Thanks for this article, Karen. I’m not sure if this was a conscious thing when you wrote but your transparency about the stress of writing, and the painstaking process behind it, is incredibly refreshing. It’s pretty easy for respected writers like yourself to give an air of casual panache about the work but your focus on the graft and grace it involves speaks (unsurprisingly) to your integrity and humility in crafting words. Thanks for your inspiring and grounded example.
As a side note: I’m looking forward to the Milton readings enormously!
Your academic paper on English Baptist girls' education sounds very intriguing.
I understand the risk aspect completely. For multiple good reasons, I walked away from a regular job with regular salary, so every month is a financial adventure, sometimes a quiet ride, sometimes a edge-of-your-seat nailbiter. Thankfully, health insurance is one aspect I don't have to consider [although the provincial health insurance doesn't cover medication for working age adults - my asthma medication takes a large chunk out of my tiny, wildly fluctuating income, yet I have always had enough to cover it]. I have a great respect for those who write, or otherwise create, freelance.
STOP THE PRESSES! You are taking us through Paradise Lost?!? 😍 I can’t wait!! I have a student who is dying to study this and we couldn’t fit it into our class this year. I will definitely share your posts with her. I think PL is so moving and powerful. Thanks for taking the time to tackle it with your Substack students! ❤️
My copy of Paradise Lost is on its way. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into but I feel that's an advantage. Hehe.
Thank you for letting us in on your writing process—the ups and downs. I hope you find the margin you need to make room for more reading. I'm trying to get a career together (not in writing, though), and yesterday, I told my husband that it feels like too many steps. Ha! I'll just be over here plodding along until I finish all the requirements.
Karen, thanks for taking us behind the curtain. I’ve only recently embraced being “a writer” (after much wrestling and denial) and it was oddly comforting to read about how stressful the process is for you. I am not writing quite as much as you are, of course, but when I find myself in the 80-90% you speak of, I question whether I even have what it takes to make it to the other side. Your piece is an encouragement to me to keep going and embrace the discomfort of the process. Thank you, again! I am looking forward to reading your future posts on this subject.
There certainly is a romantic notion about "being a writer" that glosses over the realities of deadlines and contracts and research and just the human stress of self-doubt that you describe so well. I put stress on myself when I write, to try express my ideas in just the right way, but I'm just a recreational writer. As I've read some of your books, like Evangelical Imagination, I've appreciated the crazy hard work it must take to start with a vision and to flesh that out into something true and coherent and, hopefully, marketable. My hat's off to you. Keep it up.
I am grateful for the book suggestion and look forward to adding it to my very long list. I'm so glad you discovered you are HSP. I have several clients who are relieved when they realize that their sensitivity is for a reason and not because they are defective and "too sensitive." Being sensitive is a superpower, but it's a gift that means you need to be careful to take good care of yourself and be aware of your limits, for sure.
Thanks for this article, Karen. I’m not sure if this was a conscious thing when you wrote but your transparency about the stress of writing, and the painstaking process behind it, is incredibly refreshing. It’s pretty easy for respected writers like yourself to give an air of casual panache about the work but your focus on the graft and grace it involves speaks (unsurprisingly) to your integrity and humility in crafting words. Thanks for your inspiring and grounded example.
As a side note: I’m looking forward to the Milton readings enormously!
Thank you, Andrew. All my life I’ve wished for a bit more panache and grace, but, alas … 😅
Seriously, your kindness and encouragement here (and always) is a blessing. I’m very glad this peek behind the curtain is helpful in some way.
Your academic paper on English Baptist girls' education sounds very intriguing.
I understand the risk aspect completely. For multiple good reasons, I walked away from a regular job with regular salary, so every month is a financial adventure, sometimes a quiet ride, sometimes a edge-of-your-seat nailbiter. Thankfully, health insurance is one aspect I don't have to consider [although the provincial health insurance doesn't cover medication for working age adults - my asthma medication takes a large chunk out of my tiny, wildly fluctuating income, yet I have always had enough to cover it]. I have a great respect for those who write, or otherwise create, freelance.
Thanks, Holly. I will have to let you know when it is published.
Hard as it is to live in such risk, our integrity, wholeness, and spiritual health is priceless.
STOP THE PRESSES! You are taking us through Paradise Lost?!? 😍 I can’t wait!! I have a student who is dying to study this and we couldn’t fit it into our class this year. I will definitely share your posts with her. I think PL is so moving and powerful. Thanks for taking the time to tackle it with your Substack students! ❤️
Yes, yes, yes! I am! See you there! 😃
My copy of Paradise Lost is on its way. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into but I feel that's an advantage. Hehe.
Thank you for letting us in on your writing process—the ups and downs. I hope you find the margin you need to make room for more reading. I'm trying to get a career together (not in writing, though), and yesterday, I told my husband that it feels like too many steps. Ha! I'll just be over here plodding along until I finish all the requirements.
Plodding with you! ✊
Karen, thanks for taking us behind the curtain. I’ve only recently embraced being “a writer” (after much wrestling and denial) and it was oddly comforting to read about how stressful the process is for you. I am not writing quite as much as you are, of course, but when I find myself in the 80-90% you speak of, I question whether I even have what it takes to make it to the other side. Your piece is an encouragement to me to keep going and embrace the discomfort of the process. Thank you, again! I am looking forward to reading your future posts on this subject.
So glad this comforts and encourages you, Cheryl. And so glad you are embracing “being a writer” even with all the discomfort that entails.
There certainly is a romantic notion about "being a writer" that glosses over the realities of deadlines and contracts and research and just the human stress of self-doubt that you describe so well. I put stress on myself when I write, to try express my ideas in just the right way, but I'm just a recreational writer. As I've read some of your books, like Evangelical Imagination, I've appreciated the crazy hard work it must take to start with a vision and to flesh that out into something true and coherent and, hopefully, marketable. My hat's off to you. Keep it up.
Thank you, Charlie! It’s a labor of love — but labor, for sure!
I'm excited about Paradise Lost next week! I haven't read it since grad school.
Oh, I’m so glad you are excited! I keep worrying that no one wants to do this, haha! Now I need to worry about leading the reading well! 😅
Happy New Year Karen. May the Lord richly bless you and your loved ones in the year ahead.
Happy New Year, Rick! Blessings to you and your family.
I am grateful for the book suggestion and look forward to adding it to my very long list. I'm so glad you discovered you are HSP. I have several clients who are relieved when they realize that their sensitivity is for a reason and not because they are defective and "too sensitive." Being sensitive is a superpower, but it's a gift that means you need to be careful to take good care of yourself and be aware of your limits, for sure.