Hopefully I didn't miss the point of your essay, but, is it necessary that we define why we do what we do? I could ask why I draw or paint, but that question is quite broad and misses the point of creating. Asking such a question also adds to the pressure to justify our creative pursuits by making them "pay" for the time we put in. If you find joy in the creation of your writing, it has served its purpose. Anyone else reading it is just a bonus. And everything is a sacrifice. You just have to decide how much of one thing you are willing to give up for another.
I am very glad that you write, because I enjoy reading the process of you figuring things out so much. I also agree that it's a sacrifice in the sense that if you just wanted to write, you'd write when you wanted to and not on a schedule and not for anyone in particular. There is a difference in doing something because you can't *not* do it and doing something you love that also interacts with other people.
Thanks for sharing, Taylor! I keep returning to Moonbow because I always enjoy your thoughts (they're so interesting and could be about anything, really!) *AND* I appreciate your artful approach to writing.
Writing, for me, is an act of "unearthing." It helps me get to know the world in a new, different way. I haven't found another tool or creative practice that's come close to even matching it. But sometimes I hope I do because I'm a snail-paced writer! 🐌 I rewrite over and over till a sentence feels/looks right. Numbers aren't important to me, but I do get bummed when I spend weeks (months?) on a piece that I think could be encouraging and then it falls flat. My posts that aren't essay-ish or long form are the ones that always "perform" better on Substack, but they aren't as satisfying to create! Curious if you can relate to that conundrum?!
Yes, absolutely! I feel the same way as you entirely. It often feels like my favorite things to write are not everyone else's favorites. And it's funny, I tested Substack earlier this year by writing a post that I thought had all the markings of an easy/helpful newsletter ("How To Write a Newsletter the Right Way") and it has been my most "successful" one to date! It has nothing to do with children's books at all! It was discouraging. But this is the case for many popular art forms, and that's OK. We want indie films, music, books, etc. It's just getting harder and harder to find them and for people to justify spending time and money on them. Let's hope we all can keep going!
I so appreciated this piece! There are certain types of writing for me that are the fruit of months or years worth of thinking, mulling, sometimes looking very hard and then not looking at all at the thing… and people churn out pieces so quickly it’s discouraging sometimes!
Thank you, Kerri! I know. It can be hard to spend so much time on something only to have it buried under the noise and chaos of Substack. I mean, it’s become like a circus here! I hate being someone who says, “I miss the good ol’ days!” But I am that person.
Loved every bit of this, and it feels so familiar. I've always loved how you call those intense, shimmering thoughts "flashes of delight," I think that's a perfect descriptor! I think the world used to be much kinder to those of us who are curious but not experts, researchers but not scholars, thinkers but not "intellectuals." These days, everyone is supposed to be an expert. I just want to be curious and to write about all of it!
I'm trying to ignore the LinkedIn-ificiation of Substack and just pay attention to my little circle of favorite thinkers and writers. It's hard!!
Thank you, Katy! That means a lot, especially coming from you. And I agree—it's so hard to ignore. Your writing is one of my very favorites. Your perspective and topics are singular and so interesting. I learn so much! Thanks for being a cozy corner of the internet I enjoy!
I love this. And I understand the alarm you're talking about regarding Zadie Smiths statement. I kind of think of that life and living still as part of writing in a way? In the sense that as I'm doing all those life things, writing is sort of the lense through which I'm observing it all. Or maybe the filter through which I'm processing it? So really it's all the same thing.
Hi Sarah! Thanks! I do too, usually. And it's a good mindset to be in, I think. That's likely how I ended up here and why I continue to be. Although, I've been asking myself lately, if it's worth the pressure and sacrifice, the things I continually don't do, because I am busy reading and researching so much for my writing or when I am physically writing. Being 43, I've been feeling time slip by much faster and I am like, does anyone but me truly care about this stuff? It's not as if people are knocking down my door wanting another article about the invisible connections between Margaret Wise Brown and Etel Adnan lol. I love it, so I am happy to be here. I just sometimes question the amount of time I spend on it, you know?
Oh absolutely. I feel that. Especially when the layer of promotion and all that junk gets wrapped into it, which is best avoided but so hard to ignore entirely.
Hopefully I didn't miss the point of your essay, but, is it necessary that we define why we do what we do? I could ask why I draw or paint, but that question is quite broad and misses the point of creating. Asking such a question also adds to the pressure to justify our creative pursuits by making them "pay" for the time we put in. If you find joy in the creation of your writing, it has served its purpose. Anyone else reading it is just a bonus. And everything is a sacrifice. You just have to decide how much of one thing you are willing to give up for another.
