I will keep reading your writerly not-a-writer posts because I enjoy and will enjoy whatever you put out into the world. I saw your note yesterday about writing failing you and wondered if you had made a big decision and here we are. I look forward to your new stack, too. Change is good! (Despite what people tell us. Those people don't like that other people can make decisions and move on from things that no longer serve them. Sillies.)
You're right, I'm sorry to say. I think my first post was titled 'Why Are Writers Arseholes?' Because they are. I know some exceptions, but not many. I had noticed your absence, by the way. I've kept up the rants but my fiction has lain dormant for some time. The entire industry is rotten. Agents and editors are even worse than writers. Western literature is probably over.
Yes, they are! Obviously with exceptions 😊 I don't like to think of literature being over but I certainly find myself pretty much uninterested in reading anything published less than 50 years ago, except for the occasional supermarket novel (I could write a whole post about this, I suspect!)
I understand. I believe good books are still being published—I’d like to think I’m writing some of them!—but it’s become almost impossible to find them. The books that receive the prizes and praise are generally tedious, or worse. Many of the books published by the indies are equally propagandistic. But the few really excellent ones are either not reviewed, or if they are reviewed, not reviewed anywhere you’re likely to see them, so they pass unnoticed. It’s a shame, in my opinion. Perhaps very little work of genius is ignored, but I’m not even sure of that. Write that post!
Hi Georgina! For what is worth I've always loved your writing. I really feel you when you talk about "those groups of other writers." You write, so you are a writer and will always be, among other things. I believe you have been lingering in the wrong toxic crowd of writers. Maybe that's why I never even go there. There's a lot of shadow work they need to do before they try to connect with the world through their craft, and no, I don't believe in that crap constraining bull of what sells better. I tell you what sells and resonates with others, your authentic voice, your way of putting ideas and words together, because they are beautifully raw and that's what speaks to the collective unconscious and not the rigidity of other writer's vanities and complexes. Anyways, I hope you find this useful and encouraging. Some of us love you as you are, even when you rant, because you do it elegantly and authentically. Have a lovely day! 🤗
I love Dorothy Alison's "Skin: talking about sex, class, and literature" for this, and just her in general. She writes what matters to her and doesn't edit herself to be more palatable. Like you! :-P "beautifully raw" and also "elegantly" and "authentically" I agree with 100% and also why I love you and your writing.
You write brilliantly and anyone who’s made you feel bad is a twat. Funny what you say about writers. Exactly what I said when I stopped hanging out with poets and started hanging out with novelists. Poets are the worst people on the artistic earth. Except the ones who are my friends and the one I married.
I love this. I have very few writer friends for the reasons you outlined. When I did my Creative Writing MA, I imagined I’d leave with a group of lifelong friends and we’d support each other through our careers. But - nope!
Go and be an artist. Drawing was my big joy as a child but when I reached secondary school and started getting graded for my art, I got discouraged. I’m inspired by what you’re doing, I hope you enjoy every minute of this new journey.
Thanks Deborah! I had the same experience with my MA. I can imagine art school could be quite dispiriting - but if it's any consolation, I hear they don't teach you anything at all these days!
Happy to continue subscribing and paying for your non-writing. Your newsletter makes me smile (and occasionally even laugh out loud) whenever it lands in my inbox. You are a treat.
I was waiting for the joke but it never came 😢 All I can say is, I know you’ll give art your all, and I hope you keep us posted about your forays.
You’re one of the writers who changed my idea about what good literature looks like. I loved your books, and found so much comfort and joy in the realness of your words. So for that, thank you from the heart and good luck in your future endeavours x
Thank you, Loretta! What a lovely thing to say. I really appreciate that. And I'll still be writing here and on my other stack so plenty more words will flow, I'm sure!
Thanks Maura! And the Pink Floyd reference is perfect! One wonderful about painting, drawing etc is that you can listen to music while you do it - what a revelation!
