I really loved this, especially this bit "This misguided notion constructs the writer—me—not as an active intelligence engaged with a piece of literature, offering a carefully calibrated assessment of its cultural and societal and artistic importance, but as, let’s say, a consumer, offering up product recommendations..." SO GOOD AND SO TRUE!!
Thank you so, so much for understanding this! It’s something that’s been driving me mad, increasingly, for years and this month, I found myself resisting writing my column because I couldn’t bear the inevitable comments on Instagram, lauding me for “supporting writers” and so on. (And in a random coincidence, I read your essay on Farrah’s substack this morning and am still sobbing…)
I'm just so glad you put this into the world because it's that real ah ha moment of- of course, there goes capitalism again! And capitalism hates art in the sense we're talking about here. Oh my, coincidence indeed- thank you for getting my piece too!
Love so much about this Joanna! Especially … “But a book—though one can purchase it—is not a product. It’s art.” Think so many writers need to be reminded of this.
Darcey, this idea is one I've been thinking about for a few years, since I started teaching more, and found that my students--who were often adults, writing memoirs--were so much more focused on the mechanics of publishing, and of making their work polished and publishable, than on the process of writing. It was so strange to me, and still is, because I think of writing as something you only do if you cannot do anything else, as a vocation rather than a career, but the prevailing idea seems to have become: Writing is a profession and you can, and should, treat it as such.
I have such a deep, visceral response to every book I take the time to write about that sharing them through my writing says as much about me as it does about the book. When it comes to fiction, the books that really light me up are ones in which the characters become very real for me. And so, to write about the story is not unlike writing about anyone I love that I want someone else to love similarly (to the extent that's possible).
With non-fiction, writing about a book usually means that the author has managed to encapsulate an idea in a way that thrills me. Often because they've articulated something that may have lurked at the corners of my consciousness, or has occupied my mind but that I've struggled to understand fully. So, again, writing about the book is really, to a large degree, writing about myself-- what consumes my attention and how I think. As a memoirist, it's useful to constantly be exercising my self-reflective muscles in that way.
Does it take some of my finite writing energy from my longer work? Yes. But gestating a book is like gestating an elephant. I, for one, need to climb out of my own navel and write shorter, smaller things regularly to remind myself that I'm part of a wider world, and to re-ignite my excitement about being that.
Asha, yes to all of this! And this in particular captured me: "So, again, writing about the book is really, to a large degree, writing about myself-- what consumes my attention and how I think."
Asha, YES YES YES EXACTLY. Me, too! Sometimes, it takes me MONTHS to figure out what I want to say about a book (in this column, for instance, both The Postcard and Post-Traumatic required multiple drafts, after literally months of thought). I often have so much to say, but in a brief writeup--on SM or here--you can really only make one or two major points, and my brain has to sift through my million ideas before I land on those that will be central to my little write-up.
And, as you say, the books I choose say everything about me. I'm selecting a tiny fraction of the books I read to highlight!
I could go on and on, but basically YES. Thank you so much for taking a moment to say all this, as I now feel enormously less alone in the world!
Your myth-busting comes at just the right time. I've been working on a book for 5 years and gave myself rhis month (30 days) to "finish" it or else. Every day I don't write, I've failed. Yes, I know this isn't true, but having someone else address the idea is a comfort.
I would say the opposite: Every day you don't write represents a day in which your brain is gaining the necessary distance from this work, the distance that will allow you to see it critically, as you must do in order to finish it!!!
Joanna I loved this myth-busting column and so agree that a writer must be a reader and that close reads and published reviews and criticism make us better writers. And hallelujah for you busting the myth that writers need to be writing and publishing all the time. I get the fear in those accusations or insinuations. I am in a fallow period myself due to a low back injury forcing me into a (perhaps much needed, despite my resistance) period of rest.
I really do think we live in an age that is so hyper-focused on productivity it's almost scary. I mean, if you think about it, it's no longer even okay simply to frequently publish books! We're all meant to be on this platform and others, formulating thoughts and stories, and interacting (through writing) with others all day and night. I know this is functional for some people but I also know for many, many it's not!
I am beyond thankful for Joanna having the guts to write what I have felt for so long!
