In Love With Your Writing, In Love With the World (A Love Letter, Of Course)

It's one reason I write (maybe you, too?)

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. And don’t miss the holiday sale currently going on! (I’ve just extended it until Christmas Eve.)

Photo by Eleonora Albasi on Unsplash

Hello lovelies,

This Substack grew out of a blog that I wrote for years, starting back in 2007 and continuing for over ten years until it finally fizzled out, along with a lot of other blogs. (Some of you have been with me since those early days and I appreciate that so much!) My blog has always been named Wordstrumpet but I had several different taglines throughout the years. (A particularly choice one was “wanton for words.” A play on the “strumpet” part of Wordstrumpet. I thought it was clever at the time.)

But my absolute favorite tagline was fall in love with your writing, fall in love with the world. Because I’ve always felt that’s what writing does for me: make me fall back in love with the world.

Let me explain a bit further. (Farther? I never know which one is correct.)

It’s that feeling that you get after a good writing session, when you push back from your desk and look around at the world beyond your computer. And…it is wonderful. Everything looks sparkly and bright, and even the dreary clouds and rain-slicked concrete looks dear and delightful to you. You look at the world with fresh eyes and everything about it seems marvelous. Just like when you are in the throes of first love.

I have long tried to figure out why this happens. It’s actually documented scientifically-ish, with creativity experts saying that engaging in creative acts demonstrably makes you happier. (Here’s a very scientific article on the topic, and one that is a bit more accessible.)

One thing I do know is that for this “in love with the world” feeling to happen, you need total absorption. It only happens after you’ve been fully focused on the work (play?) at hand, and then set your mind free. Cue the serotonin/dopamine rush. So I’ve long focused on, well, focus, as a path to get this feeling, and also, duh, a more productive work session. (Who knew that taking breaks every five minutes to check email or news is not conducive to getting things done?)

But lately I have concluded that focus is not the only requirement for falling in love with your world. And, in truth, I only became aware of this as I started writing this post. What the feeling comes from is noticing, from really seeing, from noting glimmers. It is fully inhabiting the world, being in it. Which, half the time these days we aren’t. We’re often halfway out of the real world because part of our brains are in the digital realm. I’m embarrassed to admit that scrolling through Instagram (without even posting) has absorbed much of my time as I convalesce from surgery.

I could list ways to improve our focus (the pomodoro technique, putting Freedom or Write or Die on your computer, using focus music), but I’m going to belabor that point, especially now, when distraction due to the holidays is at an all-time high. What I will point out is something that I’ve been tracking lately, which is this: things don’t take as long as you think they are going to when you focus on one thing at a time. Just a little pro tip to put in your back pocket and pull out when the season is over.

And, here’s the deal: getting to this state of focus or whatever you want to call it is a worthy goal. Because it is one reason I write. I want to be in love with the world. It’s a terrible and a beautiful place. Call me Pollyanna (many have) but I want to be a human who sees and acknowledges the beauty. I bet you do, too.

Love, light, and good writing,

Charlotte

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Books

Kaleidoscope by Cecily Wong. Here’s the description: “A dazzling novel about the tumultuous relationship between two sisters, a shocking loss that changes everything, and the life-altering adventure that follows.” This book is good, I’m seriously enjoying it. Wong is an author who lives in my hometown and I read about her novel in the local paper. I’m glad I checked it out. Update: I finished and enjoyed it. Okay, there were a few parts I skimmed but I’m glad I stuck with it

The Restaurant by Pamela Kelley. I’ve mentioned this author here before—she’s experiencing rip-roaring success with her novels and I enjoy reading them to figure out why. She writes multiple viewpoints, with each character having a clearly defined problem and desire from the get-to and it is easy to follow along as they navigate the obstacles of the story.

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Articles and Resources

Another day, another literary scandal. Don’t try this at home, folks.

Write your way whole.

Author Kim Poovey is having a special event on her author Facebook page this Tuesday at 7PM Eastern. It’s a celebration of the 180th anniversary of A Christmas Carol, with discussion of Dickens and the lasting impact of this story. Join me there!

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Events

Creative writing workshops in France and Italy next year. (England is now full.) See all here.

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I’m extending my holiday sale offering 20% off membership levels until Christmas Eve. That means a monthly subscription will run you $6.40, and an annual $64. May I also suggest that this could be a lovely gift for the writer on your list? Or a treat for yourself.

I’ve spent a lot of my recovery time pondering my Substack and I’m coming up with some real goodies for paid subscribers. So there will be much more in 2024.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for supporting my writing!

*Note: The book links lead to my affiliate listing. This means I get a small fee if you order through me.