Iced in For a Week (A Love Letter)
I'll let you guess how much writing I'm getting done
Mindset, motivation and inspiration for novelists—with a dash of instruction about writing craft added in. There’s no one approach to writing that works for everyone, but I can help you find what works for you. Subscribe (free or paid) to get the fuel you need for your writing career.
Hello lovelies,
As I write this (a couple days before it will be sent out), we’ve been pretty much homebound due to snow and ice for a week. And it’s been chaos at home. School has been out, hub working from home, son-in-law not working, daughter trying not to pull her hair out dealing with three feral boys home.
And, we’ve been among the lucky ones. Our power was out for most of last Saturday as the temperatures were around 15 degrees. But it came back on before it got even colder overnight and we also have a gas fireplace to huddle beside. Many people lost power for days on end. Trees fell all over the city, crushing cars, houses and in some cases, people.
Did I mention more freezing rain is falling as I type? It is. Yes, yes, it is. And as for me, I’ve been home observing it all from inside. No way in hell am I risking hurting my new knee by slipping on the ice. So you would think, wouldn’t you, that I was getting tons of writing done?
Well, I am and I’m not. Here’s the I’m not part: I’ve had an influx of lovely new clients for which I am delighted and grateful so I’ve been diligently reading and commenting on their work. And beyond that, inclement weather is just so damned distracting. You have to check the Accuweather app every few minutes for the latest forecast and then open the door and peer outside. You have to go into the main house and see what everyone is doing in there. And there’s also this: when seven humans are on the internet at the same time, it doesn’t work well. Oh, the trials of modern life.
But here’s the I am getting writing done part: as I mentioned last week, I took up the challenge of Matt Bell and started writing again early in the morning. I’ve had a few clunker mornings without many words, but most days I manage at least one thousand. And it makes me so, so happy to do this, as it sets up the whole day. Everything goes better once I’ve gotten the thing most important to me done.
I have ideas about how to accomplish this that I hope will be helpful but my mind keeps going back to a review I read of Jami Attenborough’s new book, 1000 Words (which I have not yet read but will soon) which said: “Most of the advice …. is really only one re-synthesized piece of advice used over and over again: "write more..." Because, well, um, er, that’s the basic message, isn’t it?
Write more.
And yet we tie ourselves up in knots attempting to do that. And I think it is because of fear. And it’s not the fear that you think it is. It’s not the fear that somebody will read what you wrote and judge it. (Although that fear is real, too, just not the root fear.) To my mind the root fear is that we’re afraid we’ll like it too much. That we’ll never want to come back to the real world our bodies inhabit because the world our minds inhabit is so much better. That we won’t get the kids to school, the dishes done, to our jobs on time, the client work finished. That we’ll forget our spouse’s name, and that we were supposed to be at a meeting.
That we’ll never come back. And most importantly, that we’ll never be the same.
And guess what? You won’t. Because writing changes you. And my advice to you is to let it. Allow that to happen. Let yourself get so immersed in the world you’re creating that you never want to come back. Because that is the magical place we’re all seeking.
And if your life is anything like mine, I guarantee that somebody will interrupt you, as one of my grandsons just did to tell me an eye-rolling joke, and catapult you back to the real world.
Love, light, and good writing,
Charlotte
P.S. I know the weather has been awful all over the country and possibly the world. So leave a comment and let me know how you are coping. Are you writing? Tips to share on getting it done? And if you’re really brave, we could discuss our biggest writing fears.
P.P.S. Every week, I get the loveliest responses to this newsletter, most often through email. I treasure these so much. And I also would love to start building a community on here. We could do that by commenting here. So let me ask you—do you feel comfortable doing that? Is there any way I could make that easier for you?
Books
This week I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump, picking up and not finishing a couple of books. But that’s okay because I have three books from friends and clients to feature!
Hummingbird: Messages From My Ancestors, by Diana Raab. Diana is my beloved laughing buddy from my MFA program. Our friendship was cemented on a bus back from a Billy Collins reading when we fell into gales of uncontrollable (and inappropriate) laughter as a Spalding mentor dramatically commentated on the event. I was privileged to be an early reader on this memoir and I recommend it highly.
The Beautiful Abyss by Gini Chin. I kind of can’t believe I haven’t featured this novel from my friend Gini yet, but I looked back and I don’t see that I have. (I blame it on surgery brain.) Nicki’s adventure in Greece turns romantic and then intensely wild as she takes up with the enigmatic Thof and helps him run his bar. Adventures—and craziness—ensue. Also highly recommended.
The Faerie Ring by M.C. Metz. This is a short story that will stay with you for a long time. Beautifully written, it is the touching story of a young woman attempting to move forward after the death of her boyfriend. Maybe, just maybe, a little touch of magic might help.
(Note: the above are affiliate links, which means I get a small royalty if you order through me.)
Articles and Resources
For indie publishers, an update on Amazon key words
Good article on tropes and id lists from Cathy Yardley https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/427452/109983249826056155
I’m on an endless quest for the best information-gathering app. I’m experimenting with Instapaper, which reminds me of the ancient and no-longer live Google Notebooks. And just this morning I learned of Good Notes, which I think I also might like. Recommendations welcome!
Events
Creative writing workshops in France and Italy next year. (England is now full.) See all here. And let me just add: future you is going to be sooooo happy that you committed to a week in Céret, France, or Perugia, Italy to further your writing career and your world travels! Reply to this email if you want to learn more.
Coaching
I’m revamping my book coaching offerings and creating a website, so stay tuned. One of my plans is for a Plan Your Writing Year package. (Been too busy with clients to get it going, but it will be apropos any time of year.) More soon, but if you’re interested in any kind of coaching, reply to this email.
I think, if we are attentive we have been inundated with weather pattern knowledge and perhaps climate trends the last 10+ years. It seems when the El Nino pattern dominates, it means strange weather for the west coast and moderation in the Midwest. That has certainly been the pattern this year. Late January/Early February in Minnesota can be challenging. This year with El Nino we have received little or no snow and forecasts are for temperatures in the 50s next week. Outdoor tennis in late Januaryr/early February -- who knew??? I hope your weather shifts soon enough.
So inspiring, as always. 😊 I've had the bitter cold weather, too. Lots of snow, hazardous roads, and below zero temps. So I've been staying inside too! I wrote a couple of bonus chapters for subscribers over the last two weeks, and I'm plotting out my next novel. I've been reading the Chris Fox series about plotting and fast drafting, and it's helping me think more about how much to plan and how much to let myself discover (I'm never going to shoot for 5000 words an hour, but there are some helpful takeaways). I think for me, there's just a feeling (maybe it's a fear) that if I start too soon, then I'll flail around and have crappy chapters that have to get rewritten or cut--or in my haste, I'll force the story in the wrong direction. But really, I know I need to just write the first chapter. Parts always get rewritten and cut, so I don't know why that feeling of "getting it right" is so strong.
I'm glad you're staying safe and don't have to get out in the weather! That's always a huge stressor for me. I'm still learning how to cope with Midwest winters!