Write-vember Diaries: Day 8
Tune in for a moody song rec and - dare I say it - some poetry?!
Write-vember Diaries: Day 8
Hello friends,
We’re a quarter way through!! 25% reached! I’ve eaten a celebratory pizza 🥳
I don’t want to jinx this, but today is the second day of good writing routine. (Two days makes a routine, yes?) Admittedly, the final 200 words were challenging, but I was entirely determined to not have them hang over me for the rest of the day. The trick might be: get the words written first thing in the morning. I shall test further and report back.
Daily word count: 1,690 / 1,667
Total word count: 12,772 / 50,000
% complete: 25.5%
Drink of choice: decaf latte, Nespresso Volluto (spoiler alert: tomorrow might be cocktails…)
Cosy of choice: thick socks and blanket
Session Notes
For a change, I was listening to my All Songs playlist (with lyrics). When Tearing Me Up by Bob Moses cycled on, I played it three times over and turned the volume right UP. This song is the feeling I get when reading novellas recommended by moody Lit Boys1. It’s intriguing, it’s atmospheric, it’s got a great, low beat. Images flashed into my mind for a scene. I stopped mid-flow and started a fresh page.
Turns out, this moody scene of unrequited-somethings might actually belong in the other work I was noodling with over the summer. I’m (slowly) getting so used to axing large portions of writing, so it’s nice to rescue a fragment to use elsewhere. And I’d certainly like to return to that project. Perhaps this is the point I will pick up from.
If you can recommend any other songs like this, please send them my way:
Trepidatious Sharing
Those are all my session notes for #008 but, if you’re interested, I would like to trepidatiously share with you a little poem I wrote this afternoon. I know these can be cringe, and I fear playing into the rhetoric of “a lot of bad poetry out there”, which I don’t really believe but it gives certain people fuel2.
But I really enjoy writing small pieces like this. Even if it’s something simple and a little silly. Sometimes they’re just the only way I can capture a particular snapshot of life. If you enjoy it, I’ll think about posting more. And if you don’t… [fades to black]
Originally, I wasn’t going to share it, but then I realised that we all have thoughts like these, and I always feel better knowing that someone else gets it. So maybe this time I’ll be the someone else for you, dear reader. I get it.
This is an image because I had a particular layout in mind, but Substack changes the body of text when finalising the Post. However, the full text is below the image, if that’s easier to read.
Personal Vault #001
There was a moment late last night,
tossing and turning in bed,
spending tomorrow’s sanity on today’s worries,
my mind all a-chatter:
I-should-stop-my-updates-everyone’s-getting
an-email-a-day-and-maybe-they’ll-get-sick-of-it
and-never-come-back-
maybe-they’re-better-off-as-notes-
maybe-they’re-not-all-that-
mayb-
I turned over once more
and told myself to count sheep
or daydream
- nightdream -
about how Jo’s happy ending is a book, not a man
the threads of joy in daily posts
what sunshine awaits me on the page tomorrow
(and that jumper in Knives Out)3
Recommends Shelf-Talker
(those little notes on bookshop shelves, they’re called shelf-talkers. Just imagine one here in looping handwriting)
The Real Reasons Why Women Read by
& many amazing contributors“While touching paper and holding a novel in my hands grounds me, when I read, my thoughts actually sit down and listen.”
“In a world of thirty second videos, I crave slow art.”
Recently, I’ve had to think a lot about why I read. It’s a long story (pun intended). There was a genuinely scary moment where I thought I’d given it all up for good. Thankfully, it’s coming back to life. Bit by bit. (But I’m trying not to look it in the eye in case I frighten it.) Exploring all these reasons why other women read was like stepping into a fully-formed friendship group where I was already a welcome member. Thank you, Lauren, for publishing a piece that struck me to my core. I needed that.
I am honoured if you’ve read all the way to here!! Today’s post has been really, really fun to write. The clock is ticking on, bed is calling, and even more excited to come back tomorrow. I so hope you’ve enjoyed reading.
See you tomorrow <3
I’ve read about Lit Girls lately, but seen nothing on Lit Boys. They do exist; I’ve worked with plenty of them. Link me articles analysing them if you have them. If not, maybe I’ll draft one up
This is in the same vein as those who act as gatekeeper to what people are “allowed” to write
‘Personal Vault’ is another section soft launch for The Story Archives… Starting to feel like I need to give a friends and family discount to make it an official launch. (Schitt’s Creek reference.)
Thanks so much for sharing lovely. Also love your question on Lit Boys...and where they're hanging out. xx