I am so glad to have found you here - I love Lewis’ book and now must revisit it. Do you know of the work of the late Pat Schneider, founder of Amherst Writers & Artists? When I first encountered her work I responded at a visceral level and her book, Writing Alone and with Others, is a good place to start.
Thanks, Mary, for this deeply thoughtful reflection and the references from Hyde, Oliver, Roethke. It rings so true to any of us who have had a great teacher, a not-great teacher, tried to create, failed, pressed on. In my experience and I suspect that of many others, the teacher who allows the student to “safely fail” in the way you describe is the rare one. This essay should be required reading for the rest.
A gorgeous post. I'm so grateful to have found you. I will add Lewis Hyde's book to my list. It seems truly inspirational and a book to constantly turn to. Writing has become like food and if I don't do it, I don't feel well, I don't feel nourished. Medicine is other people's writing. Risk taking is what moves my writing forward amid the rejections, the rewrites and the learning. It is the most rewarding experience.
I am so glad to have found you here - I love Lewis’ book and now must revisit it. Do you know of the work of the late Pat Schneider, founder of Amherst Writers & Artists? When I first encountered her work I responded at a visceral level and her book, Writing Alone and with Others, is a good place to start.
Learned so much, Mary. Thank you.
Wow. May the Lord keep shining His face upon you, Mary. Blessed to be walking the path with you.
Thanks, Mary, for this deeply thoughtful reflection and the references from Hyde, Oliver, Roethke. It rings so true to any of us who have had a great teacher, a not-great teacher, tried to create, failed, pressed on. In my experience and I suspect that of many others, the teacher who allows the student to “safely fail” in the way you describe is the rare one. This essay should be required reading for the rest.
A gorgeous post. I'm so grateful to have found you. I will add Lewis Hyde's book to my list. It seems truly inspirational and a book to constantly turn to. Writing has become like food and if I don't do it, I don't feel well, I don't feel nourished. Medicine is other people's writing. Risk taking is what moves my writing forward amid the rejections, the rewrites and the learning. It is the most rewarding experience.
Reading to live. I love that.