I’m so sorry you have felt like this with other writers. I’ve had bad experiences with the community and industry too. With snobbery and gleeful criticism, and vultures making money from aspiring authors. But I genuinely love words and wordplay and the worlds these little written symbols can create, so I’ll probably keep doing it forever even if it makes me miserable 😂 don’t pursue writing as a career if it makes you unhappy, but you communicate well and I really enjoy your pieces - please keep writing, even if it’s just for yourself ❤️
Georgina! I think you're truly fantastic and I had some hearty chuckles reading some of your other work. I'd love to see more of your writing and it's pretty clear that you're very clever and witty with words. I look forward to reading your stuff :)
1. Why not? Where's the sense in carrying on doing something that doesn't bring you joy? I'd rather have joy.
2. Cool! Me too!
3. I don't find writing hard, personally. But it doesn't bring me joy anymore. And the writing "community" certainly doesn't bring anything good into my world.
4. I'm not trying to tell anyone else what to do! There's no advice here. Do whatever you like 👍
You’re right, Georgina! Life is too short to be in the company of people who suck your energy!
I haven’t put myself out there enough yet I guess, but I still hope to publish the novel I’ve written (and am still editing), and the next one which I really want to work on which is a memoir.
I don’t know why I have such an allergy to quitting?
I will keep reading your writerly not-a-writer posts because I enjoy and will enjoy whatever you put out into the world. I saw your note yesterday about writing failing you and wondered if you had made a big decision and here we are. I look forward to your new stack, too. Change is good! (Despite what people tell us. Those people don't like that other people can make decisions and move on from things that no longer serve them. Sillies.)
Thanks Lyndsey! I appreciate that. And I'm a big fan of your writing too 🧡
Thank you. I’m excited to see some of your art!
It'll be fun to share it, I think!
You're right, I'm sorry to say. I think my first post was titled 'Why Are Writers Arseholes?' Because they are. I know some exceptions, but not many. I had noticed your absence, by the way. I've kept up the rants but my fiction has lain dormant for some time. The entire industry is rotten. Agents and editors are even worse than writers. Western literature is probably over.
Yes, they are! Obviously with exceptions 😊 I don't like to think of literature being over but I certainly find myself pretty much uninterested in reading anything published less than 50 years ago, except for the occasional supermarket novel (I could write a whole post about this, I suspect!)
I understand. I believe good books are still being published—I’d like to think I’m writing some of them!—but it’s become almost impossible to find them. The books that receive the prizes and praise are generally tedious, or worse. Many of the books published by the indies are equally propagandistic. But the few really excellent ones are either not reviewed, or if they are reviewed, not reviewed anywhere you’re likely to see them, so they pass unnoticed. It’s a shame, in my opinion. Perhaps very little work of genius is ignored, but I’m not even sure of that. Write that post!
I tend to just read interesting non-fiction and trashy sci-fi these days.
Hi Georgina! For what is worth I've always loved your writing. I really feel you when you talk about "those groups of other writers." You write, so you are a writer and will always be, among other things. I believe you have been lingering in the wrong toxic crowd of writers. Maybe that's why I never even go there. There's a lot of shadow work they need to do before they try to connect with the world through their craft, and no, I don't believe in that crap constraining bull of what sells better. I tell you what sells and resonates with others, your authentic voice, your way of putting ideas and words together, because they are beautifully raw and that's what speaks to the collective unconscious and not the rigidity of other writer's vanities and complexes. Anyways, I hope you find this useful and encouraging. Some of us love you as you are, even when you rant, because you do it elegantly and authentically. Have a lovely day! 🤗
That's a lovely comment, Alice - very insightful, honest, and kind. Thanks for being such an excellent human!
I love Dorothy Alison's "Skin: talking about sex, class, and literature" for this, and just her in general. She writes what matters to her and doesn't edit herself to be more palatable. Like you! :-P "beautifully raw" and also "elegantly" and "authentically" I agree with 100% and also why I love you and your writing.
You write brilliantly and anyone who’s made you feel bad is a twat. Funny what you say about writers. Exactly what I said when I stopped hanging out with poets and started hanging out with novelists. Poets are the worst people on the artistic earth. Except the ones who are my friends and the one I married.
