On creative paralysis and the strange and eternal heartbreak of finishing work + the radical freedom of ordinariness + the one thing that will close the gap between the work we make & the work we love
Your answer to "Stuck" caused me to immediately remember the scene from Amadeus where Mozart's wife brings his wwritten music to Salieri, his opponent for the King's favor... and the emotional reaction, that brought me to tears, in which Salieri realized no matter how good he was , he would never attain the genius that was Mozart! I remember feeling the same reaction with him, I would never be as good a writer , poet, as I dreamed I could be. Like him, I kept in writing, pleasing only myself and realizing that I also pleased some others! Freeing in a wonderful way!
"I want you to feel not only a little better, but also more empowered about stepping away from this paralysis and into the wild unknown of creative discovery and growth that is your birthright." <3 <3
Also: "If that doesn’t hurt a little, well, then I have to wonder if the thing was art in the first place? Because, generally speaking, art leaves an ache. That’s just the way it is." Hands to the air emoji. YES
Jeannine, I can’t thank you enough for today’s piece about creative paralysis and being stuck. It was just what I needed to read. So grateful for your newsletter. ♥️
Thank you for the reminder as I get closer to finishing the lyrical essay challenge and letting go of all that it could have been, accepting what it's wanting to be. Important reminder of what is enough and why it matters.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder that it's safe, and even necessary, to share my creativity – a part of myself I have cautiously guarded for so long. Thank you for inspiring this courage.🙏🏾
Nov 18, 2023·edited Nov 18, 2023Liked by Jeannine Ouellette
This was beautiful, and so relatable. So much of this reminds me of Julia Cameron and her books on creative recovery (Who I can't talk about without mentioning the spookiness of finishing the Artist's Way and then immediately conceiving my daughter-- then, when she was born, feeling not just a rush of my creative energy flow back to me but also the sudden courage to share my creative work) I'd definitely recommend them to this Asker :)
I find a certain freedom, like you mentioned feeling at that conference, in realizing that it doesn't matter. It matters so much-- but it also doesn't. I saw another post recently that was something along the lines of, "no one cares about your newsletter! and that gives you so much permission to create!" and that made me feel better.
I also SO relate to the grief of finishing work, sitting back and realizing "oh, that wasn't quite it... I haven't done this story justice, or brought it to life in the way it deserved." That can be so painful, especially when the subject matter is dear to your heart. But we have to keep making our art.
Yes to all of this, and what a beautiful story about your daughter. Ann Patchett writes exquisitely about the grief of finishing a book in her essay The Getaway Car, which can be found in her essay collection, This is The Story of a Happy Marriage!
This meant a lot to me. I am becoming more and more anxious because I cannot give the time I want to my memoir and writing. The reason is I have a demanding job.
I miraculously wrote 70,000 words over 3 months earlier this year, but since then have been “on a break” because of work and life.
I am seriously thinking I need to start carving out an hour in the mornings before work.
I think I feel the pressure to write something “very good,” or “successful,” and that paralyzes me a bit. Your point about being ordinary was very helpful.
The expression, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good,” comes to mind.
Thank you!
By the way, I recently read your book and it was beautiful.
Oh, my goodness, thank you for all of this. And yes, carving out an hour (or even 20 minutes) can go so far in the morning, but it does seem to work better without the immense pressure!
Your answer to "Stuck" caused me to immediately remember the scene from Amadeus where Mozart's wife brings his wwritten music to Salieri, his opponent for the King's favor... and the emotional reaction, that brought me to tears, in which Salieri realized no matter how good he was , he would never attain the genius that was Mozart! I remember feeling the same reaction with him, I would never be as good a writer , poet, as I dreamed I could be. Like him, I kept in writing, pleasing only myself and realizing that I also pleased some others! Freeing in a wonderful way!
Oh, what a great concretization of this concept, in that scene! Wow. Thank you! And, yes, freeing!
Thank you for reminding me of this scene. It's my favorite part of the move and the most touching.
"I want you to feel not only a little better, but also more empowered about stepping away from this paralysis and into the wild unknown of creative discovery and growth that is your birthright." <3 <3
Also: "If that doesn’t hurt a little, well, then I have to wonder if the thing was art in the first place? Because, generally speaking, art leaves an ache. That’s just the way it is." Hands to the air emoji. YES
Thank you 🙏
Just in time-- as was the voice memo and soothing meditation on Wednesday. Feeling less alone on this journey.
Oh wonderful. Thank you and I hope you have a lovely weekend!
Love Love Love this! I can so relate on so many levels. As always, an inspiration. Thank you 💜
Yay— thank you!
Jeannine, I can’t thank you enough for today’s piece about creative paralysis and being stuck. It was just what I needed to read. So grateful for your newsletter. ♥️
I am so so glad ❤️
Thank you for the reminder as I get closer to finishing the lyrical essay challenge and letting go of all that it could have been, accepting what it's wanting to be. Important reminder of what is enough and why it matters.
I love that you are getting closer to finishing the lyric essay challenge. Good for you--that is a major, major accomplishment!!
I really needed this, thank you 💜
Yay— so glad you found it at the right moment ❤️
Thank you. This is beautiful. I appreciate you offering this essay for free :)
I'm so glad, thank you for reading. ❤️
Thank you for this beautiful reminder that it's safe, and even necessary, to share my creativity – a part of myself I have cautiously guarded for so long. Thank you for inspiring this courage.🙏🏾
You are so very welcome!
This is so timely - thank you!
I'm so glad, and you are so welcome!
The work comes through us, not from us. Our role is to protect and nurture that divine sacred expression that wants to be birthed. The art is in being authentic. I wrote about this today and feel you’d resonate with it Jeannine! https://open.substack.com/pub/soulwisdom/p/updated-con-el-sagrado?r=a9uns&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Thank you! I will check it out.
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
This was beautiful, and so relatable. So much of this reminds me of Julia Cameron and her books on creative recovery (Who I can't talk about without mentioning the spookiness of finishing the Artist's Way and then immediately conceiving my daughter-- then, when she was born, feeling not just a rush of my creative energy flow back to me but also the sudden courage to share my creative work) I'd definitely recommend them to this Asker :)
I find a certain freedom, like you mentioned feeling at that conference, in realizing that it doesn't matter. It matters so much-- but it also doesn't. I saw another post recently that was something along the lines of, "no one cares about your newsletter! and that gives you so much permission to create!" and that made me feel better.
I also SO relate to the grief of finishing work, sitting back and realizing "oh, that wasn't quite it... I haven't done this story justice, or brought it to life in the way it deserved." That can be so painful, especially when the subject matter is dear to your heart. But we have to keep making our art.
Yes to all of this, and what a beautiful story about your daughter. Ann Patchett writes exquisitely about the grief of finishing a book in her essay The Getaway Car, which can be found in her essay collection, This is The Story of a Happy Marriage!
I will have to check that out!
It's really fantastic. I have never been able to find it online, though. But the book is well worth it overall as well!
This meant a lot to me. I am becoming more and more anxious because I cannot give the time I want to my memoir and writing. The reason is I have a demanding job.
I miraculously wrote 70,000 words over 3 months earlier this year, but since then have been “on a break” because of work and life.
I am seriously thinking I need to start carving out an hour in the mornings before work.
I think I feel the pressure to write something “very good,” or “successful,” and that paralyzes me a bit. Your point about being ordinary was very helpful.
The expression, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good,” comes to mind.
Thank you!
By the way, I recently read your book and it was beautiful.
Oh, my goodness, thank you for all of this. And yes, carving out an hour (or even 20 minutes) can go so far in the morning, but it does seem to work better without the immense pressure!