I really look forward to your posts; they're all so good! But I get 'finger-tied' (the digital version of tongue-tied) as I write to you and this community at large. I wonder if others feel the same shyness at saying something, anything to you, one the best writers on the planet. My infernal critic is saying "Jeez, what trivia, such a dumb-ass comment, who cares?"
I love this post. It’s really all about finding satisfaction and or bliss in the moment, wherever possible, I believe, whether one is building a shed or feeding a child or hiking the PCT or writing a story…
Last night at the laundromat as I stood there not ironing but folding clothes and between loads, reading all of your posts here, I thought of the Story Club members and our learned leader across the nation and wondered what you were all doing at that moment. I thought of E.M. Forster's entreaty to "...only connect" and it occurred to me that that's what George has done with Story Club--connecting us all.
Here's another thought. Regarding despair, though I've had a couple of stories published, I've experienced no shortage of deep despair and what buoys me is reminding myself how thrilling it is simply to be a student of writing, how the process and possibility of growth is endless and challenging and fulfilling.
Congratulations, George, on what sounds like a wildly successful book tour! May you sleep the sleep of the victorious.
Thank you so much, George. I’ve mostly resided in the “Despair” and occasionally the “Is it good?” phases. My own cycle takes a sharp turn to “It can’t be” and then “Give up” and then back to “Despair”. 🤣😅😓 I’ve never had the courage to move to the “send it out” phase. Just hearing that these are places that even you go through - even now! - is tremendously encouraging and makes me want to stop curtailing the cycle.
Thank you to the questioner and thank you George. How kind of you to share so many details of your adventure without polishing them up too much. Again you bless us with your honesty. I feel like you are returning from a hero’s journey, coming back to us to share the knowledge you have won during your struggles along the way. And the StoryClubbers were like helpful guardians along the way. BTW There is something about that self portrait in the hotel mirror that captures the disorienting nature of travel through multiple cities. It says it all. “Here I am. Right here. Everywhere. Nowhere”
I love that ultimately your satisfaction seems to reside more in the work -- in the process -- than in the end result. This is something I've intuited, and you seem to be confirming it. This can help with the anxiety about whether anything will come of it. It doesn't matter if anything comes of it, that's not the point. The point is to just keep working at it. (This is me talking myself through a typical doubt attack.)
I'm curious about the tiredness you photo-captioned about. Is it that you don't get enough sleep, don't have time for naps, simply don't want to stop to rest? Can you say?
Yes, I love this post also, as David writes just below. It makes me think of Pema Chodron's book Living with Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change. We are always in flux with any effort--starting, working along, finishing, and starting over except in those moments when we find flow (a theory developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi) are magical but hard to sustain. It's a space where the person finds freedom to create in the endeavor at hand. So many what ifs deter us from entering a state of flow but sometimes it just happens.
Great post. Accepting that there's "no settled place of fulfillment" is actually fulfilling in itself, if you can indeed accept it. Sometimes, it ain't easy.
The Colbert Show seemed to give George a bit less time this visit (no bonus skit or song), but George managed to cram in all of the goodies about how he goes about a short story. As always from Colbert, good questions. Satisfying segment. Now...will Colbert’s reading of “Love Letter” at Symphony Hall appear on YouTube?
Seeing the stairs with Dylan's words on them reminds me of the time when my husband and I had just bought a house in Brooklyn and we painted our own little love poem, word by word, up the steps to the second floor, then covered the whole thing up with a carpet runner. I've always wished I could be there the day the new owners lifted up that runner and saw those words. And no, you don't get to know what they were!
Hey George, this has been such a gas, following along with your book tour and getting to see you in person. Thanks for all of this. You must be getting sick of hearing how generous and kind we all find you, but you know, sometimes the truth hurts. (Question: did you get the little gift I left for you at the stage door of Zipper Hall? Just wondering if it made it to you....)
I do like the idea of understanding and accepting the place in the process in which you find yourself. It’s necessary and part of the whole, so even when it’s a more scary or anxious part, there’s a little reminder that this, too, is good (and will hopefully pass until the next time you find yourself there).
I’ve missed the book signing as well these past couple of years. It’s still a joy to simply be present at the event and her some great questions and answers and laugh and sign with the others around me.
I am glad, though, that was at least one time in the past when George was able and kind enough to chat, sign my large stack of books and even take a picture with me. Even after my friends and I had stalked him the whole weekend. In a friendly way. Not a creepy way (I hope). Like « happening to be at the place he was taken for lunch » because my friend worked there. And, well, half of us had been GAs in the English Department. We slyly took photos with George in the background (confession) but then we were introduced and he took pics with us with his actual consent, so that was nice and generous of him.
No regrets. We were young(ish), fans and had a blast.
Thank you for sharing your tour thoughts. I’ve so enjoyed the radio and podcast interviews - each one falling on my ears offering a new way of thinking of something just as I needed it. I wish you a new mess to sort into a story very soon, and I thank you for the reader experience. Rest well.
I really look forward to your posts; they're all so good! But I get 'finger-tied' (the digital version of tongue-tied) as I write to you and this community at large. I wonder if others feel the same shyness at saying something, anything to you, one the best writers on the planet. My infernal critic is saying "Jeez, what trivia, such a dumb-ass comment, who cares?"