Haha there are always exceptions 🤣 Thanks for your kind words, Ros 🧡
Good luck Georgina. Hope it goes well.
Thanks Gillian!
I love this. I have very few writer friends for the reasons you outlined. When I did my Creative Writing MA, I imagined I’d leave with a group of lifelong friends and we’d support each other through our careers. But - nope!
Go and be an artist. Drawing was my big joy as a child but when I reached secondary school and started getting graded for my art, I got discouraged. I’m inspired by what you’re doing, I hope you enjoy every minute of this new journey.
Thanks Deborah! I had the same experience with my MA. I can imagine art school could be quite dispiriting - but if it's any consolation, I hear they don't teach you anything at all these days!
Happy to continue subscribing and paying for your non-writing. Your newsletter makes me smile (and occasionally even laugh out loud) whenever it lands in my inbox. You are a treat.
Thank you, Alison! I appreciate that and will hope to deliver as many laughs as possible 🧡
Was your trip the bad? Tell us everything!
No, it was brilliant! I'll tell more over the coming weeks, I'm sure!
I was waiting for the joke but it never came 😢 All I can say is, I know you’ll give art your all, and I hope you keep us posted about your forays.
You’re one of the writers who changed my idea about what good literature looks like. I loved your books, and found so much comfort and joy in the realness of your words. So for that, thank you from the heart and good luck in your future endeavours x
Thank you, Loretta! What a lovely thing to say. I really appreciate that. And I'll still be writing here and on my other stack so plenty more words will flow, I'm sure!
George, I totally get what you're saying, having done a residency with artists. I consider myself an artist too! Yeah, shine on you crazy diamond!
Thanks Maura! And the Pink Floyd reference is perfect! One wonderful about painting, drawing etc is that you can listen to music while you do it - what a revelation!
I’m so sorry you have felt like this with other writers. I’ve had bad experiences with the community and industry too. With snobbery and gleeful criticism, and vultures making money from aspiring authors. But I genuinely love words and wordplay and the worlds these little written symbols can create, so I’ll probably keep doing it forever even if it makes me miserable 😂 don’t pursue writing as a career if it makes you unhappy, but you communicate well and I really enjoy your pieces - please keep writing, even if it’s just for yourself ❤️
I'm still writing my substack(s). Do what makes you happy - that's pretty wise!
Georgina! I think you're truly fantastic and I had some hearty chuckles reading some of your other work. I'd love to see more of your writing and it's pretty clear that you're very clever and witty with words. I look forward to reading your stuff :)
Well thank you so much! I think you're fantastic for reading my writing and I hope you stick around! :)
Way to go, Georgina! Do not take any guff, say "see ya" to all that BS, and do whatever the f*ck you want to do.
Writers write, and that's that.
Thanks for the support, Sheila! 🧡
We should share a lyft and tell anecdotes about terrible writers
We don't have lyft over here. But definitely an uber 😂
1. Don’t quit.
2. I also love doing art and artists
3. Writing is hard
I totally hear you! Thanks for the warnings ! I hear you!!!
1. Why not? Where's the sense in carrying on doing something that doesn't bring you joy? I'd rather have joy.
2. Cool! Me too!
3. I don't find writing hard, personally. But it doesn't bring me joy anymore. And the writing "community" certainly doesn't bring anything good into my world.
4. I'm not trying to tell anyone else what to do! There's no advice here. Do whatever you like 👍
You’re right, Georgina! Life is too short to be in the company of people who suck your energy!
I haven’t put myself out there enough yet I guess, but I still hope to publish the novel I’ve written (and am still editing), and the next one which I really want to work on which is a memoir.
I don’t know why I have such an allergy to quitting?
It’s actually saying “yes” to many other things!
That's awesome you've finished a novel! Amazing. Keep going!
Speechless. Best of luck on your art journey, excited to see what you (don't?) write next
Thank you, Charlotte! 🧡