I love that you took yourself to Palermo. And that photo of you is STUNNING.
"....all badges ever end up doing is pulling me further away from myself." Gah, yes. And yet I keep thinking I need the badge for admission to this writerly life. Thank you for your transparency, always. I have started and stopped my own book proposal more times than I can count because of my deep fear of legitimacy. I am a writer and I am so damn close to finishing this thing. And if my thing doesn't get picked up by an agent, I'll still have it and it will always be mine.
Thank you, Holly. For the reminders that it starts with us, always. We don't have to earn our right to write.
And this round up is going to feed me for a while. TY!
I think we're in some kind of apex situation with this fear of not being a legitimate writer because we've outsourced so much to the audience and the gaze, and celebrate the same handful of authors, constantly. Some of my favorite writing is by people no one has ever heard of; some of the things that have changed me the most are things that maybe a hundred people read; and the best things I have ever written are always the least popular.
Yes! And I'll add to that - some of the lines I've heard at sobriety meetings impact me more than sentences in a book. It all adds up, for me, to simply being someone who craves words that move me and settle into me. That's all it takes. They don't have to come from an "authority" or renowned author.
Paradise is such an under watched show! Sterling K Brown is incredible in everything he does. Recommend his new movie - IS GOD IS - directed by the playwright who wrote it. Beautifully shot female rage road trip indie movie.
Nice 1 hour train ride from Palermo. or 2 hours plus from the airport (you must change trains in Palermo, so connection time). I rented a small rooftop apartment with a gorgeous sea view. Down the street was a Rick Steves recommendation shop with delicious arancini. I would stroll to a nearby piazza each AM for coffee and just sitting, watching cefalu wake up. First day, a gorgeous open air seaside restaurant where a seagull immediately took a giant shit on my head. Yes, I loved Cefalu. Enjoy. I know you love Italy,
I’ve never gotten into a residency either, despite being an award winning playwright with multiple productions under my belt. I accepted that I’m never going to be at the cool kid’s table. I’ve always hacked and slashed my own path, and now that I’m almost 45 (😬), at least I have enough disposable income to make my own damn retreat!
A trip to Italy is one of the best DIY writers retreats I can imagine!
Re: feeling like a writer. I had a dream recently in which I was trying to get to a lover who was on the 9th floor of a building. I only made it to the 8th floor and the steps to the 9th were so steep I was afraid to take them. I found an elevator, but it was so small I couldn't get into it.
Working on the premise that all characters in a dream are representations of ourselves, I concluded I have spent a lot of my life trying to locate a part of me which has often felt beyond reach, and that this struggle is sometimes made harder when you don't know what that part is for.
Writing, for me at least, plays the role that music used to when I wrote songs instead of memoir. It helps me locate myself on unreachable levels of buildings. It's also for my children to read when I'm gone and they wonder about who I really was, a question I carry about my own parents. If anyone else gets something from it, that must be considered a blessing and a bonus.
First, this dream. I'm not a dream person so I have never heard this premise, and wow does that change some things. (Curious: is that like, a dream thing, a Jung thing?) Anyway, I love that interpretation so much and the opening that asking what something is for creates. I honestly am always on the backfoot w that question; every time someone asks I have to think of the answer, and I'm still not sure the reason, but I would say it too helps me locate myself on unreachable levels of bldgs
He would probably suggest it means a degree of dismissal to the power of the unconscious, but I’m not a Jungian and therefore can’t really comment on his behalf 😊
Love the Italy photos. Just back from absolutely baking in heat domed France. And the photos of you are amazing. So beautiful. Scheduled to go to Italy next May-June but climate change is murdering Europe so maybe not. Headed to Antarctica in January. Hopefully there will still be ice there. Love you
I love all of your photos. And since I’m here, a book recommendation: Right Story, Wrong Story: How to Have Fearless Conversations in Hell by Tyson Yunkaporta. It has the narcissist leader thread tied in with the Enlightenment philosophers. I’m alternately feeling completely dumb and like I’m in on a fantastic secret world while occasionally laughing out loud because the writer has a very good sense of humor about it all (especially the history of modern thought).
I love that you took yourself to Palermo. And that photo of you is STUNNING.
"....all badges ever end up doing is pulling me further away from myself." Gah, yes. And yet I keep thinking I need the badge for admission to this writerly life. Thank you for your transparency, always. I have started and stopped my own book proposal more times than I can count because of my deep fear of legitimacy. I am a writer and I am so damn close to finishing this thing. And if my thing doesn't get picked up by an agent, I'll still have it and it will always be mine.
Thank you, Holly. For the reminders that it starts with us, always. We don't have to earn our right to write.
And this round up is going to feed me for a while. TY!
