Pretty sure that’s not what the prophet Isaiah was worried about but for all the meaning it has to a non believer like myself i guess it can apply anywhere.
Fantastic stuff. Your books have totally fulfilled this role for me over the years, but alongside that, this site is the first time I've ever felt connected to a world of writers that I don't find elitist or restrictive. It's so encouraging.
Well, you can thank Tom Spanbauer for that. Eventually there were some politics in Tom's workshop, but he managed to support everyone and make them feel welcome. He was (is) such a generous person it made everyone want to emulate that.
Why would someone do something like that? I'm very sorry something like that happened! Not to mention the fact that a package like that takes a bit of time and planning. Good God.
Right?!! Just last week I nearly barfed when my sweet baby took a giant dump en route to wherever we were going. I had to pull over at the park and change him in the trunk, and just the drive to the gas station to properly dispose of the mess had my lunch coming up. To think, a whole box? Just…ugh. So yeah, whoever did this to you, Chuck, just mean!!!!!!
When your packages arrived in the mail I was shaking with surprise and joy. These last few months have been a battle and when I'm down I just crack open one of your generously kind notes and it notably improves my outlook.
Chuck, something funny happened this week. I gave my parents a DVD copy of Fight Club (which by the way has an insert “How to start a Fight Club”)... I insisted on them watching it. They are very much into wholesome movies and don’t much like violence. I already prepped them some, explaining Maria’s infamous line after sex with Tyler. The other day I got a text from my dad, who is a very ‘by the book’ partner at an accounting firm:
Dad: I dreamed I was in Fight Club at the office the other night.
Me: Did you win? Or did you have to pick a fight with a complete stranger and lose?
Dad: Four guys in office. I decided to stop.
Me: (sends image of Fight Club rules) Sounds like you followed rule #3 but broke rule #4.
Your Dad starts a coalition of accountants across the country that delete the records and backups in every major financial institution and everyone starts at 0. Tyler shoulda thought of that, but its not as dramatic as blowing up buildings.
By way of a bizarre update, I read this while visiting my dad and sister in England. We don't stay with them, but rent accommodation nearby for my wife, me, and the kids. I have had more time to read back through the message you posted. We're back in Scotland now and I read it again.
In the place we were staying was a small star shaped plaque on the kitchen windowsill inscribed with the words - "At any moment something wonderful is possible." I thought nothing of it until I read through your message and stopped at the line, "anything wonderful is possible at any moment." I thought you'd appreciate it. I'll read the essay again in your book and once again, thank you. You make a huge difference to many.
I want to love writing again. But these days, I don't know how. I don't know what happened. Several years ago, I could get through a piece and finish it. Now I seem to be second-guessing myself, starting a first paragraph, going back to tweak it, deleting it, pretending like I'm starting over from scratch even though I already have some material saved.
I've been fussing about this short story for months. Pieces of it are floating in my head and I just can't connect them. And this has been my main focus, this little short story that's supposed to be 3000 words. Meanwhile, everything else seems to be passing me by because of my laser-focus on getting this one thing finished. I feel like if I can't finish this one thing, I'll never finish another thing. Because I just keep jumping from project to project and stopping once the excitement dies.
When I do write, I can pump out 800 words in a day. But most of that is me talking to myself about the story.
Hey Joseph, I have a similar predicament. I asked Chuck about it on the “Under the Influence of Reporting” post and I’d recommend maybe checking out Chuck’s replies to see if the advice he offers helps you out too. At the very least you’ll see that the book ‘Et Tu, Babe’ by Mark Leyner was recommended and, believe me, it’s definitely a book to check out.
To you and Brandan. At times you need to take a break and do something physical and/or social. If things occur -- you overhear, you imagine, anything -- collect them in your notebook. Once you have a good batch of notes, find a place where you're trapped. Years back, I had a crappy car and spent hours in garage waiting rooms. I also took medically fragile people to meetings and appointments, and that meant being stuck in bland medical settings for hours. Once you're trapped (this is the purpose of Study Hall -- bland trap) you've no choice but to keyboard your notes and cut-and-paste them to find how best they flow together. This allows you to find the holes, and it tells you what you need to research or ponder next in order to fill those holes.
At the risk of sounding coarse: Never sit on the toilet unless you really need to take a crap. Get out and live, and hold off on writing until you're terrified of losing a good idea.
AND keep in mind (this will be a post later) that big projects are comprised of a multitude of tiny things. Years at Freightliner, I was happy if I wrote a single word or sentence each day. That's why the book is so choppy.
For now, don't beat yourself. Go for a little each day, in a notebook. Okay?
Thank you for that! Every now and then I need a little shake. And maybe a metaphorical slap to the face to knock me out of the funk. And also, I love that toilet analogy. My mother always said, "shit or get off the pot."
