much!
Thank you for writing this hugely resonant piece: the only way is through it! It reminded me of two both disparate and similar quotes. Marcus Aurelius' "the obstacle is the way" and Helen Oxenbury's children's book We are going on a bear hunt, where before every obstacle they encounter, the children say "we can't go under it, we can't go over it - oh no! We've got to go through it!". Thank you💙
I did not know this Aurelius quote but yes! Yes it is. And the bear hunt book sounds adorable.
Ah. I needed this tonight and so it found me, stepping into the bath after a long day. I almost slipped and dropped my phone because I couldn’t put it down, even though I know stepping into the bath with a phone in your hand and your eyes glued to it is a bad idea. Reading this was a very good idea though, and my phone is safe. Thank you. I’m going to Nancy Drew my way through a few things tomorrow (or maybe tonight if my brain won’t stop) and not worry so much that I haven’t (yet) finished the book that’s waiting for me to write it.
I’m glad it worked out Alana, thank you.
And actually the last bit that everyone else has commented on so far is what really got me, but then I immediately forgot it as I finger pecked my comment because something in me clearly DOES NOT think safety is that way.
I absolutely love the idea of embracing the block. Naming it, giving it a seat at the table, and then telling it that good manners mean allowing other people to speak. There's a playfulness to that I find so appealing. Recently, I named my imposter syndrome Marjorie. She's a bit annoying and always wants to come to the party. The only thing to do, really, is to not invite her and apologize later.
That is so wise. Thank you.
So true. Often you have to put work away for a while and forget about it so that when you stumble upon it later you understand the depth, layers and beauty of it. We're often fish in water not knowing we're in water.
Extremely helpful. Thank you
Mr. Chee, I was introduced to you by my former mentor, Garrard Conley, in a Literary Nonfiction course. "The Guardians," "The Rosary," and "After Peter" were three essays that were pivotal to my life. They gave me an insight that my life was worth memorializing.
I've written a number of essays, some with mundane topics, that I found were important for me simply because they were mundane. Recently, I've lost morale, finding myself jaded, but remembering one of your other essays towards the end of "How to Write", I remembered I didn't need to be someone with a mountain of accolades in order to write about my life because the act of survival in living is worthy enough.
Thank you!!!!!
You are so welcome Ryan, good luck!
I have used this idea of humor to trick myself into doing hard things by making satirical lists. The more ridiculous, exaggerated or funny I can make the reasons in favor of doing the thing, the better. I sometimes think I could talk myself off a plank with this strategy— it’s dangerously effective. But then again lists are great for procrastinating, too.
Alex, at AWP in March, I heard you speak about the “lost” archives and unfinished projects that plague many of us writers — it’s something I’ve cataloged in my brain that helps me ground myself after the threat of serious self loathing. Thank you for being so candid about the fragmented process that writing is — even for our favorite authors. 💛🙏🏼
Thank you for this! I don’t know if I’ll ever live up to the title of prolific, but I’ll take a steady and meaningful writing routine as meditative practice and sharing feelings out. I think live-blogging your writing shares a similar practice to what Louise DeSalvo for her Writing to Heal book calls “process journaling.” We write about what feelings stirred us up while we were writing the piece, and if there’s a sense of tension or blockage, write through that too. Often, I find the process journaling informs the rest of the piece and I can cobble together lines from my process journal into the final piece of work. Thank you for this! Wonderful advice 💓
Thank you for the magical reframing. I stumbled on this just when I needed it. In the messy garden of a ¾ finished memoir and struggling with schedule and, now I see, fear. 🪷
Alexander, here you are, nailing it again with what is happening under the surface as we write/try to write/avoid writing. This piece feels essential and so much a part of other incredibly impactful writing you’ve done on this constellation of writing issues. I am here for this always. Thank you for it.
Wow, this essay was so salient for me, and your advice about being a ghost haunting your own life or live-blogging your way through a wall is brilliant. Thank you thank you thank you.
Happy to hear it helps. A pleasure.