I am very glad that you write, because I enjoy reading the process of you figuring things out so much. I also agree that it's a sacrifice in the sense that if you just wanted to write, you'd write when you wanted to and not on a schedule and not for anyone in particular. There is a difference in doing something because you can't *not* do it and doing something you love that also interacts with other people.
Thanks for sharing, Taylor! I keep returning to Moonbow because I always enjoy your thoughts (they're so interesting and could be about anything, really!) *AND* I appreciate your artful approach to writing.
Writing, for me, is an act of "unearthing." It helps me get to know the world in a new, different way. I haven't found another tool or creative practice that's come close to even matching it. But sometimes I hope I do because I'm a snail-paced writer! 🐌 I rewrite over and over till a sentence feels/looks right. Numbers aren't important to me, but I do get bummed when I spend weeks (months?) on a piece that I think could be encouraging and then it falls flat. My posts that aren't essay-ish or long form are the ones that always "perform" better on Substack, but they aren't as satisfying to create! Curious if you can relate to that conundrum?!
Yes, absolutely! I feel the same way as you entirely. It often feels like my favorite things to write are not everyone else's favorites. And it's funny, I tested Substack earlier this year by writing a post that I thought had all the markings of an easy/helpful newsletter ("How To Write a Newsletter the Right Way") and it has been my most "successful" one to date! It has nothing to do with children's books at all! It was discouraging. But this is the case for many popular art forms, and that's OK. We want indie films, music, books, etc. It's just getting harder and harder to find them and for people to justify spending time and money on them. Let's hope we all can keep going!
I like your optimism and agree—let's keep going!
You might really enjoy reading this Linda Carroll, published here on substack today, titled "Are we finding ourselves or revealing ourselves through our writing?" : https://open.substack.com/pub/lindac/p/are-we-finding-ourselves-or-revealing?r=4ivi1&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false ... :)
Thanks, Chloe!
I so appreciated this piece! There are certain types of writing for me that are the fruit of months or years worth of thinking, mulling, sometimes looking very hard and then not looking at all at the thing… and people churn out pieces so quickly it’s discouraging sometimes!
Thank you, Kerri! I know. It can be hard to spend so much time on something only to have it buried under the noise and chaos of Substack. I mean, it’s become like a circus here! I hate being someone who says, “I miss the good ol’ days!” But I am that person.
I am that person too! And I don’t feel like I’ve even been on here that long (2023)- but it’s a lot louder than it used to be.
OMG yes! Each year it just gets louder!
Loved every bit of this, and it feels so familiar. I've always loved how you call those intense, shimmering thoughts "flashes of delight," I think that's a perfect descriptor! I think the world used to be much kinder to those of us who are curious but not experts, researchers but not scholars, thinkers but not "intellectuals." These days, everyone is supposed to be an expert. I just want to be curious and to write about all of it!
I'm trying to ignore the LinkedIn-ificiation of Substack and just pay attention to my little circle of favorite thinkers and writers. It's hard!!
Thank you, Katy! That means a lot, especially coming from you. And I agree—it's so hard to ignore. Your writing is one of my very favorites. Your perspective and topics are singular and so interesting. I learn so much! Thanks for being a cozy corner of the internet I enjoy!
I love this. And I understand the alarm you're talking about regarding Zadie Smiths statement. I kind of think of that life and living still as part of writing in a way? In the sense that as I'm doing all those life things, writing is sort of the lense through which I'm observing it all. Or maybe the filter through which I'm processing it? So really it's all the same thing.
Hi Sarah! Thanks! I do too, usually. And it's a good mindset to be in, I think. That's likely how I ended up here and why I continue to be. Although, I've been asking myself lately, if it's worth the pressure and sacrifice, the things I continually don't do, because I am busy reading and researching so much for my writing or when I am physically writing. Being 43, I've been feeling time slip by much faster and I am like, does anyone but me truly care about this stuff? It's not as if people are knocking down my door wanting another article about the invisible connections between Margaret Wise Brown and Etel Adnan lol. I love it, so I am happy to be here. I just sometimes question the amount of time I spend on it, you know?
Oh absolutely. I feel that. Especially when the layer of promotion and all that junk gets wrapped into it, which is best avoided but so hard to ignore entirely.
Ha right?! A necessary evil these days.