Joanna’s take is one that I know too well: "Nearly every day, someone says something to me along the lines of “you’re such a tremendous supporter of other writers!” Or, “you’re such a great literary citizen!” And each and every time, I feel the urge to shout, “fuck you!”
Having interviews or reviews that you have written reduced to being a literary citizen overlooks a ton. There’s a process --- reading a book, research on the author, pitching for placement, back and forth with the writer, then back and forth with your editor, promoting the piece once it goes live and more. It’s work. And, I love what I do.
“Literary citizen/cheerleader” negates the craft of interviews and reviews. And far worse it overlooks how vital online and print EDITORS are to the process.
I am indebted to every editor I work with. My goal is always to produce turnkey work, but the reality is that a team of people are invested in the material. Editors are vital to my becoming a better writer. Daniel Gumbiner (The Believer), Raluca Albu (Bomb Magazine), Boris Dralyuk (LARB) and other great EDITORS are individuals who don’t get enough appreciation.
Yvonne, I am so grateful to you for making this hugely important point, regarding editors. My editors--as I sort of hint at!--utterly shaped me. Those that I mention in the piece but also Blake Eskin (who launched The New Yorker online), all my NYTBR and LAT and TONY editors, and so many more. Particularly early on, they helped me figure out my own aesthetic, how to shape a story (and what constitutes a story), and they also gave me the confidence necessary to write books and longer narrative pieces. And I truly feel like a great editor can somehow lead you to produce that turnkey work by virtue of their faith in you, and also perhaps by hashing out ideas with you in advance, or just listening to you. (Whereas an editor who seems to doubt you, or makes you nervous, can lead you to turn in a piece that doesn't quite hang together.)
Thank you, for pointing this out, and for leading me to think deeply about all these editors. (And thinking about, too, how much I miss working with magazine editors on a daily basis.) xoxo
As always, I love and appreciate your recommendations Joanna and your thoughtful reflections on reading and writing. I agree with you that they are inseparable. And during these dark times I too am drawn to poetry. I start my day with reading poetry and close my day with reading more poetry. It’s my natural anti depressant :) Thank you also for including my comment. Just for context, the memoir I mentioned in it has been in the works for about 12 years now…
Don’t give yourself a hard time Jane! We do what we can with the life (craziness) that we got. À poem a day is already a miracle! But, I’ll admit that it has been a real gift in my life. Last night when I woke up to pee I had an inspiration for a poem. Not the best timing, but I had to write them down. This morning I woke up to write about 40 extra lines to those two lines! It’s just a rough draft, but it has given me so much joy to write them.
Just echoing this, Jane! Everything isn't right for everyone. And I've gone years without reading poetry regularly, because my brain just was in a different place, and years when I read poetry more than anything.
Very glad to have these myths busted! Thank you. I notice your memoir class with Grub street is full - will you offer it again? I have a book length ms/ memoir I am working on
I appreciated that you emphasized the value of reading not just for the craft lessons but for your overall aesthetic as a writer. Everything that goes in somehow influences what comes out and it’s not all controlled or purposeful! Really enjoyed all your takes here - the one on literary citizenship was particularly refreshing.
Yes to all of these, and especially laughed at your reaction to being called a "literary citizen." This is an important reminder to create, write, act, respond from what calls to the innate spirit within, rather than the "likes" et al that can be so alluring in our time. Thank you, as always, for showing us into your writing/reading/being life!
I really loved this, especially this bit "This misguided notion constructs the writer—me—not as an active intelligence engaged with a piece of literature, offering a carefully calibrated assessment of its cultural and societal and artistic importance, but as, let’s say, a consumer, offering up product recommendations..." SO GOOD AND SO TRUE!!
Thank you so, so much for understanding this! It’s something that’s been driving me mad, increasingly, for years and this month, I found myself resisting writing my column because I couldn’t bear the inevitable comments on Instagram, lauding me for “supporting writers” and so on. (And in a random coincidence, I read your essay on Farrah’s substack this morning and am still sobbing…)
I'm just so glad you put this into the world because it's that real ah ha moment of- of course, there goes capitalism again! And capitalism hates art in the sense we're talking about here. Oh my, coincidence indeed- thank you for getting my piece too!
