LETTERS
The other day I was doing some painting around the house – this time walls — when I came across one of my favorite books of all time, A Woman of Independent Means. This book was written more than 30 years ago, but it is one that I go back to time and time again. It’s a beautiful collection of letters from one woman, spanning most of her adult life.
I am very drawn to books written in letter or journal form. The Diary of Anne Frank was one of the first books I truly fell in love with — and most recently The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen originally included some twenty pages of letters back and forth from Catherine Grace and Martha Ann. My editor felt that the voice was too similar in the sisters’ letters and suggested I return those belonging to Catherine Grace to first-person narrative.
Lately, I’ve been asking myself why I am so drawn to this form of writing, and I think the answer is very simple. His name was Nolan Nuckles. He was a family friend, and when I was a very little girl, he was already well into his eighties. Oh, but Mr. Nuckles would write me the most wonderful letters, full of information and stories and scribed with a penmanship that was nothing short of artistic. I remember feeling so special that he had taken the time to write me. I saved each and every one of of his letters for years, and unfortunately in one of my many moves, they disappeared.
But that’s just it. In a letter, we all have the opportunity to become story teller — to share with our reader a part of our life that has been worthy of writing down. And receiving that letter is, in my opinion, an honor — especially now in the age of emails and texting and tweeting when writing by hand seems like a laborious task.
I, too, love a good 140-keystroke message message and sometimes forget to stop and take the time to write a friend a letter. (Although a few years ago I wrote my 7th-grade teacher, Lee Smith, a very long letter inside an exam blue book — only seemed appropriate!) But as my head spins with ideas for a fourth and fifth book, don’t be surprised if it’s a collection of letters — each one a special moment shared between a writer and her reader.
MORE SNOWPEOPLE
OK, I’ve made a few exceptions to my blogging everyday rule. They are as follows: no posting on weekends, snow days, and days when life just won’t permit it.
Now back to business. I was in Chattanooga again this past weekend. And again, it snowed! But as I was driving around town the day after, I couldn’t believe all the snowmen and snowwomen that had miraculously appeared in people’s front yards and on random street corners. (Remember the last time I was there I spotted the miniature snow couple on a bistro’s coffee table.)
These were not your average snowpeople. Some had full heads of hair. Some were dressed in one fashion or another. Some were anatomically correct. But all of them were wonderfully artistic. And granted, I realize that this posting is not about writing, but it is about creativity. And that needs to be celebrated everyday — especially days when it snows.
Snow couple. Check out the mustache!
DAY 27/BLOCKED
I had never experienced writer’s block until September 2008 — ever never. For two months, I stared at the same 15 pages with absolutely no clue how to move forward. Finally, I got up from my desk one morning and went to the kitchen to make some tea. While I was standing there, I made a big decision. The 15 pages that I had spent two months writing and then two more months staring at were going in the trash. Like Jill McCorkle once said, sometimes you have to get off the horse. You’ve beaten it till it’s dead, and you just have to get off.
So I sat back down at my desk, tea in hand, and for some reason checked Facebook, and there I read a comment by Josephine Humphreys. I don’t even remember the words now. They don’t really matter. But one thought led to another and then to another. And before I knew it, the block had lifted like fog off a mountain.
With that in mind, I want to share with you this beautifully written essay by another Tennessee writer, Susan Cushman. Susan is an iconographer, artist and writer. Her words about the spirituality of the creative process really resonate with me. I don’t know what caused my block to dissipate. But if the words seem to flow from a greater power then it only would make sense that emotions like anger and hurt and resentment and frustration block a writer’s ability to tap into or connect with that source. At least for me, this feels true.
DAY 26/TWITTER BOOK TALK
I love Twitter. I think as a journalist I love the challenge of writing a smart thought in 140 keystrokes. But today I found another reason to love the world of Tweeting and Tweeple. How’s this: #FountainReads Twitter Book Club.
That’s right, you heard me, a book club . . . on Twitter. And on Monday night, February 1, one of my favorite indie stores, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA, will celebrate the paperback release of A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick, with a Twitter chat. Store owner Kelly Justice (@rvabookchik) and one of my fav book bloggers Rebecca (@The Book Lady’s Blog) will lead the discussion.
Think about it. Book lovers from right here in Tennessee to the California coast and beyond can gather together and talk about a favorite book. OK, that’s just way cool.
For more details, on how to join Monday’s conversation, check out The Book Lady’s Blog.
DAY 25/A WRITER’S BRUSH
Today was not about writing but painting. I am not a painter. I rarely paint, and I will never show anyone anything that I have painted. But sometimes I think it’s good for the writer to pick up the brush and probably for the painter to pick up the pen. Huxley, Vonnegut, Yeats, Sandburg would probably all agree.
I feel no stress when I paint — no pressure, no expectations — nothing but joy. It reminds me very much how I felt when I was writing Dairy Queen, before I learned something about the business of publishing. But the really great, wonderful part about painting, when I’m done and return to the written word, I find that joy lingers on the page!
