Hi. I don’t need anything else to do, least of all something else I must write, but my favorite newsletters read like long, juicy emails and that pleases me, having come of age in a time when we did that. As far flung friends know, if I was once eagerly and diligently writing emails, I’m not currently able to do that, so I’m going to do this instead.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how we warm up for writing right in the minutes before we begin writing. For me the best state to be in as I begin writing is to care about creating something beautiful. It’s not morning exercise, or a hot coffee, or getting sunlight first thing that allow this to happen (though those things are all excellent when possible). How I warm up is by reading electric prose, words that crackle. The ideal text is not directly related to what I’m working on and is something I can put down, rather than get lost reading. When I begin my work this way, I fantasize I’m stretching like Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in rehearsal; their photo hangs above my desk as earnest inspiration.
I will use this space to share beautiful prose with you. This week, I have been reading The Hundreds by Lauren Berlant and Kathleen Stewart: “We write to what’s becoming palpable in sidelong looks or a consistency of rhythm or tone. Not to drag things back to the land of the little judges but to push the slow-mo button, to wait for what’s starting up, to listen for what’s wearing out.” What a perfect and inviting description of the kind of “academic” work I’d like to do and see more of in this world.
Occasionally I will also share other things occupying space in my mind, such as:
I Love You but I’ve Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins - I am only 120 pages into this novel and I feverishly texted a couple of dear friends that it makes me want to drop everything to read more of it, talk all night with women I love, try writing a novel, and (possibly) choose darkness, as it were.
It is not even officially summer but I am already in the vegetable-processing/CSA violence season of my life and let me tell you: thinly sliced cabbage sautéd with olive oil and salt has no business being as good as it is.
I’m not good about listening to music people recommend to me; I am staunchly alone in the pursuit of the elusive quality that runs through all the music I love. But if I’m exposed to something with that quality and it happens at the right time, I go in deep. I should be embarrassed to admit that I first heard this song while watching Conversations with Friends, which I can’t exactly recommend, but it has been on repeat for a couple of weeks now and I am smitten with CMAT.
Thanks for reading. Tell me what you’ve been up to?
xo,
Sara
Can't wait to see what's coming. Just starting a long sabbatical and already am deep into writing. Punctuated with additional bits of research and reading. Maybe see you soon?