Spinning Your Wheels

When the words come slowly, plus Hilary Mantel's advice for writer's block, a female umpire, and...the person who invented ghosting.

Hello readers,

How are you today?

There comes a time in every writer's life when the words won't come without a good knock-down, drag-out fight. Maybe we didn't get enough sleep the night before. Maybe we are distracted by...life, and headlines, and sparkly things. Maybe we're wrestling with imposter syndrome. Maybe something else is preventing us from unlocking our respective verbiage portals, like, say, a Doechii presale.

Sometimes we can sit at our desks and try and try and try even harder to make the words come, but they still won't. So instead of fighting it sometimes we need to get step away from it for a bit and have ourselves a little dilly-dally so the ideas will come again.

What does that look like? For me, it has been: going for a walk, or listening to music, or watching a good film, or talking to a neighbor about their new grandchild. Also? Untangling this yarn I bought because silly old me wanted to learn how to knit lace (whatever). And? Having a text back and forth with my sister, making a doggie playdate with someone who adopted a beagle named Larry, talking to my kid about the future. That sort of thing.

Some times it pays to lean way the hell in. Other times it helps to step away and not force things so much. I wrote some this week, but I also stepped away, and I think it served me well. Here's hoping you've been able to take a minute or two for yourself this week too.

Paige

Writing prompt: Write about your favorite way to clear your head. What is it and when did you realize it worked for you? How often do you commit to it? What are the signs you need to commit to it? And do you think you may need to commit to it more than you do? Why or why not?

If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to ­music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don't just stick there scowling at the problem. But don't make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people's words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.

-- Hilary Mantel

Endnotes

What I've been reading

The world is a dumpster fire, which is why I read Gwyneth: The Biography by Amy Odell. Even better, I read this super-dishy biography of the Oscar winner, GOOP founder, and world's most tone deaf human with my sister. Honestly, that's the way you need to be reading this, with someone you can text "omg, she invented ghosting?" and "BEE STING THERAPY!!!"and "lol...she would rather DIE than let her kids eat Cup-a-Soup" and so on and so forth as you roll your eyes and thank your lucky stars that you are not insufferable, at least in the way she is. Actually, if anyone wants to see what I'm talking about, I'd be happy set up a virtual book club situation for this book just we can talk about it and have a laugh. Hit reply and let me know if you'd be into it.

Some exciting news! Jen Pawol will make history this weekend as the first woman to umpire a regular season Major League Baseball game. She'll be here in Atlanta for the Braves-Marlins series, and behind the plate calling strikes and balls on Sunday afternoon.

Finally, here's a fascinating Vanity Fair article about Sir Ewan Forbes, the transgender baronet. Though he was born into wealth and privilege in 1912, that didn't mean his journey was an easy one. But it did help that he had a remarkable mother who understood her child's needs, allowed him to socially transition, and then to get the appropriate medical support when it became available. Sir Ewan still faced his share of challenges, as transgender individuals continue to do today. And yet, he still found a way to live a quiet and satisfying life in the countryside, working as a widely beloved doctor, with his wife at his side.

What I've been listening to

"Democracy Forward: A Double Album" which was recently released by Bitter Southerner Records. What amazed me about this at first was the sheer volume of people they got to be on this record, among them REM frontman Michael Stipe, Wilco, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Brittany Howard, and Danielle Ponder. It's a solid record, and the proceeds go to Democracy Forward, a legal organization that is fighting for progress and against extremism in the courts right now. All the more reason to support it.

Where I hope you'll donate this week

As you know, I've been in touch with an 18-year-old Palestinian boy who has been doing what he can to get food, water, and other resources for himself and the seven other people in his family. Last week, I asked you to donate to an account run by an Italian woman who is trying to get him what he needs. This week, author Megan Collins rallied 70 authors (myself included) to take part in a raffle that raised around $40,000 for starving families in Gaza. Sadly, some of the reality of donating to these families is that they need to pay for goods in cash, which is in short supply, and in order to get that cash, they need to hand over a hefty percentage of what they're trying to get to illegal cash brokers. Add to that the fact that prices are skyrocketing there, a limited amount of aid is getting in, and so many other horrific factors, and it is easy to despair that whatever you do will never be sufficient. In this New Yorker interview, a famine expert discusses how we're at a stage where getting mere food into the area is not enough. Gaza needs a massive infusion of intensive care capability to care for the kids who are so malnourished, they can't even digest food at this point. Please, please, please visit chuffed.org and find a family you might be able to help today. Please consider a gift to World Central Kitchen as well. Thank you.