Time Flows from a Hole in a Tree
Everyone told me that these two months would fly past me but they've been dripping by like wax. Remember when I was in Amsterdam? That was, what-- four, five years ago?
I still have three weeks before I leave and I'm kind of ready to be home although home will present its own set of challenges since I'll be job-hunting, trying to sell my car, preparing to move, and applying to grad school all at once.
I've decided with 99% certainty that I'm moving to New York by the beginning of October. I never realized until this trip how much I need other people and there are so many people in New York that I love. That feels like the right place for me right now.
Today, I bought a brand new notebook and a brand new black pen so that I could start working on my writing sample. I sat down at my desk and poised my brand new pen over the first clean, white page...
And that's it.
I forgot that I am awful at writing fiction.
Oh man.
In other news, I don't know if I'm still going to my french class or not. I spent most of the day listening to french radio and writing out verb conjugations in a workbook while eating chevre and baguettes. That felt more productive somehow.
6 comments:
Awful at writing fiction? Puh-leeze.
Hi Laurie,
Your cousin Jerry has told me about you and your adventures. Here are my bona fides: 23 years clergy, a writer from birth, envious of your opportunity to be where you are and doing what you are doing, published author,(www.sweetheavenlydaze.com) good friend to one and all. Before you publish a book you are unknown. When you finally get published you are catapulted into mere obscurity. If you are a writer (and I can confirm by your blog that you certainly have the gift for it, then write. When writers write we go to a place in our minds that other people pay generous sums to therapists to get out of. But, it's a life. A law degree? Always a good idea if you are willing to pay the costs associated. The culture needs more writers like it needs more lawyers. Anyway, I'm enjoying your trip and hope that you will welcome me as an observer and invited guest.
John Earp
Chris, it's true! I have this weird mental block about it. Actually, that's why I think it would be good for me to go to grad school for fiction writing: I don't think it's that I'm a bad fiction writer, I think I have some sort of weird mental block that needs to be shaken (shook? note to self: review strunk & white, asap) loose. Anytime I think about writing fiction, my brain clamps shut like a steel trap and won't budge. I might write something about this later.
You are most certainly welcome, John Earp! "The culture needs more writers like it needs more lawyers." Haha, I love it. Doomed to reduncancy, ah, c'est la vie!
um, i may be a tool, but with all of your love of theatre, why don�t you write plays? or screenplays?
Well, my love of theatre was primarily circa 1998 but I have played around with some playwrighting in the past. Just really short stuff and I was very young. I'm still very young. I used to like dialogue the best so it made sense for me but I'm not sure anymore. I'll have to do some exploring, I guess.
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