It is such a great wish <3 You encapsulated my all time favourite quote by Murakami - "I have to write things down to feel I fully comprehend them." so well. May your writing this year be effortless, organic, easy and joyful.
Thank you! I feel like you can see inside my head. Not being able to write, for whatever reason, makes me feel more and more like a parched man in the desert - desperately searching for an oasis. Writing is my water. My sustenance. My lifeline. Have a wonderful 2025 Jojo!
Love how you describe observing the moment of rolling your car 😂. I so relate. I was in a head on collision a decade or so ago and even at the time the writer part of me was taking notes. And indeed, the only way I made it through the trauma of the aftermath was to write it out.
I think I would have died a horrible death had I not discovered the power of writing as a child. Being able to disappear into "The Faraway Tree" or the "Wishing Chair" saved my bacon but it also sparked a love of writing. Sadly, I let perfectionism stop me numerous times, until illness forced me to recognise the insatiable appetite of perfectionism, and the way it sabotaged me. It stopped me doing what i love the most. Thank you for a wonderful post Jojo. I just love your work and the way you inspire those of us who are still finding our voice and the courage to be seen. 🙏🏼
What a great blog post - I often talk myself out of writing when really it’s all I want to do. I tell myself I’m not good enough, or that my story isn’t compelling enough… but I think it really comes down to giving myself permission to write a dirty first draft. Even if that means that some chapters are well polished, whilst others are just early drafts.
I am happiest when I write, so I don’t understand my reluctance. Sure, I work full time and it’s intense most of the year. But I also think about my story, every single day.
So this year I’m setting an intention to write for at least an hour a day, and ideally read more about the art of writing while continuing to read great books. Thanks again for this great blog! 😁
Thank you, this is such a validating post. I don't think writing is a choice, it's a compulsion and I also feel miserable if I don't get a chance to write. This is something non-writers, aka the rest of my poor long suffering family don't really get. Your comment that it makes us better parents is so true, I go back to my other family jobs with good cheer (usually anyway, unless I have a plot point I am still trying to wrangle) if only I have had a chance to scribble away in between times.☺️
I think through my fingers, and quite magically I find that writing (before, through and after) my journeys in a structured way brings my dreams into reality.
Thank for expressing so clearly why that might be so.
I write therefore I am, something like that! Thank you for sharing your words and thoughts. So inspiring and encouraging! I hope you feel better soon. Happy New Year.
Writing saves us for sure. When the real world gets too 'real' we writers can escape in a world of our own creation, where things turn out the way we want them to.
With regards to you writing notes after that car crash, I think that's why as creative people, we're able to look at things from a different angle. We can observe things that are happening to us (and sometimes they're really not very nice things) and think, oh, so that's how it feels to go through that? Let me make some notes.
What's that saying - life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
Well, as writers we can take that life and write about it, and maybe save ourselves in the meantime.
Thank you Jojo - this is food for thought. In particular, I’m wondering dear substackers how you organise your work and writing? I’m a journaler and regularly fill a couple of books per year + notes on my phone. But how do you review or collate this so you can find or use it again? Do you write under different headings eg. Funny stories, traumatic (like the car crash) and then descriptions of things that might inspire you randomly on the street? Or you go back through all your reams of writing monthly/annually to review what’s worth taking forward?
I’m interested in the part two process …how do you work?
Love this! 🫶🏻 Glad you were okay after rolling your car — and your child. 😳 “Some of you will be published, and some of you may be content with having created a story on a page and have it at least vaguely resemble the (usually far superior) one in your head.” Eek! I’m new to fiction writing and definitely the idea and scenes in my head are so much better. 🙈🤣
I can't tell you how many times I've had that same thought, when sick, or plans fall through... Ooooo, time to write. ❤️
It is such a great wish <3 You encapsulated my all time favourite quote by Murakami - "I have to write things down to feel I fully comprehend them." so well. May your writing this year be effortless, organic, easy and joyful.
that's a lovely quote
Thank you! I feel like you can see inside my head. Not being able to write, for whatever reason, makes me feel more and more like a parched man in the desert - desperately searching for an oasis. Writing is my water. My sustenance. My lifeline. Have a wonderful 2025 Jojo!