Oh my goodness, Ruth, I just read your essay. It's gorgeous!! I felt it deep in my bones. And related to parts of it. Thank you for writing that!
Thank you for reading it!
I loved that, too, Ruth! Soooo true!
I agree with your myths. I've always thought of my blog posts as a part of my process and as critical reflections of my own work.
Yes, yes! I love this perfect description!!
I'm glad you enjoyed Joanna's essay, Noor! And share your experience of your blog posts!
Love so much about this Joanna! Especially … “But a book—though one can purchase it—is not a product. It’s art.” Think so many writers need to be reminded of this.
Darcey, this idea is one I've been thinking about for a few years, since I started teaching more, and found that my students--who were often adults, writing memoirs--were so much more focused on the mechanics of publishing, and of making their work polished and publishable, than on the process of writing. It was so strange to me, and still is, because I think of writing as something you only do if you cannot do anything else, as a vocation rather than a career, but the prevailing idea seems to have become: Writing is a profession and you can, and should, treat it as such.
So true! I agree, Darcey!
I have such a deep, visceral response to every book I take the time to write about that sharing them through my writing says as much about me as it does about the book. When it comes to fiction, the books that really light me up are ones in which the characters become very real for me. And so, to write about the story is not unlike writing about anyone I love that I want someone else to love similarly (to the extent that's possible).
With non-fiction, writing about a book usually means that the author has managed to encapsulate an idea in a way that thrills me. Often because they've articulated something that may have lurked at the corners of my consciousness, or has occupied my mind but that I've struggled to understand fully. So, again, writing about the book is really, to a large degree, writing about myself-- what consumes my attention and how I think. As a memoirist, it's useful to constantly be exercising my self-reflective muscles in that way.
Does it take some of my finite writing energy from my longer work? Yes. But gestating a book is like gestating an elephant. I, for one, need to climb out of my own navel and write shorter, smaller things regularly to remind myself that I'm part of a wider world, and to re-ignite my excitement about being that.
Asha, yes to all of this! And this in particular captured me: "So, again, writing about the book is really, to a large degree, writing about myself-- what consumes my attention and how I think."
Asha, YES YES YES EXACTLY. Me, too! Sometimes, it takes me MONTHS to figure out what I want to say about a book (in this column, for instance, both The Postcard and Post-Traumatic required multiple drafts, after literally months of thought). I often have so much to say, but in a brief writeup--on SM or here--you can really only make one or two major points, and my brain has to sift through my million ideas before I land on those that will be central to my little write-up.
And, as you say, the books I choose say everything about me. I'm selecting a tiny fraction of the books I read to highlight!
I could go on and on, but basically YES. Thank you so much for taking a moment to say all this, as I now feel enormously less alone in the world!
Your myth-busting comes at just the right time. I've been working on a book for 5 years and gave myself rhis month (30 days) to "finish" it or else. Every day I don't write, I've failed. Yes, I know this isn't true, but having someone else address the idea is a comfort.
I would say the opposite: Every day you don't write represents a day in which your brain is gaining the necessary distance from this work, the distance that will allow you to see it critically, as you must do in order to finish it!!!
Ooooh, I love that, Joanna!
Thank you for this encouragement!
I'm so glad! And I'm excited for your book, Catherine!
Joanna I loved this myth-busting column and so agree that a writer must be a reader and that close reads and published reviews and criticism make us better writers. And hallelujah for you busting the myth that writers need to be writing and publishing all the time. I get the fear in those accusations or insinuations. I am in a fallow period myself due to a low back injury forcing me into a (perhaps much needed, despite my resistance) period of rest.
Yes, yes, yes! And so sorry about your back! I hope it heals quickly and that you're able to accept the rest (something I am terrible at doing!).
I really do think we live in an age that is so hyper-focused on productivity it's almost scary. I mean, if you think about it, it's no longer even okay simply to frequently publish books! We're all meant to be on this platform and others, formulating thoughts and stories, and interacting (through writing) with others all day and night. I know this is functional for some people but I also know for many, many it's not!
