Hey you!
Hope you’re having a fantabulous Tuesday. I’m sending you this lil’ newsletter wrapped in love and light in hope that it’ll *throws glitter* inspire *throws more glitter* you no matter where you are.
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Enjoy issue #22 babes!
Writer’s Log #10
After winning the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology series or Movie, I May Destroy You creator, writer, co-director, and executive producer (as well as one of my fave people and career crushes) Michaela Coel used her speech to give advice to fellow writers. Her tips spoke to my soul.
When she spoke on visibility, it was like she was speaking directly to me. Coel says,
“In a world that entices us to browse through the lives of others to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves, and to, in turn, feel the need to be constantly visible, for visibility these days seems to somehow equate to success. Do not be afraid to disappear, from it, from us, for a while, and see what comes to you in the silence.”
For the past year, I’ve been making strides towards becoming less visible, less accessible to the outside world. Turning off my phone notifications, aside from my text messages, was a big step.
But yet, to remedy the pesky anxious feeling that I’m missing out on something, I still check social media on my own accord from time to time. I try to scroll with intention, but sometimes I get lost in the Jack Harlow memes, cute cats, and natural hair tutoria—and it’s been three hours.
I long to disconnect and disappear. I admire creative people who whisk themselves away to a secluded location to write that book/write that screenplay/paint that painting.
One of my favorite stories about exploring creativity through seclusion is the memoir Bleaker House, written by author Nell Stevens.
The book’s about Stevens winning a fellowship to research and write a book anywhere in the world, all-expenses-paid. She chooses to spend her fellowship in one of the most desolate parts of the world: Bleaker Island, a snowy penguin-filled island off the coast of Argentina.
If I had to choose any place to write a book, I’d love to be in an overwater beach bungalow in the Maldives or a cabin in Black Mountain, NC—a beautiful small town I’ve been researching for a future project. (It may, or may not, be the story for NaNoWriMo *smirk*)
I’d downgrade my cellphone so I don’t have the internet in the palm of my hand, downsize my closet to a capsule wardrobe, relocate, and write. Sometimes I wonder about writing entire novels by hand, filling up composition books like I used to do in middle school. Paper made my words tangible, the act of writing more real.
Typing’s cool, or whatever, and ya girl’s pretty fast with her phalanges, but sometimes it’s difficult to gauge how much you’re writing when you can’t feel it. Seeing 0 of 195 pages on the side of your Google Doc and physically flipping through 195 pages are two different sensations.
When I’m not creating, I want to be out, living, getting some first-hand experiences under my belt—some of that new new. A big part of writing is observing because there truly isn’t a greater storyteller than life itself. I’m reminded of that fact often, like when I catch an old episode of Maury on TV.
One day I’ll make my big disappearing act—one that’ll get David Blaine shaking in his boots. For now, I’ll disappear in small ways, planning my act and practicing my craft until the time’s right and…poof.
5 Things I Consumed
Really Love on Netflix (it’s the black love for me sis!! love that!!)
Clickbait on Netflix (this one is fire y’all I was tapped in)
LuLaRich on Prime Video (y’all probably don’t know this; but one of the things i’m passionately against but endlessly fascinated by is mlms. lularoe is one of the most bizarre i’ve seen and this docuseries is a wild ride from beginning to end)
Lil Nas X’s album Montero (lil nas x is one of my favorite people from the tiktok generation; what a pop star, what a vibrant personality)
This ugly-cry inducing tweet: (if my roaddog Steve told me he’s proud of me then y’all can’t tell me NATTATHING)
Things I Created
I’ve been doing a lot of NaNo prep recently—especially as September and my *find an idea before October* goal comes to an ending. But things are up in the air, still.
A flash-in-the-pan fiction story about bullies; which was kind of awesome lol
This newsletter! Hey hooooo!!
Writing Prompts
Your character recently renovated a school bus into a mobile home and now they’re traveling full time. Where are they going? Where the heck did they get a school bus from? Who are they traveling with?
This spooky prompt comes from this list of horror writing prompts: “You’re watching TV on Halloween night when your show is interrupted by a faintly familiar someone declaring their love for you and saying they’ve watched you all your life.”
Write a descriptive paragraph about an item within arm’s reach. Go into every detail of its appearance, invent a wild back story, or whatever else comes to mind.
Conclusion
Thank you so much for reading Oh, Write!
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Have any questions, comments, or concerns? Hit ya girl up!
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Love,
Nia