I think we're in some kind of apex situation with this fear of not being a legitimate writer because we've outsourced so much to the audience and the gaze, and celebrate the same handful of authors, constantly. Some of my favorite writing is by people no one has ever heard of; some of the things that have changed me the most are things that maybe a hundred people read; and the best things I have ever written are always the least popular.
Yes! And I'll add to that - some of the lines I've heard at sobriety meetings impact me more than sentences in a book. It all adds up, for me, to simply being someone who craves words that move me and settle into me. That's all it takes. They don't have to come from an "authority" or renowned author.
“when I know full well from my past that all badges ever end up doing is pulling me further away from myself.” Ugh yes
Always. 😘
You clean up nice, Hol! Love the Kinfolk pics. 🌺
Paradise is such an under watched show! Sterling K Brown is incredible in everything he does. Recommend his new movie - IS GOD IS - directed by the playwright who wrote it. Beautifully shot female rage road trip indie movie.
I love it bc it’s like this is us but apocalypse style 😭 yay!! I can’t wait to watch this
Nice 1 hour train ride from Palermo. or 2 hours plus from the airport (you must change trains in Palermo, so connection time). I rented a small rooftop apartment with a gorgeous sea view. Down the street was a Rick Steves recommendation shop with delicious arancini. I would stroll to a nearby piazza each AM for coffee and just sitting, watching cefalu wake up. First day, a gorgeous open air seaside restaurant where a seagull immediately took a giant shit on my head. Yes, I loved Cefalu. Enjoy. I know you love Italy,
I wish I’d had this little itinerary :)
Do it!!
How was I unaware of Hannah Cohen. Thank you so much for the introduction. 🩷
I can’t wait for you listen to earth star
I’ve never gotten into a residency either, despite being an award winning playwright with multiple productions under my belt. I accepted that I’m never going to be at the cool kid’s table. I’ve always hacked and slashed my own path, and now that I’m almost 45 (😬), at least I have enough disposable income to make my own damn retreat!
A trip to Italy is one of the best DIY writers retreats I can imagine!
I couldn’t love this more. A thousand likes. Yeah you did and yeah you do.
So nice to get caught up with what’s going on in your life and thanks for sharing such interesting finds. I appreciate that. And you.
🫂
Gorgeous photo of a beautiful and talented lady. And enjoy a nice meal in La Vuccaria. I loved Palermo and also Cefalu
I know you love cefalu! I thought of you. I still haven’t been even tho it’s just right there.
If you ever wish to contact me offline, my email is jmartin1@att.net
I love to read you are in Palermo 💖💖💖 and what a generous newsletter, things to read for long stretches ! Much love 💖
A whole year of reading Josh. ♥️🫂 love to you
Re: feeling like a writer. I had a dream recently in which I was trying to get to a lover who was on the 9th floor of a building. I only made it to the 8th floor and the steps to the 9th were so steep I was afraid to take them. I found an elevator, but it was so small I couldn't get into it.
Working on the premise that all characters in a dream are representations of ourselves, I concluded I have spent a lot of my life trying to locate a part of me which has often felt beyond reach, and that this struggle is sometimes made harder when you don't know what that part is for.
Writing, for me at least, plays the role that music used to when I wrote songs instead of memoir. It helps me locate myself on unreachable levels of buildings. It's also for my children to read when I'm gone and they wonder about who I really was, a question I carry about my own parents. If anyone else gets something from it, that must be considered a blessing and a bonus.
First, this dream. I'm not a dream person so I have never heard this premise, and wow does that change some things. (Curious: is that like, a dream thing, a Jung thing?) Anyway, I love that interpretation so much and the opening that asking what something is for creates. I honestly am always on the backfoot w that question; every time someone asks I have to think of the answer, and I'm still not sure the reason, but I would say it too helps me locate myself on unreachable levels of bldgs
Yes, this is classic Jung 😆
I'm so averse to dream stuff! I wonder what he'd say about that.
This made me chuckle, Holly. My therapist was a Jungian scholar and much to my disbelief the dream stuff is valuable.
But I don’t want it to be lol
He would probably suggest it means a degree of dismissal to the power of the unconscious, but I’m not a Jungian and therefore can’t really comment on his behalf 😊
lol I feel exposed
Love the Italy photos. Just back from absolutely baking in heat domed France. And the photos of you are amazing. So beautiful. Scheduled to go to Italy next May-June but climate change is murdering Europe so maybe not. Headed to Antarctica in January. Hopefully there will still be ice there. Love you
Please tell us about those trees, Holly?
I love all of your photos. And since I’m here, a book recommendation: Right Story, Wrong Story: How to Have Fearless Conversations in Hell by Tyson Yunkaporta. It has the narcissist leader thread tied in with the Enlightenment philosophers. I’m alternately feeling completely dumb and like I’m in on a fantastic secret world while occasionally laughing out loud because the writer has a very good sense of humor about it all (especially the history of modern thought).