But I'm weird. Sometimes I go in there and sit down without having to go. Honest. It's just peaceful in there. My mind is freer to play around and daydream. I don't get that sense of freedom when I'm at the keyboard.
And a question. In your notebook, do you focus your bits of writing on a single project, like a single story or novel at a time? Or do you jot down different ideas for many projects?
Okay, this is how old I am. In the 80s people did something called "brain mapping" where they'd jot down a central idea, then surround that with every related detail or association they could gather. This usually happened on a whiteboard, using a squeaky marker.
That's still my system. Only in a notebook. One idea will serve as the anchor or core, and I'll go about my day occasionally thinking of new aspects of the story. It's a method that served me while working full time. I'm not a clever person, and I hate being put on daytime radio or NPR quiz shows because I need time to think through my ideas. This brain mapping can take years -- I needed about thirty years to gather the anecdotes that went into the story 'Guts.' So I'm usually juggling several story ideas at a time.
The magical, mechanical part is how several stories being built at the same time emerge as plot points in the same novel. It's similar to the build-up smaller assembly lines that feed engines and radiators and axles into the main chassis assembly line in a truck plant. The last novel seemed to take only nine weeks to write because I'd been working on many stories that eventually became linked. So the novel-writing process isn't linear for me. The whole book is written from the ground up, not from beginning to end.
Also, by brain mapping I'm able to discuss the core idea with many people and collect their best takes on it. Doing so gives the story a depth I could never attain based on my own limited experience. And it allows me to talk to people and always be delighted at how smart they are and what lives they've lived.
I accidentally/intuitively do this because I am a terrible planner/note taker. Speaking with a friend Sunday reminded me of the time that my father pulled over on the interstate to go run some deer out of the median. I started writing about it, and thought about all the times that people have tried to help me, but they only made things more complicated, and vice versa. Then I thought of last Spring when I pulled over to help a box turtle cross the road. It wound up being a short post here on Substack, but its the beginning of something else. Haven't sorted that out yet..
You gottah let some of it go for someone to read. You need feedback to get you out of your head! Or as Chuck would say, “Go for a walk.” I’d be happy to read some, if it would help. Your posts are always enjoyable, personable, written well and have a good sense of self—- you can write what you feel well!
Has anyone ever died from reading "Guts"? This guy at the retirement home wants me to read it to him after I told him about the physical reactions. I think he had a boner, which is weird 'cause I thought everyone who fought the Cong were flaccid now. I don't wanna kill an old man, you know? I only went there after your advice for writers with brain fog. Need to know my liability risks on this one. Should I just give him my copy of Haunted and walk away?
In my experience old people have seen and heard it all. They're the ones most likely to laugh. In turn he'll probably tell you a story ten times worse. You're the one in danger...
I was reading Consider This moments ago. And I'm curious to know about those silent pauses in conversations. You've talked how you used the fight club rules as placeholders if I'm correct ( I think this also, ties to Under the Influence of Music post which I'm struggling to grasp).
My question is, can rough play be used as a placeholder? to cut between scenes? Cause that's how the gang I hanged out with dealt with awkward pauses.
Hey, anything is worth an experiment. Consider that onomatopoeia might be a part of that rough play. "So I hit him bang in the smacked head, and he clobbers me slam with his knee." One aspect of the bland transition is that it should contrast in some way with the "recording angel" moment-to-moment narrative. Such a transition indicates a topic or time shift. So, like the chorus in a song, it should seem familiar when seen, but differ from the song's verses.
I’m overly thankful for how you touched my life and Miss Sassy’s. I’m grateful for the push to write again—- it’s leading me into some pretty incredible directions. Thank you for all the time you have given of yourself. The little stuffed Monkey toy survives and sleeps next to Sassy with her pie slice and Mr. Crab. It’s in excellent company. I owe you so very much. Thank you for being there. ♥️💐🎳🍕🐇
You have this profound way of making me go, “awwwwwww.” Like someone handed me a puppy.
Pretty sure that’s not what the prophet Isaiah was worried about but for all the meaning it has to a non believer like myself i guess it can apply anywhere.
Fantastic stuff. Your books have totally fulfilled this role for me over the years, but alongside that, this site is the first time I've ever felt connected to a world of writers that I don't find elitist or restrictive. It's so encouraging.
Well, you can thank Tom Spanbauer for that. Eventually there were some politics in Tom's workshop, but he managed to support everyone and make them feel welcome. He was (is) such a generous person it made everyone want to emulate that.
I’m sorry if this information is somewhere but do you have a P.O. Box or somewhere to send you things?
Yes. I would love to send as well!
Ah, there's the rub. Years back I got a crank package, a huge box of dirty diapers from a fictitious person/address. Since then I've been wary.
Oh gosh, I know what that smells like! Blech.
