I sobbed my way through this movie and am tearing up at this glimpse into its making. Maybe it's all the conventional wisdom and "am I doing this right??" of my first book launch last month--I've felt deeply pulled toward returning to the generous heart of creativity, damn the consequences. Probably time for a rewatch of Everything, Everywhere as a reminder of why we do this thing.
Whew! I wasn't expecting the emotional response I had to this issue, Stephanie. But as someone who has frequently felt like she was, "too much" in far too many rooms, I clearly needed your encouragement to quit diminishing myself for the sake of making others more comfortable. Thank you.
I loved reading this. I think it is all too easy, after 20+ years of writing online, to embrace a wholly safe, well-practiced edge. I can get props for vulnerability, or exposure, or whatever... without ever truly risking anything, because i've learned how to do it.
But even if not everyone can tell when I am doing this, *I* can tell. I"m continually looking on ways to check that in myself. Do you have any tried and true ways to push yourself past that edge?
That's deeply honest, and I don't think you're alone in it. Ha I don't know about tried and true but I do think we should feel the stretch--just that bit of healthy discomfort pushing us into new spaces. Hard, but that's how we grow, right?
Love this post, and your response to it. I too feel the weight of my prior writing experience all the time (in my case, professional writing, not for internet), and I have to make a point of making quiet spaces so I can hear different voices in my head than the usual ones. Definitely a work in progress. I hear you! 😊
Love this, “freed from the constraints of the conventional” what a word for this age of deconstruction. What if this same imaginative capacity is what is needed to do something different, better, sustainable, healing, etc for the sake of the world, the church, the planet, the people? Maybe weird is the exact out of the boxness that will keep us from rewriting a history that is more of the same abuse, hopelessness, exploitation as we keep reliving and reproducing via this grand creative capacity we have been gifted with? 💛
That movie is truly the most stunning film I’ve ever seen. And beyond helping me embrace the wonder of love in my life, it also sparked thoughts like these about my current project. To own my weird. To let what astounds me lead the way. To be so fully myself in my writing that it awakens others to be themselves too. Delighted to read your essay today, friend. Yes to the weird in YOU as well. 🫶🏼
It definitely ranks! I loved it even more after reading this letter from the creators, knowing how intentional it all was. And I love hearing what it's bringing out in you!
I love what the creators said about the enjoyment in the journey. I'm finding so much satisfaction in my current writing project -- even before it's sent out to my list or a single comment is made. It's a wonderful feeling, this co-creation!
I love this article because I've battled with my desire to write in my own quirky, weird way. I feel empowered to do what my voice is saying. So helpful!!
Wow. needed that one. I printed this one and it is going up in my writing corner. Time to get this too much solo performance out of me and embrace the absurdity of it all.
Wonderful post. I still haven't watched the movie but now can't wait even more. It's true that we get our best satisfaction from writing when we be weird selves. I never thought my debut novel would sell because it was different. I called it my "weird little book" for ages until after it had sold, a friend suggested I stop calling it that. 🤣 But embracing our weird, no matter what that means to us, is where we start to create for us.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful Blessing for Writers. Reading it is restorative. I had forgotten (if I ever even knew at all) that weird is good, too.
I sobbed my way through this movie and am tearing up at this glimpse into its making. Maybe it's all the conventional wisdom and "am I doing this right??" of my first book launch last month--I've felt deeply pulled toward returning to the generous heart of creativity, damn the consequences. Probably time for a rewatch of Everything, Everywhere as a reminder of why we do this thing.
I love this vision of being pulled toward the "generous heart of creativity." And you have honored that pull in the best of ways!
Whew! I wasn't expecting the emotional response I had to this issue, Stephanie. But as someone who has frequently felt like she was, "too much" in far too many rooms, I clearly needed your encouragement to quit diminishing myself for the sake of making others more comfortable. Thank you.
I hear the freedom here and I like it! Cheers to you and all the glorious much-ness :)
This is phenomenal. We need the reminder to stay weird. Thank you, Steph!
I will if you will :)
I loved reading this. I think it is all too easy, after 20+ years of writing online, to embrace a wholly safe, well-practiced edge. I can get props for vulnerability, or exposure, or whatever... without ever truly risking anything, because i've learned how to do it.
But even if not everyone can tell when I am doing this, *I* can tell. I"m continually looking on ways to check that in myself. Do you have any tried and true ways to push yourself past that edge?
That's deeply honest, and I don't think you're alone in it. Ha I don't know about tried and true but I do think we should feel the stretch--just that bit of healthy discomfort pushing us into new spaces. Hard, but that's how we grow, right?
Love this post, and your response to it. I too feel the weight of my prior writing experience all the time (in my case, professional writing, not for internet), and I have to make a point of making quiet spaces so I can hear different voices in my head than the usual ones. Definitely a work in progress. I hear you! 😊
Love this, “freed from the constraints of the conventional” what a word for this age of deconstruction. What if this same imaginative capacity is what is needed to do something different, better, sustainable, healing, etc for the sake of the world, the church, the planet, the people? Maybe weird is the exact out of the boxness that will keep us from rewriting a history that is more of the same abuse, hopelessness, exploitation as we keep reliving and reproducing via this grand creative capacity we have been gifted with? 💛
This is a beautiful vision <3 Weird as cycle-breakers! I love it. Thank you!
That movie is truly the most stunning film I’ve ever seen. And beyond helping me embrace the wonder of love in my life, it also sparked thoughts like these about my current project. To own my weird. To let what astounds me lead the way. To be so fully myself in my writing that it awakens others to be themselves too. Delighted to read your essay today, friend. Yes to the weird in YOU as well. 🫶🏼
It definitely ranks! I loved it even more after reading this letter from the creators, knowing how intentional it all was. And I love hearing what it's bringing out in you!
I love what the creators said about the enjoyment in the journey. I'm finding so much satisfaction in my current writing project -- even before it's sent out to my list or a single comment is made. It's a wonderful feeling, this co-creation!
I love this for you! It's the best feeling--the joy in the making. Enjoy indeed!
This article is magic. Substack is magic. Art is magic. It’s all I needed to finally settle down after a whirlwind of a day. Bless you wonderful soul.
Bless you and the magic of your own! Thanks for reading :)
I love this article because I've battled with my desire to write in my own quirky, weird way. I feel empowered to do what my voice is saying. So helpful!!
Needed this today! Thank you!
Wow. needed that one. I printed this one and it is going up in my writing corner. Time to get this too much solo performance out of me and embrace the absurdity of it all.
Here's to embracing the absurdity!
Wonderful post. I still haven't watched the movie but now can't wait even more. It's true that we get our best satisfaction from writing when we be weird selves. I never thought my debut novel would sell because it was different. I called it my "weird little book" for ages until after it had sold, a friend suggested I stop calling it that. 🤣 But embracing our weird, no matter what that means to us, is where we start to create for us.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful Blessing for Writers. Reading it is restorative. I had forgotten (if I ever even knew at all) that weird is good, too.