On Writing (not by Stephen King)

Bring May flowers!

May 26, 2024

Welcome! A quick note before we begin… I have heard that renewing subscriptions to this newsletter has not been working, but I have been in contact with the lovely Substack people and it should be up and running again, so subscribe away! I am ever so grateful for everyone supporting this fun little project.

This cat has been greeting me on my walks back and forth from my house to my housesitting house

“The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better.” -Stephen King

I have been reading Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft on and off for months. I’m never particularly inspired to pick it up, as sometimes, our perspectives don’t align. When this happens, I feel a bit silly, as Stephen is one of the most successful writers alive and I am… bug Bela!! However, some of what he writes resonates in a way I wish it wouldn’t. He brings writing back to reality, which is part of why I avoid picking up the book sometimes. He doesn’t allow for excuses or lost time and encourages productivity and consistency, things I don’t yet possess when it comes to writing. This isn’t for a lack of passion, but rather, due to the absence of clarity. I am not unique in preferring to do things I feel come naturally to me or ones I excel at. However, I have gotten better at straying away from comfortability and going into the unknown (as Elsa, one of my inspirations, would say). My bones are full of creativity. It streams through my blood and brain every hour, especially since I have been making a more conscious effort to tune into creativity, a trait each of us possesses. This brings me to another book I’ve been reading on and off, but that I am breezing through more quickly. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin is an investigation into creativity.

“Oscar Wilde said that some things are too important to be taken seriously. Art is one of those things. Setting the bar low, especially to get started, frees you to play, explore, and test without attachment to results.” - Rick Rubin

Beginning to write is harder than it should be, but once the starting is done, stopping feels far away. I have nightmares about never being able to write a story, a novel, a collection of poetry, or even one poem, ever again. I have the same nightmares about writing constantly, for my whole life, and never saying what I want to. In the end, nothing is that serious, and writing with a more intense mindset usually restricts my writing in a way that weakens it. I happen to agree with Oscar on this one! Low stakes mean more consistent production of art, art I will admire in the future. Basically, nothing is that deep, and it never has been. Art is fun, and when it’s not, I take a break! I think that’s where Stephen and I differ (also since writing is not my primary source of employment… nor my secondary).

Since I’ve had this newsletter for over a year, I can look back and read things my nineteen-year-old self wrote a year ago! Woah! Honestly, I’m not sure I’ve changed much, but I don’t think that’s bad. The pressure to constantly be changing and evolving can be paralyzing, and I’m okay with having stayed consistent the past year or so. I dance in the afternoons once I’m done with work, which feels pretty standard, and I take more naps than I did. I have fewer nightmares, or maybe just fewer dreams. I spend most of my nights with friends or family, but I enjoy my solo nights too. I wear sandals less and opt for sneakers instead, but I still don’t feel whole without rings and necklaces. I have gone through things I couldn’t have imagined, or that felt so painful that I refused to imagine them. But mostly, I sleep, imagine, read, and dance less than I’d like to.

Being home from college is stranger than it was the first time around. It’s hard to establish new habits in a place where your old ones still linger. I still consider this home, and I always will even though parts of me feel completely distant from this city now. Regardless, my love for Sacramento probably increased when I left. I remember returning for the first time, for Thanksgiving break. Even though I’d only been away for a couple of months, fall felt more vibrant than it ever had. Something was soothing about it, even if I had just romanticized it while being away– it didn’t matter why it felt calm, it just did. It feels like a mix of comfortability and claustrophobia, and though it is nice to be back, I am looking forward to summer travels more than anything else!

Time to find a summer fling and have a dramatic love story that has to come to a close when I go back to school even though we are both heartbroken about it. I need a crush, reach out with suggestions!

I know this newsletter was a bit short, but more is coming soon… it may have to do with beds and possibly sheets, or even bug museums. Only time will tell.

Now, for the most highly anticipated section of the newsletter…

The R.E.P.O.R.T.

R- reading

I recently finished Seven Days in June by Tia Williams, which was a fun summer read! I recommend it if you’re looking for a romance story that is much more than just that. Both characters are complex, and the plot's development is very satisfying.

I am currently reading The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa. I am only about 75 pages in, but the writing is incredible and I already have a feeling it will be a five-star novel. It has magical realism and fantasy elements since it is a dystopian novel, but it reads more like fiction. The concept of objects, and the memories associated with those objects, being lost is so powerful. I always love a book about books and writing too. Mainly, Ogawa is just a gorgeous writer.

I am also slowly moving through The Creative Process by Rick Rubin, which I won’t talk about more, but I’d recommend it! It could be a quick read, but I enjoy reading it in little snippets when I yearn for inspiration.

E- eating

Trader Joe’s plantain chips! The perfect snack for any occasion. Also, many a grilled cheese with avocado, and many lattes (oat or almond milk, of course).

P- playing

I love too many songs to keep track of, but some artists/albums on repeat lately have been:

Albums: Don’t Forget Me- Maggie Rogers. Blue- Joni Mitchell. Wisecrack- Haley Blias. Bright Future- Adrienne Lenker. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT- Billie Eilish. Feeding Seahorses- Billie Marten.

Artists: Courtney Barnett, Ryan Beatty, Alice Phoebe Lou Chappell Roan, Lake Street Dive, Remi Wolf, The 1975, The Sundays, The Japanese House, Maya Hawke. Dojaaaaaa

O- obsessing

A good kale Caesar salad with vegan Caesar dressing. I made a pretty good one the other day but I am working on improving my recipe to make the perfect vegan Caesar this summer, stay tuned.

R- recommending

Spells and potions… (I can’t tell if this is serious or not). I learned an un-hexing spell from my friend Lily and I’m pretty sure it worked so if anyone needs it let me know!