Why would someone do something like that? I'm very sorry something like that happened! Not to mention the fact that a package like that takes a bit of time and planning. Good God.
Right?!! Just last week I nearly barfed when my sweet baby took a giant dump en route to wherever we were going. I had to pull over at the park and change him in the trunk, and just the drive to the gas station to properly dispose of the mess had my lunch coming up. To think, a whole box? Just…ugh. So yeah, whoever did this to you, Chuck, just mean!!!!!!
Sorry to hear that, Chuck. That's a load of crap.
When your packages arrived in the mail I was shaking with surprise and joy. These last few months have been a battle and when I'm down I just crack open one of your generously kind notes and it notably improves my outlook.
Chuck, something funny happened this week. I gave my parents a DVD copy of Fight Club (which by the way has an insert “How to start a Fight Club”)... I insisted on them watching it. They are very much into wholesome movies and don’t much like violence. I already prepped them some, explaining Maria’s infamous line after sex with Tyler. The other day I got a text from my dad, who is a very ‘by the book’ partner at an accounting firm:
Dad: I dreamed I was in Fight Club at the office the other night.
Me: Did you win? Or did you have to pick a fight with a complete stranger and lose?
Dad: Four guys in office. I decided to stop.
Me: (sends image of Fight Club rules) Sounds like you followed rule #3 but broke rule #4.
Dad: Haha. We only had two at a time.
Your Dad starts a coalition of accountants across the country that delete the records and backups in every major financial institution and everyone starts at 0. Tyler shoulda thought of that, but its not as dramatic as blowing up buildings.
Hahahaha yes!!
My pleasure. Your reply is very touching.
By way of a bizarre update, I read this while visiting my dad and sister in England. We don't stay with them, but rent accommodation nearby for my wife, me, and the kids. I have had more time to read back through the message you posted. We're back in Scotland now and I read it again.
In the place we were staying was a small star shaped plaque on the kitchen windowsill inscribed with the words - "At any moment something wonderful is possible." I thought nothing of it until I read through your message and stopped at the line, "anything wonderful is possible at any moment." I thought you'd appreciate it. I'll read the essay again in your book and once again, thank you. You make a huge difference to many.
I want to love writing again. But these days, I don't know how. I don't know what happened. Several years ago, I could get through a piece and finish it. Now I seem to be second-guessing myself, starting a first paragraph, going back to tweak it, deleting it, pretending like I'm starting over from scratch even though I already have some material saved.
I've been fussing about this short story for months. Pieces of it are floating in my head and I just can't connect them. And this has been my main focus, this little short story that's supposed to be 3000 words. Meanwhile, everything else seems to be passing me by because of my laser-focus on getting this one thing finished. I feel like if I can't finish this one thing, I'll never finish another thing. Because I just keep jumping from project to project and stopping once the excitement dies.
When I do write, I can pump out 800 words in a day. But most of that is me talking to myself about the story.
How do I make it fun again?
Hey Joseph, I have a similar predicament. I asked Chuck about it on the “Under the Influence of Reporting” post and I’d recommend maybe checking out Chuck’s replies to see if the advice he offers helps you out too. At the very least you’ll see that the book ‘Et Tu, Babe’ by Mark Leyner was recommended and, believe me, it’s definitely a book to check out.
To you and Brandan. At times you need to take a break and do something physical and/or social. If things occur -- you overhear, you imagine, anything -- collect them in your notebook. Once you have a good batch of notes, find a place where you're trapped. Years back, I had a crappy car and spent hours in garage waiting rooms. I also took medically fragile people to meetings and appointments, and that meant being stuck in bland medical settings for hours. Once you're trapped (this is the purpose of Study Hall -- bland trap) you've no choice but to keyboard your notes and cut-and-paste them to find how best they flow together. This allows you to find the holes, and it tells you what you need to research or ponder next in order to fill those holes.
At the risk of sounding coarse: Never sit on the toilet unless you really need to take a crap. Get out and live, and hold off on writing until you're terrified of losing a good idea.
AND keep in mind (this will be a post later) that big projects are comprised of a multitude of tiny things. Years at Freightliner, I was happy if I wrote a single word or sentence each day. That's why the book is so choppy.
For now, don't beat yourself. Go for a little each day, in a notebook. Okay?
Thank you for that! Every now and then I need a little shake. And maybe a metaphorical slap to the face to knock me out of the funk. And also, I love that toilet analogy. My mother always said, "shit or get off the pot."
But I'm weird. Sometimes I go in there and sit down without having to go. Honest. It's just peaceful in there. My mind is freer to play around and daydream. I don't get that sense of freedom when I'm at the keyboard.
And a question. In your notebook, do you focus your bits of writing on a single project, like a single story or novel at a time? Or do you jot down different ideas for many projects?