I love this post. It’s really all about finding satisfaction and or bliss in the moment, wherever possible, I believe, whether one is building a shed or feeding a child or hiking the PCT or writing a story…
Another fantastic Q And A. Whoever asked that question, I say to you, what a great question.
Last night at the laundromat as I stood there not ironing but folding clothes and between loads, reading all of your posts here, I thought of the Story Club members and our learned leader across the nation and wondered what you were all doing at that moment. I thought of E.M. Forster's entreaty to "...only connect" and it occurred to me that that's what George has done with Story Club--connecting us all.
Here's another thought. Regarding despair, though I've had a couple of stories published, I've experienced no shortage of deep despair and what buoys me is reminding myself how thrilling it is simply to be a student of writing, how the process and possibility of growth is endless and challenging and fulfilling.
Congratulations, George, on what sounds like a wildly successful book tour! May you sleep the sleep of the victorious.
Thank you so much, George. I’ve mostly resided in the “Despair” and occasionally the “Is it good?” phases. My own cycle takes a sharp turn to “It can’t be” and then “Give up” and then back to “Despair”. 🤣😅😓 I’ve never had the courage to move to the “send it out” phase. Just hearing that these are places that even you go through - even now! - is tremendously encouraging and makes me want to stop curtailing the cycle.
Best wishes on your Colbert appearance tonight! Thank you for your ever-open heart to us, George. 🙏
Thank you to the questioner and thank you George. How kind of you to share so many details of your adventure without polishing them up too much. Again you bless us with your honesty. I feel like you are returning from a hero’s journey, coming back to us to share the knowledge you have won during your struggles along the way. And the StoryClubbers were like helpful guardians along the way. BTW There is something about that self portrait in the hotel mirror that captures the disorienting nature of travel through multiple cities. It says it all. “Here I am. Right here. Everywhere. Nowhere”
I love that ultimately your satisfaction seems to reside more in the work -- in the process -- than in the end result. This is something I've intuited, and you seem to be confirming it. This can help with the anxiety about whether anything will come of it. It doesn't matter if anything comes of it, that's not the point. The point is to just keep working at it. (This is me talking myself through a typical doubt attack.)
I'm curious about the tiredness you photo-captioned about. Is it that you don't get enough sleep, don't have time for naps, simply don't want to stop to rest? Can you say?
Yes, I love this post also, as David writes just below. It makes me think of Pema Chodron's book Living with Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change. We are always in flux with any effort--starting, working along, finishing, and starting over except in those moments when we find flow (a theory developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi) are magical but hard to sustain. It's a space where the person finds freedom to create in the endeavor at hand. So many what ifs deter us from entering a state of flow but sometimes it just happens.
Great post. Accepting that there's "no settled place of fulfillment" is actually fulfilling in itself, if you can indeed accept it. Sometimes, it ain't easy.
Hey, All, Kurt Vonnegut would have been 100 today. Here's a collection of pieces, by & about him, from today's LitHub that might be of interest.
https://lithub.com/how-to-celebrate-100-years-of-kurt-vonnegut/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Lit%20Hub%20Daily:%20November%2011%2C%202022&utm_term=lithub_master_list
The Colbert Show seemed to give George a bit less time this visit (no bonus skit or song), but George managed to cram in all of the goodies about how he goes about a short story. As always from Colbert, good questions. Satisfying segment. Now...will Colbert’s reading of “Love Letter” at Symphony Hall appear on YouTube?
Seeing the stairs with Dylan's words on them reminds me of the time when my husband and I had just bought a house in Brooklyn and we painted our own little love poem, word by word, up the steps to the second floor, then covered the whole thing up with a carpet runner. I've always wished I could be there the day the new owners lifted up that runner and saw those words. And no, you don't get to know what they were!
Hey George, this has been such a gas, following along with your book tour and getting to see you in person. Thanks for all of this. You must be getting sick of hearing how generous and kind we all find you, but you know, sometimes the truth hurts. (Question: did you get the little gift I left for you at the stage door of Zipper Hall? Just wondering if it made it to you....)
I do like the idea of understanding and accepting the place in the process in which you find yourself. It’s necessary and part of the whole, so even when it’s a more scary or anxious part, there’s a little reminder that this, too, is good (and will hopefully pass until the next time you find yourself there).
I’ve missed the book signing as well these past couple of years. It’s still a joy to simply be present at the event and her some great questions and answers and laugh and sign with the others around me.
I am glad, though, that was at least one time in the past when George was able and kind enough to chat, sign my large stack of books and even take a picture with me. Even after my friends and I had stalked him the whole weekend. In a friendly way. Not a creepy way (I hope). Like « happening to be at the place he was taken for lunch » because my friend worked there. And, well, half of us had been GAs in the English Department. We slyly took photos with George in the background (confession) but then we were introduced and he took pics with us with his actual consent, so that was nice and generous of him.
No regrets. We were young(ish), fans and had a blast.
Thank you for sharing your tour thoughts. I’ve so enjoyed the radio and podcast interviews - each one falling on my ears offering a new way of thinking of something just as I needed it. I wish you a new mess to sort into a story very soon, and I thank you for the reader experience. Rest well.
Once again a post that wakes me up to my own wishes and values cause I do not know many people who write like you George. Thanks and sweet dreams