"But tell yourself the well is filling up" is one of the most inspiring, refreshing, energetic, positive phrases I've ever read on the writing block subject. Thank you for sharing this.
There is a terror that happens in the gap between words, between works. A panic that the ink of yourself has been poured out beyond what can be refilled. That the last words you penned will be the last words you ever pen again. That they'll never come back again. That you'll never write again. You hold your breath in the wait. It's not a question of brute force or strength, but rather your ability to endure.
I also saw a tweet from one of her former students who said he would like to join in the ritual of sharing her emails but, on review, all the ones he received put him in a very unflattering light. Relatable!
You were wise to scrap your earlier effortful stuff and lift these quotes. Your ability to see that, name that in writing, and then shift is one of your super-powers: feels like where your lightning lies. It helps the rest of us that you do. Grateful for your work!
Thanks, Laura! It never ceases to amaze me how much wrong writing I have to produce to get to the right writing. (That said, I 100% reserve the right to repurpose that discarded material in a future issue!)
What a great thing to read while preparing for NaNoWriMo. 🙃
I’ll echo others’ sentiments about the well. But I also connected with previous work as a reprimand. I felt that heavily when I was young and it seized me completely. My mantra is “there will be more” when I think I have no words left.
Thanks! And yes, I connected with the reprimand idea as well, though sometimes past work can feel bolstering too, at least for me — like, c'mon, you did that, you can do this too!
Such wisdom! Some of these lines about literary “productivity” are worth hand-copying into one’s journal. I only wish she had found such wide recognition earlier in her career so that more of us could have benefited from her advice while we and she were struggling with our writing projects.
Thanks, Andy — yeah, I've spent so many years buying into the daily diligence mindset (and espousing it myself) and now I'm thinking, oh, wait, maybe that's not actually what's best for the work in the long run . . .
Great post, Mason! She was a powerhouse. I just finished a good book on productivity (or anti-productivity) by Oliver Burkeman, and his attitude is very Gluckian.
That's nice to hear. He was actually one of the very first people to interview me about it when it came out, and I was so nervous that I don't think I managed to come out with a single insight about my own book. (He still wrote a friendly review, for which I'll always be grateful.)
Lol. This reminds me of an anecdote that I may quote in the next issue, about the writer Francis Steegmuller. According to his wife, all he needed was "somebody to tell him each morning that he is a good writer, but it has to be a different person each morning."
Without doubt the feeling of working for years and getting nowhere and or not knowing when a creative drought will end is brutal. And it’s in those periods I question why was I born this way lol. It would have been much easier to have a passion for engineering or teaching because at least with those, there’s a clear path and a regular check. But as much as I hate it, I also thrive on the uncertainty. I know exactly what I’m going to get with the other things, but with this you never know. There is unlimited upside potential and yes there’s a downside but we ain’t focusing on that. This is who we are and it’s how we were made. Security is an illusion. Tomorrow it can be all gone, so have the courage to be in the game today. The next shot might be yours.
I think you have to accept the good with the bad. In every pro sport, high-level profession, or whatever gladiator arena you choose. No one escapes the off night or day. Fortunately for creatives, someone’s life or the season is usually not at risk on our bad days, only a bruised ego. In that sense, you got made in the shade. Keep putting. Keep shooting. Keep swinging the sword, you’re closer than you think. And even if it’s trash in your estimation, it just might be treasure under someone else’s appraisal.
Thank you — that's a healthy perspective for sure. I agree that off days are just part of the inevitable ups and downs of any project. But that feeling of working for years and getting nowhere . . . or *not* working for years, waiting to be able to work again — that's something else. I appreciate how Glück acknowledges that "you don't know in those periods that the silence will end, that you will ever recover speech."
Every time I write a post I think, Ok well, that's probably the last one. Now 40 posts later, I keep thinking of just *one more* thing I want to say. So I don't know, maybe giving myself permission to end this project at any time has relaxed my mind enough to keep it going?
"But tell yourself the well is filling up" is one of the most inspiring, refreshing, energetic, positive phrases I've ever read on the writing block subject. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for this. Deeply consoling: “I regret being unable to occupy that state constantly, but to be there at all seems a marvel beyond all others”
I loved that line as well ❤️
There is a terror that happens in the gap between words, between works. A panic that the ink of yourself has been poured out beyond what can be refilled. That the last words you penned will be the last words you ever pen again. That they'll never come back again. That you'll never write again. You hold your breath in the wait. It's not a question of brute force or strength, but rather your ability to endure.
Great piece!
Louise's emails are just amazing. I loved reading them on Twitter this weekend and I'm so glad you rounded them up here!