Okay, this is how old I am. In the 80s people did something called "brain mapping" where they'd jot down a central idea, then surround that with every related detail or association they could gather. This usually happened on a whiteboard, using a squeaky marker.
That's still my system. Only in a notebook. One idea will serve as the anchor or core, and I'll go about my day occasionally thinking of new aspects of the story. It's a method that served me while working full time. I'm not a clever person, and I hate being put on daytime radio or NPR quiz shows because I need time to think through my ideas. This brain mapping can take years -- I needed about thirty years to gather the anecdotes that went into the story 'Guts.' So I'm usually juggling several story ideas at a time.
The magical, mechanical part is how several stories being built at the same time emerge as plot points in the same novel. It's similar to the build-up smaller assembly lines that feed engines and radiators and axles into the main chassis assembly line in a truck plant. The last novel seemed to take only nine weeks to write because I'd been working on many stories that eventually became linked. So the novel-writing process isn't linear for me. The whole book is written from the ground up, not from beginning to end.
Also, by brain mapping I'm able to discuss the core idea with many people and collect their best takes on it. Doing so gives the story a depth I could never attain based on my own limited experience. And it allows me to talk to people and always be delighted at how smart they are and what lives they've lived.
I accidentally/intuitively do this because I am a terrible planner/note taker. Speaking with a friend Sunday reminded me of the time that my father pulled over on the interstate to go run some deer out of the median. I started writing about it, and thought about all the times that people have tried to help me, but they only made things more complicated, and vice versa. Then I thought of last Spring when I pulled over to help a box turtle cross the road. It wound up being a short post here on Substack, but its the beginning of something else. Haven't sorted that out yet..
You gottah let some of it go for someone to read. You need feedback to get you out of your head! Or as Chuck would say, “Go for a walk.” I’d be happy to read some, if it would help. Your posts are always enjoyable, personable, written well and have a good sense of self—- you can write what you feel well!
Haha! Thanks for that, Kerri. I've been in my head for far too long and it's warping my reality.
I do like taking long walks lol
And it's such a weird thing. When I'm just having fun, not really caring, I write better then when I'm super serious.
I’m really glad to hear you’re figuring out your shtuff. You got this—- I know you do!
If I were to send something to your UPS store, would it make its way to you?
No guarantees. A letter might, but a package is very iffy.
Im gonna give it a shot. If it doesnt make it, will take photos to share as backup.
Sent. Will call them and ask to hold it for you. Dont make a special trip on my account. Just sent something I found in an old German bakery.
They said they'd get it to you next time you come in.
Thanks for the heads up about the contest.
I'm rubbing my hands together in anticipation ;)
I've been thoroughly bowled over by the packages too. Huge thanks again!
And a sincere bow of gratitude for the lead time. I'm even more prolific after daylight falls in my time zone! ;)
Ouch. I took Ambien last night and ate all the candy. Urp!
Ouch. I think I put on weight just from reading that sentence!
I guess I've always just been drawn to libraries (grin).
Hey, I'm just gonna throw this out there...
Has anyone ever died from reading "Guts"? This guy at the retirement home wants me to read it to him after I told him about the physical reactions. I think he had a boner, which is weird 'cause I thought everyone who fought the Cong were flaccid now. I don't wanna kill an old man, you know? I only went there after your advice for writers with brain fog. Need to know my liability risks on this one. Should I just give him my copy of Haunted and walk away?
In my experience old people have seen and heard it all. They're the ones most likely to laugh. In turn he'll probably tell you a story ten times worse. You're the one in danger...
Drop and run sounds good to me. I'm a terrible narrator. Peace out!
I was reading Consider This moments ago. And I'm curious to know about those silent pauses in conversations. You've talked how you used the fight club rules as placeholders if I'm correct ( I think this also, ties to Under the Influence of Music post which I'm struggling to grasp).
My question is, can rough play be used as a placeholder? to cut between scenes? Cause that's how the gang I hanged out with dealt with awkward pauses.
Hey, anything is worth an experiment. Consider that onomatopoeia might be a part of that rough play. "So I hit him bang in the smacked head, and he clobbers me slam with his knee." One aspect of the bland transition is that it should contrast in some way with the "recording angel" moment-to-moment narrative. Such a transition indicates a topic or time shift. So, like the chorus in a song, it should seem familiar when seen, but differ from the song's verses.
I’m overly thankful for how you touched my life and Miss Sassy’s. I’m grateful for the push to write again—- it’s leading me into some pretty incredible directions. Thank you for all the time you have given of yourself. The little stuffed Monkey toy survives and sleeps next to Sassy with her pie slice and Mr. Crab. It’s in excellent company. I owe you so very much. Thank you for being there. ♥️💐🎳🍕🐇
You're welcome!