I am beyond thankful for Joanna having the guts to write what I have felt for so long!
Joanna’s take is one that I know too well: "Nearly every day, someone says something to me along the lines of “you’re such a tremendous supporter of other writers!” Or, “you’re such a great literary citizen!” And each and every time, I feel the urge to shout, “fuck you!”
Having interviews or reviews that you have written reduced to being a literary citizen overlooks a ton. There’s a process --- reading a book, research on the author, pitching for placement, back and forth with the writer, then back and forth with your editor, promoting the piece once it goes live and more. It’s work. And, I love what I do.
“Literary citizen/cheerleader” negates the craft of interviews and reviews. And far worse it overlooks how vital online and print EDITORS are to the process.
I am indebted to every editor I work with. My goal is always to produce turnkey work, but the reality is that a team of people are invested in the material. Editors are vital to my becoming a better writer. Daniel Gumbiner (The Believer), Raluca Albu (Bomb Magazine), Boris Dralyuk (LARB) and other great EDITORS are individuals who don’t get enough appreciation.
Thank you Joanna!
Yes to all of this, Yvonne!! I couldn't agree more! And Boris is so wonderful!! Glad you enjoyed Joanna's brilliant essay!
Yvonne, I am so grateful to you for making this hugely important point, regarding editors. My editors--as I sort of hint at!--utterly shaped me. Those that I mention in the piece but also Blake Eskin (who launched The New Yorker online), all my NYTBR and LAT and TONY editors, and so many more. Particularly early on, they helped me figure out my own aesthetic, how to shape a story (and what constitutes a story), and they also gave me the confidence necessary to write books and longer narrative pieces. And I truly feel like a great editor can somehow lead you to produce that turnkey work by virtue of their faith in you, and also perhaps by hashing out ideas with you in advance, or just listening to you. (Whereas an editor who seems to doubt you, or makes you nervous, can lead you to turn in a piece that doesn't quite hang together.)
Thank you, for pointing this out, and for leading me to think deeply about all these editors. (And thinking about, too, how much I miss working with magazine editors on a daily basis.) xoxo
As always, I love and appreciate your recommendations Joanna and your thoughtful reflections on reading and writing. I agree with you that they are inseparable. And during these dark times I too am drawn to poetry. I start my day with reading poetry and close my day with reading more poetry. It’s my natural anti depressant :) Thank you also for including my comment. Just for context, the memoir I mentioned in it has been in the works for about 12 years now…
Imola, I do the same, and find it hard to put into words exactly why! Which is why I so loved Alissa's piece.
Starting and ending your day with poetry is such a beautiful practice, Imola! One I keep trying to do!! I will now redouble my efforts!
Don’t give yourself a hard time Jane! We do what we can with the life (craziness) that we got. À poem a day is already a miracle! But, I’ll admit that it has been a real gift in my life. Last night when I woke up to pee I had an inspiration for a poem. Not the best timing, but I had to write them down. This morning I woke up to write about 40 extra lines to those two lines! It’s just a rough draft, but it has given me so much joy to write them.
Just echoing this, Jane! Everything isn't right for everyone. And I've gone years without reading poetry regularly, because my brain just was in a different place, and years when I read poetry more than anything.
Also, can we take a moment to appreciate that gorgeous opal ring !!
A gift from my husband, who has the best taste!!
A much-needed column, Joanna! Thank you for writing this one. It's so good.
Oh my gosh, this means so much to me!!! Thank you for taking a moment to say so!
Very glad to have these myths busted! Thank you. I notice your memoir class with Grub street is full - will you offer it again? I have a book length ms/ memoir I am working on
Myth four hit it home for me…!
I appreciated that you emphasized the value of reading not just for the craft lessons but for your overall aesthetic as a writer. Everything that goes in somehow influences what comes out and it’s not all controlled or purposeful! Really enjoyed all your takes here - the one on literary citizenship was particularly refreshing.
Yes to all of these, and especially laughed at your reaction to being called a "literary citizen." This is an important reminder to create, write, act, respond from what calls to the innate spirit within, rather than the "likes" et al that can be so alluring in our time. Thank you, as always, for showing us into your writing/reading/being life!