The interminable humorist and philosopher, Douglas Adams, once said: “For us, there is no longer a fundamental mystery about Life. It is all the process of extraordinary eruptions of information, and it is information which gives us this fantastically rich, complex world in which we live.” Have we lost mystery? Is there a difference between … Continue reading Extraordinary Eruptions of Information
“Swear not by the moon”
If there's one thing literature through the ages has been clear about, it's that fortune is fickle. Changeable. Mischievous. Shakespeare knew it in the late 1500s, when he has Juliet beg Romeo to "Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, That monthly changes her circle orb, Lest that they love prove likewise variable." The … Continue reading “Swear not by the moon”
We have to do better
The U.S. election has just been called for Biden/Harris, and I'm definitely relieved. There's a lot of work that needs to be done in this country, and having a Biden/Harris administration will make that work somewhat easier to do. But unfortunately, this country has opened up the closet and pushed out all the skeletons. Our … Continue reading We have to do better
I want my writing to fuck me up
I'm not writing to fix myself, I'm writing to fuck myself up.
Katydid
Nature is cool.
Writing is hard.
Listening to Gabino Iglesias talk about how yes, writing is hard, and you need to want to be a writer more than you want anything else. The heart of his talk? Do the work, don't give up. Ignore all the reasons why you can't. Find time to do it - on a break, on the … Continue reading Writing is hard.
Musing about problems…
Peeking out of my exhaustion to think about problems, and identifying problems, and solving problems. The world has a lot of problems. So, so many problems. But I've gotten two pieces of advice this year that, quite frankly, astounded me in the simplicity of their wisdom...and both pieces of advice came out of discussions about … Continue reading Musing about problems…
I made a thing.
I really am good at going silent. I think of things constantly that I could bring here, write about, poeticize, eulogize. But I don't, because here's the thing - I wrote a book. More specifically, I wrote a book while living with an incurable chronic illness that's slowly eroding away at my energy level. (I … Continue reading I made a thing.
On silence and contentment
I wanted to write this around the time I turned 40 earlier this year, but then...world disruption ensued, and it didn't seem quite right. But here it is, and it's very simple - I've cultivated a quiet life, and it's absolutely everything I wanted it to be. There are those who have tried to convince … Continue reading On silence and contentment
Sensitivity readings: An essential part of writing
So you've spend a lot of time writing and revising a story. You're getting to a point where it's in pretty good shape. Maybe you've had some beta readers look through all or part of it. Maybe you've workshopped it. Before you release it upon the world (or upon literary agents), consider pausing for a … Continue reading Sensitivity readings: An essential part of writing
