writes:
Hi Claudia,
We had fun getting to know you too. Glad it worked out for you to
ride back with us. Hope you made it to the concert. Loved your house
and setting. I figured from talking to you you'd have interesting art on
the walls and, sure enough! Felt like you were someone with whom I'd
have a lot in common from your emails. I'm serious about the ducks.
They're nice little fellows. Like to have someone talk to them now and
then and wander around picking slugs. Otherwise, they just waddle
around like little restless souls, back and forth, back and forth. I'm
still trying to catch up here. Hopeless! Jo
Claudia,
Glad you only gave up writing for a night. Funny how we get
discouraged but it's such a long drawn out process, the learning, and
then the marketing is a whole other trip. I'm glad I"ve finally made my
decision to go back and get a job so I won't be relying so heavily on
hope. Just can't keep things afloat on commission and writing so much
and working the farm such as it is. Hard decision though. I was so sure
if I just kept enough in the mail, did some free lance editing and taught
a few classes, it'd make my living. It will eventually but could take a
few years.
Thank goodness for email or I'd not be able to leave all my good
artist and writer friends here. When you're used to baring your soul in
the writing, it seems that these friendships go deeper more rapidly than
others. Whatever you do, don't give up the faith.
Jo
Hi Claudia,
you have so much going there that's good, I couldn't resist. Want
you to get something on it out right now while the mood is with you.
Jo
Claudia,
Actually, you should try to peddle this to one of the kids' mags
looking for non fiction nature writing. May have to trim a little - I
don't know about their word requirements. Maybe even Cricket, who knows?
Few comments in the text in caps. You need to keep on this one - or
maybe two pieces and get them off to adult and kids' markets.
Jo
Hi Claudia,
It is difficult to juggle all the demands for your energy. And
discouraging sometimes. I had hoped I wouldn't have to go back to full
time teaching because it does take a lot of your creative energy but it
also gives some too so I guess I can learn to juggle it. Mostly, I need
some benefits and access to good health insurance. I don't have much now
and can't seem to get it because of priors even though I've had very
little illness in the last twenty years. On record, anyway. Paul Allen
might support some writers if he got enough press for it but I don't see
any indication that he has any esthetic sense in what he's done so far.
You're right - as we open to be sensitive enough to write well, we
become less able to function in society without some kind of psychic
protection. But I wouldn't change it, would you? And I'm determined
eventually, the writing will be lucrative, at least mildly. I wouldn't
want to give up my privacy and be a run away best seller. I wouldn't
turn down a few speaking and book signing tours, of course. Doesn't seem
to be much in between no privacy and lucrative writing career however.
Jo
Hi Claudia,
Hooray that you're going full blast on the Mt. St. Helens.
Definitely try the best paying first. good luck on figuring out the
theme on Dragonfly3. Sometimes those realizations are hard won.
Prayer Flute is still going on but only five pages some days.
Meanwhile, I work on new poems and short stories and a (I Hope) last
revision of the Goose Lady of Ghost Creek. got one story off to Cricket
and finished revising one I like even better for them, this one would be
a serial as it's 2230 words. Emailed Julia to see if I dare send a
second when I haven't heard about the first but no word.
My coming out party/book signing will be at the Gig Harbor Library on
the second. BOok store hasn't received books yet and I only have three
left from the original two dozen so I'm hoping the next shipment will be
here in time. Pudding House just emailed me that they're ready to
typeset the chapbook so that should be in hand by the end of the year.
Don't kid yourself about the balance thing - it's always a struggle.
Real estate takes energy away from the writing so I've scaled back on the
income from it so the writing flows better but then I'm always worried
about finances. Hence the move to get back to some regular income. I
make bits here and there on the writing and painting and editing and a
pittance at the college and a bit here and there doing school visits and
workshops but it's always a juggling act which wears on the nerves too.
I can appreciate what you husband must be feeling with four years to go
but tell him to hang in there. SO many teachers I know change to older
or younger kids their last few years, just to stir things up so they
don't sink under. Teachers have to put up with so much crap these days
and conscientious ones do way too much paper work at home but then so do
executive types these days (though they're MUCH better paid for it.) My
brother rarely works less than an 80-hour week but he's WELL paid for it.
On the other hand, he has no energy left to do anything creative.
Sheesh!
I need to get on the roof and see what's leaking before it rains.
Take care,
Jo
Hi Claudia,
I hate it when I'm too wired to go to bed but too tired to write my
best. Guess I should go to bed too and try to read myself to sleep.
Seem to have gotten off my sleep rhythms. Nerves about all the
monumental changes, no doubt.
Me too, too stubborn only I have to do something about regular
income. everything I'm doing but the couple classes I teach are on
commission/on spec. Gets scary after awhile as you know.
That's cool that your son plays flute. Flute in Dragonfly POnd too,
eh? I like this book before I even begin to read it.
Jo
Claudia,
I've decided to build a writing career you have to stop thinking of
the immediate hit and start thinking of just perfecting the craft. Then
the rest will come but only in it's own time because once your craft is
good, it's a matter of luck - the right editor on the right day, after
two, not three cups of coffee, having not had a fight on the subway, etc.
The books finally came today. I'll mail yours this afternoon.
Jo
HI Claudia,
Actually, some books I have to write and rewrite a couple of times
until I figure out the themes. Some I know right away but some I'm still
discovering as I go. Why not start the new book and keep working on
Dragonfly Pond - that way maybe it'll fight for your attention and start
whispering in your ear again.
jo
To Donna Tait:
A critique group is about saying how you react to something. It's
up to the author to sort out what she can use so don't hold back. Even
if she disagrees with you on the problem or solution, the fact you react
strongly to something indicates there may be a knot there.
A Tribute to Jo Nelson with links to her writings
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