I"m printing out this essay, keeping it close to my desk. Definitely pining it to a cork board if I ever get one. And it makes me want to go on retreat with you, sit at your feet and say "tell me everything". One reading is not enough. This is the kind of essay that deserves re-read after re-read. These foundational points of writing never change. It's us, we get to revisit them and grow some more. Thanks for re-posting, Jeannine. You knocked it out of the park as far as I'm concerned!
I appreciated this so much the first time I read it, and am appreciating it again now. It really helped my writing come aliveā so much of what I write is about those in between states of consciousness and dreams (internal spaces!) and the prompt to describe in more concrete detail (and make them a real place that the reader could inhabit) changed everything. I keep these wise words in mind as I revise too, have I really shown it? Am I rushing to āmake a pointā when I could instead let the reader come to their own point? Lots of deleting lol.
I meanā¦I could go on, but really itās fantastic advice for any writer regardless of style and theme.
I totally agree with all of this, but especially the part about words/images fighting for attention. Such writing never strikes me as genuine, ie as not coming from the person, but the persona they imagine a writer to embody. I hope that makes sense!
As AnaĆÆs Nin famously put it, āWe don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.ā Therefore, the more closely you can observe and record the world outside of yourselfāwithout making it into a story and/or making it into something about youāthe more successful you will likely be, ultimately, in writing a compelling story and/or revealing something profound about yourself.
This post is sooo helpful and soooo stretching my mind and heart!!! Thank you Jeannine. I appreciate the points on external vs internal; the quote from Anais Nin is permeating deeply, causing a little earthquake in my understanding of my writing going forward. i think the idea is if I focus on detailed, concrete descriptions of my external world, the words themselves will at least partially convey my emotional response to what i am describing. That is more interesting and exciting to a reader than me using words to describe my feelings. And appreciating that the choice and ordering of words, in and of themselves, can only come from my unique perspective on the world based on my lived experience. Am i on track with a basic understanding? Thanks again Jeannine.
Jeannine, thank you so much for republishing this essay, as I wasn't yet on Substack, let alone a subscriber, when it originally appeared. I'm wrangling over the meaning of this passage for the nonfiction book I'm working on right now: "The more closely you can observe and record the world outside of yourselfāwithout making it into a story and/or making it into something about youāthe more successful you will likely be, ultimately, in writing a compelling story and/or revealing something profound about yourself." My personal, first-person experience as I went about collecting the material for this nonfiction book is as critical to the story I'm telling as the material itself. But talking in first person would be in service of a greater purpose that is outside of me, i.e. it surfaces notions that help make sense of what the outside world told me, what we can make of it. I'm not sure how to make this less vague without going into the specifics, but the bottom line question is: do/can different boundaries apply to nonfiction writing when it comes to internal vs external?
This is the incredible post that brought me here, so the point about beginnings is spot on today. I would rewrite what I thought I was subscribing to by saying that each of those points is so vast and so rewarding to explore in depth in the challenges, intensives, and the comments. I recognize them, and so many of you here, as friends now, but that is not to say I know them. That is the rich and ongoing practice we engage in as a community. I did not know what I was getting into, but it called me. I had no clue how it would shape me and change my writing, but I am better for it, and very very vocal about my gratitude because the writing journey and life journey are inextricably woven together for me. That Anais Nin quote is spot on for me today.
This was an unbelievably generous essay that I will revisit. I came across some writing advice that said the idea can be big and complex but it must be communicated with the simplest writing possible. Thank you again...instant subscriber.
Thank you for sharing about the essence of writing. There's a lot in the essay. Definitely a resource to read regularly as a reminder of what good writing makes it so.
I am new to writing. I wrote a post last week and I knew it inside when I posted it, that it wasn't crafted well. But not being a writer (more a painter artist) I didn't know how to make it different.
Reading this has really opened my eyes although there is so much to digest and as writing isn't my first love, I'm not sure I'll ever get to grips with all that you tell. But I've found it fascinating to read and will try to take on some of the lessons you so generously share.
As a side note, I love the poetry of Wendell Berry.
I"m printing out this essay, keeping it close to my desk. Definitely pining it to a cork board if I ever get one. And it makes me want to go on retreat with you, sit at your feet and say "tell me everything". One reading is not enough. This is the kind of essay that deserves re-read after re-read. These foundational points of writing never change. It's us, we get to revisit them and grow some more. Thanks for re-posting, Jeannine. You knocked it out of the park as far as I'm concerned!