Love how you describe observing the moment of rolling your car 😂. I so relate. I was in a head on collision a decade or so ago and even at the time the writer part of me was taking notes. And indeed, the only way I made it through the trauma of the aftermath was to write it out.
I think I would have died a horrible death had I not discovered the power of writing as a child. Being able to disappear into "The Faraway Tree" or the "Wishing Chair" saved my bacon but it also sparked a love of writing. Sadly, I let perfectionism stop me numerous times, until illness forced me to recognise the insatiable appetite of perfectionism, and the way it sabotaged me. It stopped me doing what i love the most. Thank you for a wonderful post Jojo. I just love your work and the way you inspire those of us who are still finding our voice and the courage to be seen. 🙏🏼
Oh The Faraway Tree! My favourite book as a kid... and as an adult as it brings back the magic I felt everytime I dip into it.
A kindred spirit! 😁
What a great blog post - I often talk myself out of writing when really it’s all I want to do. I tell myself I’m not good enough, or that my story isn’t compelling enough… but I think it really comes down to giving myself permission to write a dirty first draft. Even if that means that some chapters are well polished, whilst others are just early drafts.
I am happiest when I write, so I don’t understand my reluctance. Sure, I work full time and it’s intense most of the year. But I also think about my story, every single day.
So this year I’m setting an intention to write for at least an hour a day, and ideally read more about the art of writing while continuing to read great books. Thanks again for this great blog! 😁
Thank you, this is such a validating post. I don't think writing is a choice, it's a compulsion and I also feel miserable if I don't get a chance to write. This is something non-writers, aka the rest of my poor long suffering family don't really get. Your comment that it makes us better parents is so true, I go back to my other family jobs with good cheer (usually anyway, unless I have a plot point I am still trying to wrangle) if only I have had a chance to scribble away in between times.☺️
I think through my fingers, and quite magically I find that writing (before, through and after) my journeys in a structured way brings my dreams into reality.
Thank for expressing so clearly why that might be so.
I write therefore I am, something like that! Thank you for sharing your words and thoughts. So inspiring and encouraging! I hope you feel better soon. Happy New Year.
Writing saves us for sure. When the real world gets too 'real' we writers can escape in a world of our own creation, where things turn out the way we want them to.
With regards to you writing notes after that car crash, I think that's why as creative people, we're able to look at things from a different angle. We can observe things that are happening to us (and sometimes they're really not very nice things) and think, oh, so that's how it feels to go through that? Let me make some notes.
What's that saying - life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
Well, as writers we can take that life and write about it, and maybe save ourselves in the meantime.
Happy New Year, Jojo xx
This is why I write too. Thank you.
Happy new year Jojo xxx
and you Emma! xx
Loved reading this, thank you for sharing ✨
Thank you, Jojo. XXX
Thank you Jojo - this is food for thought. In particular, I’m wondering dear substackers how you organise your work and writing? I’m a journaler and regularly fill a couple of books per year + notes on my phone. But how do you review or collate this so you can find or use it again? Do you write under different headings eg. Funny stories, traumatic (like the car crash) and then descriptions of things that might inspire you randomly on the street? Or you go back through all your reams of writing monthly/annually to review what’s worth taking forward?
I’m interested in the part two process …how do you work?
Love this! 🫶🏻 Glad you were okay after rolling your car — and your child. 😳 “Some of you will be published, and some of you may be content with having created a story on a page and have it at least vaguely resemble the (usually far superior) one in your head.” Eek! I’m new to fiction writing and definitely the idea and scenes in my head are so much better. 🙈🤣