DAY 22/SHORT & SWEET
It’s Friday night, and I’m not going to keep you. But considering I’m teaching a social media class for writers tomorrow morning at the Williamson County Public Library, I thought it was a good opportunity to share a very cool video with you. It’s called Did You Know 4.0. If you didn’t believe in the importance of social media before — you will now! Check it out.
And remember to watch HOPE FOR HAITI NOW and give as generously as you can!
DAY 21/ROAD TRIPPING AGAIN
BOOK CLUB CAR TRIP from Susan Gregg Gilmore on Vimeo.
I haven’t been out on the road much lately. Remember, my butt’s been in the chair. But today I drove up to Clarksville, TN, to speak to a book club. Got me thinking about book tour 2010. It’s about eight months away, but I’m already starting to plot it all out. It’s like working a jigsaw puzzle — a maddening, complicated jigsaw puzzle.
For the most part, publishing houses don’t send their authors out on the road, well, not mid-list authors like myself. But I think it’s absolutely critical for a writer to get to know the people selling and reading your book. That’s why I traveled 18,000 miles in total with Dairy Queen and can tell you with great accuracy the very best trucks stops on I-81.
An atlas, calendar and #2 pencil are waiting for me on my desk. Here I go again.
ps – next time I am definitely wearing more make-up!
DAY 20/PEEK INSIDE
Until Dairy Queen was published, I honestly never thought much about the interior design of a book. But it’s as much an art as writing one. And I wanted to give you a sneak peek inside THE IMPROPER LIFE OF BEZELLIA GROVE.
Theses pages are the creation of Random House designer Lynne Amft.
DAY 19/BLOG ON
I have been at my desk for 14 hours now revising the first 100 pages of my third novel. I know I’m always preaching time in the chair, but my butt is seriously starting to hurt.
But before I call it a night, I quickly wanted to thank ALL of you who responded to yesterday’s blog. I heard from more readers than I ever have and NOT one person suggested I limit my writing.
In fact, it was better than that — your responses were kind, warm, and VERY encouraging. And to tell the truth, I needed that. We are, no doubt, on this journey together.
One reader said that blogging is like a stream of water that you dip into when you’re thirsty. Another likened it to a box of chocolates (and yes I love the Forrest Gump reference) that you open and sample whenever you feel the urge.
And one of my favorite literary bloggers, BookingMama, reminded me that the point of all of this to have a little fun.
So I am going to continue with my resolution to blog everyday this year because, well, because I want to. I enjoy it. It helps me as a writer. And it brings me great pleasure connecting with other readers and writers. Of course, I hope we all have some fun along the way. And come December 31, 2010, we are definitely going to do some celebrating!
AN HONEST READER
There is a special bond between a writer and a reader. It’s a very intimate relationship bound by words and the power of human expression.
In any deeply personal relationship, people are, I would hope, going to feel safe voicing their opinions. But if I’m going to be completely honest, which is the point of this blog, after Dairy Queen was published, I was surprised when a reader would email to tell me there was a misspelled word on page 103 or a misplaced comma on page 96. I appreciated it, but I was surprised.
But I was sad when a reader misinterpreted a passage and thought that I was being racist. And I was startled when a reader sent a long email questioning the inherent value of my work. ”How did I ever get published in the first place?” she asked. ”Did an editor even read your book?” she wondered. I quickly realized that this was not coming from a terribly disappointed reader but a very frustrated writer. And after a bit of emailing, I had found another author in her genre who had agreed to help her with her manuscript.
OK that brings us to today. I received a comment from a reader who has decided to no longer subscribe to my blog, and she went on to tell me why. She felt this was important feedback that I needed to hear even if it was unsolicited and “might not be so comfortable.”
“It’s nothing about your blog writing,” she said, “it’s fine and interesting. It is fun to watch. But I cannot take daily doses . . just can’t keep up the pace,” she said.
She thinks I should post no more than 3 times a week.
I would be lying if I said that these kind of comments don’t smart. They do. But I always think there’s something to be learned from everything. So I decided to ask you, my readers, if you would prefer that I only write 3 x a week — if it feels burdensome and boring everyday.
But before you make your decision, let me explain why I think daily blogging is valuable. I do not expect that each and every entry is going to be profound nor do I expect you to read each and every entry — although that would be nice. But blogging everyday encourages me to write about subjects that I would otherwise ignore, for example, the video posted recently of author Lisa Patton talking about her new book, Whistlin’ Dixie in A Nor’easter. I got more comments from that one entry than I had in two or three days (not to mention some new readers for Lisa.) Had I been blogging only a few times a week, I’m not sure that post would have happened. The daily ritual of blogging does, I am convinced, lend itself to unexpected treasures.
My intent when I committed to blogging everyday this year was in part selfish, to develop more blogging discipline, and to share with those of you interested in the writing process a little bit of what the day is like. I try to keep all posts very short (except for this one) because I know everyone is busy with their own lives.
But let me know what you think — now is the time — yes or no — yay or nay!