I also saw a tweet from one of her former students who said he would like to join in the ritual of sharing her emails but, on review, all the ones he received put him in a very unflattering light. Relatable!
Thanks, didn't know they were on Twitter, I must be living under a rock!
There are no drugs to mitigate what people go through when wringing out the writing that’s above and beyond ‘content’.
🙃
You were wise to scrap your earlier effortful stuff and lift these quotes. Your ability to see that, name that in writing, and then shift is one of your super-powers: feels like where your lightning lies. It helps the rest of us that you do. Grateful for your work!
Thanks, Laura! It never ceases to amaze me how much wrong writing I have to produce to get to the right writing. (That said, I 100% reserve the right to repurpose that discarded material in a future issue!)
My experience as well. I really appreciate all the "out loud" thinking and editing you are willing to share with readers.
What a great thing to read while preparing for NaNoWriMo. 🙃
I’ll echo others’ sentiments about the well. But I also connected with previous work as a reprimand. I felt that heavily when I was young and it seized me completely. My mantra is “there will be more” when I think I have no words left.
Thanks! And yes, I connected with the reprimand idea as well, though sometimes past work can feel bolstering too, at least for me — like, c'mon, you did that, you can do this too!
Thank you for this, Mason! Louise always somehow reminds me of Mary Oliver. Two legends that reminds me of the reason I started writing poetry!
Definitely need to write a newsletter issue on Mary Oliver one of these days!
Yes!
Such wisdom! Some of these lines about literary “productivity” are worth hand-copying into one’s journal. I only wish she had found such wide recognition earlier in her career so that more of us could have benefited from her advice while we and she were struggling with our writing projects.
Thank you for sharing these nuggets.
Thanks, Andy — yeah, I've spent so many years buying into the daily diligence mindset (and espousing it myself) and now I'm thinking, oh, wait, maybe that's not actually what's best for the work in the long run . . .
Great post, Mason! She was a powerhouse. I just finished a good book on productivity (or anti-productivity) by Oliver Burkeman, and his attitude is very Gluckian.
Oh, yes, people keep telling me to read this book!
It's a fun read. Burkeman is a big fan of "Daily Rituals", btw.
That's nice to hear. He was actually one of the very first people to interview me about it when it came out, and I was so nervous that I don't think I managed to come out with a single insight about my own book. (He still wrote a friendly review, for which I'll always be grateful.)
I teach screenwriting and recommend your book to students all the time.
Can't wait to read your next one.
Thanks, Alex, that means a lot. Rest assured, I'm plugging away at the next one like a diligent industrious silkworm 🐛
I love “Tell yourself the well is filling up (it is).”
IT IS! It’s a process we can totally trust!
It is???? 🥹 (It is, it is, I know — just need regular reminders!)
Maybe there is an app for that.
Lol. This reminds me of an anecdote that I may quote in the next issue, about the writer Francis Steegmuller. According to his wife, all he needed was "somebody to tell him each morning that he is a good writer, but it has to be a different person each morning."
Without doubt the feeling of working for years and getting nowhere and or not knowing when a creative drought will end is brutal. And it’s in those periods I question why was I born this way lol. It would have been much easier to have a passion for engineering or teaching because at least with those, there’s a clear path and a regular check. But as much as I hate it, I also thrive on the uncertainty. I know exactly what I’m going to get with the other things, but with this you never know. There is unlimited upside potential and yes there’s a downside but we ain’t focusing on that. This is who we are and it’s how we were made. Security is an illusion. Tomorrow it can be all gone, so have the courage to be in the game today. The next shot might be yours.
I think you have to accept the good with the bad. In every pro sport, high-level profession, or whatever gladiator arena you choose. No one escapes the off night or day. Fortunately for creatives, someone’s life or the season is usually not at risk on our bad days, only a bruised ego. In that sense, you got made in the shade. Keep putting. Keep shooting. Keep swinging the sword, you’re closer than you think. And even if it’s trash in your estimation, it just might be treasure under someone else’s appraisal.
Thank you — that's a healthy perspective for sure. I agree that off days are just part of the inevitable ups and downs of any project. But that feeling of working for years and getting nowhere . . . or *not* working for years, waiting to be able to work again — that's something else. I appreciate how Glück acknowledges that "you don't know in those periods that the silence will end, that you will ever recover speech."
Thanks for that.
Every time I write a post I think, Ok well, that's probably the last one. Now 40 posts later, I keep thinking of just *one more* thing I want to say. So I don't know, maybe giving myself permission to end this project at any time has relaxed my mind enough to keep it going?
I like this idea a lot!