If one is going to blow a writing assignment, blowing a piece about one's dogs is perhaps the most forgivable, even more forgivable than a too-long essay about one's children.
I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Self-indulgent writing is some of the best writing. I’d love to read your 7500 words about each of your dogs, though! I love the concept of pairing a dog with a book about dogs. It sounds like a great writing experience! I hope one day you’ll find an outlet for that particular piece.
I think I speak for at least some of your audience when I say we would like to read more about your dogs. And, as you’ve often noted, writing is thinking—and sometimes we have to get 7500 words of thinking out before we get to what we wanted to say.
Thank you. On a week when the piece I have been working on fell apart (my preferred term being the more violent and distressing "blew up in my face") your reflections are much appreciated. I love the dog-book-matching premise, and hope to encounter the results in a long-form venue, someday.
I have also experienced the "blew up in my face" but usually that sensation is more, "this thing is never going to work" v. "this thing is not working now."
Every book I've done I've experienced a "blew up in my face" moment where I was certain the whole enterprise was a mistake. Pushing past that is one of the bigger challenges of writing, IMO.
A useful distinction, thanks. The troublesome essay is adjacent to a book project that's blown up multiple times over more years than I care to confess. I'll indulge in some optimism and revise my characterization of the essay as having fallen apart, not blown up. I cite More than Words as a comp in my book proposal, BTW.
I loved this- shows trust in your real readers who spend Sunday morning with thy actual self ( rather than education or book review self, though I like those bros too).
And I purchased the book right after your rec; giving it to a dear friend and excited novice dog mama for her birthday today.
Many of us would be interested to read your 7500 words about your dogs. We'd feel justified in the many words we've spent on our dogs and the words about our dogs that are still racing around in our heads begging to be put on paper.
Loved this. I'm currently working on writing down my memories for my family. Now I will have to go back and write about all our dogs. There have been numerous ones and were each unique. In 60 years of marriage, we rescued, kept and loved a number of them. That will be fun and my family will enjoy remembering.
I truly enjoyed this weeks column. As much as I enjoy books I love dogs too!
If one is going to blow a writing assignment, blowing a piece about one's dogs is perhaps the most forgivable, even more forgivable than a too-long essay about one's children.
This was great. Nothing gets my attention like a writer showing us his imperfect human-ness.
Exactly!! Voice sits in the shallows where we ground out
Charmingly discursive, unflinchingly honest, respecting our time--a reminder on why we love both dogs and words to see where they might take us.
I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Self-indulgent writing is some of the best writing. I’d love to read your 7500 words about each of your dogs, though! I love the concept of pairing a dog with a book about dogs. It sounds like a great writing experience! I hope one day you’ll find an outlet for that particular piece.
I think I speak for at least some of your audience when I say we would like to read more about your dogs. And, as you’ve often noted, writing is thinking—and sometimes we have to get 7500 words of thinking out before we get to what we wanted to say.
(Or many more words and years, in my case.)
Thank you. On a week when the piece I have been working on fell apart (my preferred term being the more violent and distressing "blew up in my face") your reflections are much appreciated. I love the dog-book-matching premise, and hope to encounter the results in a long-form venue, someday.
I have also experienced the "blew up in my face" but usually that sensation is more, "this thing is never going to work" v. "this thing is not working now."
Every book I've done I've experienced a "blew up in my face" moment where I was certain the whole enterprise was a mistake. Pushing past that is one of the bigger challenges of writing, IMO.
A useful distinction, thanks. The troublesome essay is adjacent to a book project that's blown up multiple times over more years than I care to confess. I'll indulge in some optimism and revise my characterization of the essay as having fallen apart, not blown up. I cite More than Words as a comp in my book proposal, BTW.
Enjoy the odd discursive… It is sometimes the very thing we should share…there are no hard and fasts with art, John.
Looking forward to the bonus interview — which one will be in the hot seat, Quincy or Baxter?
“Writing is never not humbling…” agree!
I absolutely love this week's focus and the bonus photos of all of your dogs.
I loved this- shows trust in your real readers who spend Sunday morning with thy actual self ( rather than education or book review self, though I like those bros too).
And I purchased the book right after your rec; giving it to a dear friend and excited novice dog mama for her birthday today.
Thank you John, out there and in our heads.
Many of us would be interested to read your 7500 words about your dogs. We'd feel justified in the many words we've spent on our dogs and the words about our dogs that are still racing around in our heads begging to be put on paper.
John, thank you for the inside view of your process. It's valuable as a demonstration of what you talk about so often.
Loved this. I'm currently working on writing down my memories for my family. Now I will have to go back and write about all our dogs. There have been numerous ones and were each unique. In 60 years of marriage, we rescued, kept and loved a number of them. That will be fun and my family will enjoy remembering.