Saturday, December 03, 2005

Dear Five Friends . . .

I won't be posting much during the next couple of days because I've decided to go on a brief hiatus:

1. I feel like going on a flash fiction rampage, and right now, I'm working on a story.

2. I need to do a brief internet break ("My name is Cate, and I'm addicted . . "). This "checking of email" every five minutes has got to stop. The computer must be shut off, folded up, and lodged onto a shelf for a few days. Let it collect a nice skim of dust, like everything else in the house.

3. In order to enhance my creativity, I am going to start taking daily walks, making sure that I pay real attention to the way the trees stretch tall then clasp branches above the road. I'm going to eavesdrop on conversations as I reach for a steaming cup of coffee at the bagel shop downtown. I'm going to study the way the young girl working at the craft store wears her velour sweatpants and sweeps her hand across her forehead to keep a long strand of hair from falling into her eyes. I'm going to notice the circles under her eyes and I'm going to wonder how she spent the previous night--if she ate pizza with friends or watched movies or parked in a car with her boyfriend on a dirt road in the country.

In other words, I'm going to start PAYING ATTENTION to the world, instead of shoving my way through it.

4. When I take a break from the writing, I'm going to construct something from the vintage patterned papers and slabs of chipboard that I bought at the craft store. What, I do not know, but I'll figure it out, since I'll be glowing with creative energy, thanks to #3.

5. I'll be reading these books, which I recommend to other writers: "Poemcrazy," "All Is Vanity," and "Walking In This World."

"Poemcrazy," which I bought last night, is brilliant. Susan Wooldridge's writing is lyrical and detail-filled. She offers MANY strategies, through anecdotes in each short chapter, to encourage poetry writing, and really, just another way of looking at the world. Sort of staying true to your inner person. Or inner writer.

"All Is Vanity" is fiction by Christina Schwarz. It's about a woman who quits her job to write a novel, but is failing miserably, to the dismay of both her husband (who is supporting her) and her ego. She uses the letters that her best friend from California writes to her for the book , all the while, calling that friend and encouraging the woman to take huge risks in her life and make terrible decisions; it seems that "the writer" is unable to create a novel without the plot unfolding in front of her. The way that the "writing life" is portrayed is hysterical, but it's the relationship between the two friends that really strikes a chord--the concept of the "superior" friend vs. the "inadequate" one, jealousy, blind loyalty, and even, love. Delicous, delicious, delicious. Even better than cheesecake. Or Beer.

"Walking In This World," by Julia Cameron, is like The Artist's Way. It's a creative and spiritual guide . . . an inspirational, movtivational (muppetational?) pep-talk in a book. I know that I sound like a freakin' zealot, but I swear, I don't know where my life would be without this woman.

Have a happy couple of days. See you on Tuesday or Wednesday, my faithful five!

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey~
Gonna miss your witty...insightful...thought provoking ruminations on everything, but have a great break kiddo.

12/03/2005 9:07 PM  
Blogger Michelle said...

Hey, this sounds like a great idea, especially the walks. The details about the girl at the craft store are incredible. I hope you do a lot more detail catching like that. good luck with it.

12/04/2005 1:59 PM  
Blogger LDahl said...

...shouldn't you be back by now??
*giggle* only kidding. Just wanted to let you know I was checking in.

12/06/2005 5:33 PM  
Blogger Cate said...

Thanks, everybody. I'll be back tomorrow!

12/06/2005 7:00 PM  

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