I appreciated this so much the first time I read it, and am appreciating it again now. It really helped my writing come aliveā so much of what I write is about those in between states of consciousness and dreams (internal spaces!) and the prompt to describe in more concrete detail (and make them a real place that the reader could inhabit) changed everything. I keep these wise words in mind as I revise too, have I really shown it? Am I rushing to āmake a pointā when I could instead let the reader come to their own point? Lots of deleting lol.
I meanā¦I could go on, but really itās fantastic advice for any writer regardless of style and theme.
Gratitude to you Jeannine!
I totally agree with all of this, but especially the part about words/images fighting for attention. Such writing never strikes me as genuine, ie as not coming from the person, but the persona they imagine a writer to embody. I hope that makes sense!
As AnaĆÆs Nin famously put it, āWe don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.ā Therefore, the more closely you can observe and record the world outside of yourselfāwithout making it into a story and/or making it into something about youāthe more successful you will likely be, ultimately, in writing a compelling story and/or revealing something profound about yourself.
This post is sooo helpful and soooo stretching my mind and heart!!! Thank you Jeannine. I appreciate the points on external vs internal; the quote from Anais Nin is permeating deeply, causing a little earthquake in my understanding of my writing going forward. i think the idea is if I focus on detailed, concrete descriptions of my external world, the words themselves will at least partially convey my emotional response to what i am describing. That is more interesting and exciting to a reader than me using words to describe my feelings. And appreciating that the choice and ordering of words, in and of themselves, can only come from my unique perspective on the world based on my lived experience. Am i on track with a basic understanding? Thanks again Jeannine.
Jeannine, thank you so much for republishing this essay, as I wasn't yet on Substack, let alone a subscriber, when it originally appeared. I'm wrangling over the meaning of this passage for the nonfiction book I'm working on right now: "The more closely you can observe and record the world outside of yourselfāwithout making it into a story and/or making it into something about youāthe more successful you will likely be, ultimately, in writing a compelling story and/or revealing something profound about yourself." My personal, first-person experience as I went about collecting the material for this nonfiction book is as critical to the story I'm telling as the material itself. But talking in first person would be in service of a greater purpose that is outside of me, i.e. it surfaces notions that help make sense of what the outside world told me, what we can make of it. I'm not sure how to make this less vague without going into the specifics, but the bottom line question is: do/can different boundaries apply to nonfiction writing when it comes to internal vs external?
Great points (reminders)! And some of my favourite poets as examplesā¦. :) Thank you Jeannine!
Yep. There's two kinds of keyboarders. Those who love rules, and the rest. Only the first are writers.
This is the incredible post that brought me here, so the point about beginnings is spot on today. I would rewrite what I thought I was subscribing to by saying that each of those points is so vast and so rewarding to explore in depth in the challenges, intensives, and the comments. I recognize them, and so many of you here, as friends now, but that is not to say I know them. That is the rich and ongoing practice we engage in as a community. I did not know what I was getting into, but it called me. I had no clue how it would shape me and change my writing, but I am better for it, and very very vocal about my gratitude because the writing journey and life journey are inextricably woven together for me. That Anais Nin quote is spot on for me today.
This was an unbelievably generous essay that I will revisit. I came across some writing advice that said the idea can be big and complex but it must be communicated with the simplest writing possible. Thank you again...instant subscriber.
This is an excellent list! Thank you, Jeannine Oulelette, for putting into words those things that spark when we get something right!
Thank you for sharing about the essence of writing. There's a lot in the essay. Definitely a resource to read regularly as a reminder of what good writing makes it so.
What an inspiring and informing piece. Thank you. Even though I am writing an academic thesis I can use much of what you teach in your post.
I am new to writing. I wrote a post last week and I knew it inside when I posted it, that it wasn't crafted well. But not being a writer (more a painter artist) I didn't know how to make it different.
Reading this has really opened my eyes although there is so much to digest and as writing isn't my first love, I'm not sure I'll ever get to grips with all that you tell. But I've found it fascinating to read and will try to take on some of the lessons you so generously share.
As a side note, I love the poetry of Wendell Berry.
Thank you for this, Jeannine!
Love this! Great points. I'm inspired. šš»
Thank you for this, and thank you especially for the Larry Levis link. New to me. What a poem!