PREACH. I talk about this in my classes, that writing (especially comedy writing) is like the airplane oxygen mask, where you write to please/amuse/save yourself first. I'll address "you first" later in this series.
Love, love, love this series. Also: it’s the writer’s job to eat emotionally. Cake and more cake. To celebrate the acceptances and mourn the non-acceptances.
A tip folx have probably heard before: aim for 100 rejections and you’ll be published before then. Also, Elissa, Human Centipede is now my personal Motivation Poster. Brilliant, funny, horrific ❤️
Yes! I wrote about the 100 rule in part 1. Erica, I have so much to say about The Human Centipede film franchise. I wrote an essay on it, a book chapter on it, a lecture on it, and I'm not done. If a man can make that movie AND a sequel AND a threequel, then anyone can write and publish anything.
Super excited! I’m signed up for both of your upcoming classes - the QWF one and the longer one (yay!).
My current experiments with the work are largely focused around allowing it to be more fun and more designed for the inexplicable way my mind and body work. So I’ll say this:
The work is also learning to love yourself and making the work fit you better.
The work is learning where the friction lies and then figuring out ways to eliminate it. The work is listening to your own urges and aversions and fusing a way that is so custom built for you that there’s no room for anyone else’s opinion.
The work is learning to write in tiny sips. Between things. After and before things. So that there’s always time. Always.
The work is laughing at your own jokes even though you know you’ll need to edit them out because they make no sense.
The work is coming to the keyboard when your mind is empty. The work is coming to the keyboard when your mind feels too full.
When I was "young" I gave up on writing immediately because of rejection. No one would recognize my genius! I have adopted a motto now that I'm "old". "Life is hard and I'm not special!" Everyone gets rejected. I'm not so smart or talented that I won't be, too. The funny thing is that I never submitted anything at a young age out of fear. As of today, I have been "declined" and I have been "accepted". Every submission is an opportunity to learn and I'm grateful for them all.
That was brilliant....
unless I missed it, you may have overlooked one very important aspect.
To please yourself first!
(Take it from an old broad like me, you can squeeze yourself into righteous indignation trying to please the 'norm'.)
PREACH. I talk about this in my classes, that writing (especially comedy writing) is like the airplane oxygen mask, where you write to please/amuse/save yourself first. I'll address "you first" later in this series.
Yesssss
Love this. Needed this. FYI: I call them rejonktions.
Misspelling is a helpful and hilarious way to cope. Going forward I will do this for everything.
Will reread this over and over. You saved me a therapist visit. Thank you
This needs to be my newsletter testimonial.
😂
ALL the yesssssss to this!!! I use the mantra reframe and reclaim whenever I’m rejected or insulted 😍🤣
Reframe and reclaim is genius! Adding this to my manta list...
Love, love, love this series. Also: it’s the writer’s job to eat emotionally. Cake and more cake. To celebrate the acceptances and mourn the non-acceptances.
Cake is key. I can't believe I forgot cake. Also: pizza.
Ok this is offish my fav Substack 🤘🏽
I’m honored and motivated to keep being your favorite.
A tip folx have probably heard before: aim for 100 rejections and you’ll be published before then. Also, Elissa, Human Centipede is now my personal Motivation Poster. Brilliant, funny, horrific ❤️
Yes! I wrote about the 100 rule in part 1. Erica, I have so much to say about The Human Centipede film franchise. I wrote an essay on it, a book chapter on it, a lecture on it, and I'm not done. If a man can make that movie AND a sequel AND a threequel, then anyone can write and publish anything.
I’m here for it!
Super excited! I’m signed up for both of your upcoming classes - the QWF one and the longer one (yay!).
My current experiments with the work are largely focused around allowing it to be more fun and more designed for the inexplicable way my mind and body work. So I’ll say this:
The work is also learning to love yourself and making the work fit you better.
The work is learning where the friction lies and then figuring out ways to eliminate it. The work is listening to your own urges and aversions and fusing a way that is so custom built for you that there’s no room for anyone else’s opinion.
The work is learning to write in tiny sips. Between things. After and before things. So that there’s always time. Always.
The work is laughing at your own jokes even though you know you’ll need to edit them out because they make no sense.
The work is coming to the keyboard when your mind is empty. The work is coming to the keyboard when your mind feels too full.
When I was "young" I gave up on writing immediately because of rejection. No one would recognize my genius! I have adopted a motto now that I'm "old". "Life is hard and I'm not special!" Everyone gets rejected. I'm not so smart or talented that I won't be, too. The funny thing is that I never submitted anything at a young age out of fear. As of today, I have been "declined" and I have been "accepted". Every submission is an opportunity to learn and I'm grateful for them all.