I didn't have time to write a short letter,
so I wrote a long one instead because I am, as ever, Mark Twain
I wanted to write a thoughtful fascinating enticing newsletter this week to make us all STOP and THiNK about things.
This was brought on by this newsletter by Kathleen Smith (@theanxiousoverachiever on Substack) which asked us the question: how does your functioning change with your audience?
Researchers have observed the power of knowing we are being watched. Or even potentially being watched. Leave a pair of cartoon eyes on the wall, and people are more likely to behave. Put a mirror in front of a bowl of unmonitored Halloween candy, and kids are likely to take fewer pieces. Our functioning goes up or down depending on who is in the room, or how they are responding to us. Or the simple thought of how someone might react if they knew. So much of what we call our own conscience is the power of the group, reminding us to stay in line.
This is the kind of delicious therapy shit I loooove to engage with. For me, this is even better than a horoscope or a personality test to tell you what kind of [knowable category of thing] you are. Love to see myself in them, roll around in them. Love to delve into the old pysche.
(Sidenote: subscribe to Kathleen’s newsletter if you, too, love this kind of thing.)
One reason this question resonated with me this week was because I spent last weekend joyfully alone. I set myself about nine hundred actitives to complete, because what’s better than an unfeasible to do list, and I got so much done, and I loved it.
But the above question made me wonder whether part of that was me watching myself from the outside to think, how would I like to be living this weekend? How do I think I should be doing it? What does time spent well look like, at the moment? It was interesting to ask that question more actively.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like there’s something there to chew on. How does this feel to you?
Anyway, for now just imagine that’s a well-developed thought, and apply it to yourself, please if you’d be so kind! I’d really like to but I’m simply too busy to do it for you today. I apologise and I’m sending you a small kiss on the forehead to make up for it.
Instead, what’s actually happened this week is:
aforementioned amazing calming weekend
handed in my edits!
celebrated by starting a new draft!
That draft is now at 10,000 words of a new story. Yes, I have a pie chart. Yes I will probably start posting about it soon.
That’s the entire update. Thought about things, sent in my edits, drafted new stuff. The biggest update of all is of course that my dear friend Anna’s book came out on Thursday!!!!
Something To Be Proud Of? yes.
I was so lucky to get to read a first draft of this, at the beginning of time when Anna hadn’t even yet won the PFD Queer Fiction Prize or signed with an agent. It’s an amazing privilege to bear witness to that journey right from the start like this. It’s one of the many things I’m so grateful for about my writing group. We’re watching each other grow.
Something To Be Proud Of is just a very special book. It’s warm and funny and filled with heart, exactly like Anna, and it’s unspeakably wonderful that the stars have aligned and now the book is out in the world for more people to fall in love with too.
Buy it for any teenager or adult who need a bit more love, softness, rage and comedy! I mean it! And congratulations again, Anna!!!
I’m on holiday next week, so please consider this my out of office. I’ll see you in two weeks!