My main writing update from this past week is that one of my new critique partners from my queer writing group read my story and blessed me with an eleven-page editorial letter that was so beautiful and validating that I cried. Like the good kind of crying because I was feeling a little down on my writing for no logical reason and I didn’t realize how much I needed someone to read it and get it and love it for me to be able to breathe again.
It’s nice too because though I’m waiting for this person to finish their revisions so I can do them the same favor (though eleven pages sure set a high bar), I read their sample over a month ago and they were the first person I reached out to so I could request their full manuscript. There’s something about our style and tone that’s similar (though not the same) that really resonated with me and they validated the same thing back while critiquing my own manuscript. I guess my point is it is nice to receive feedback from 1) a stranger and 2) a stranger who I also think is a really good writer.
I’m still waiting for a couple more people to finish reading my latest revision before I decide on the next steps, but this latest feedback helped me see the light again.
As far as working on something else, I’m not really. In my head, a little, which is splaying out in a few sentences but chances are I’m not going to pick up much momentum until I feel like I’m done for a while with my current story. And to be honest, there are some other life things (work and trying to fit in a running coaching program) that are taking precedence to long writing sessions this month.
It’s an ebb and flow.
Here’s are my last sentences written from this past week:
- 12/3: You can be so stupid.
- 12/4: Her nails raked down my cheek.
- 12/5: The memory of it — ruthless, magnificent — ghosted my lips.
- 12/6: He did not jump.
- 12/7: I don’t think you did.
- 12/8: She didn’t remember it the same.
- 12/9: If I could wake up, I’d tell you.
With Love,
Natalie