i think writing is a thing that happens on the fly, like running and taking a leap of faith, rather than a thing much thought out before the act, you know?
if you look closely, there’s this small “fear-of-forgetting-meter” next to my head that goes up whenever i am truly content, and so i used to write purely to document those fleeting moments just in case i forget. now, i write to set things right. whatever did my past selves think writing was?
hmm it's strange (in a way i'm very grateful for) to hear what writing is like for other people — especially those who are more feeling-oriented than i am, whose relationship with intuition is different from mine, who conceive of things like forgetting and nostalgia and feeling and not-feeling in a way that i perceive to be completely different from how i do. it's strange, because look at that, how writing can be the same thing in different iterations to so many types of people. it's strange, because despite all that, we seem to agree that writing is best when it's allowed free reign and free range to run. a kind of possession, isn't it? until it no longer feels like running or taking a leap of faith at all but just. as easy as breathing. as picking up a pen or opening a note and letting the words go until you've run out. i love writing best when it's not meant to do anything except be. so it makes my world a little brighter to hear that for you, it's something capable of setting things right. and for you to word that like it's a realization that should have been inevitable from the beginning... it's strange and lovely and i'm thankful that you took the time to articulate that to me. it's nice to see you around these parts, my dear. thank you for reading, and i promise i'll get to devouring your own newsletter soon.
i'm finally getting to my unread inbox of newsletter subscriptions (and they REALLY piled on seeing as to how i'm replying to one from JUNE) but oh sha i love love love you! and i love love love writing! i know i say it all the time, but you write so precisely but also beautifully and eloquently, and every single thing that you feel and write for yourself (to us) is so real in the way only creatives can know. i went through so many emotions through this letter -- taking in that sentiment about how writing is the opposite of feeling, to see writing as something to sink yourself into, writing as dissection, and that insistence on loving writing. through all the introspection, you manage to capture such love and admiration and hope
no xiao oh my god how could i have missed this myself !! i don't know how long i've been sitting here trying to figure out a way to reply to this but — you know how sometimes people comment on fics or leave reviews on goodreads where the only response they can string together is to highlight all the quotes from the story that got them? that's how i feel with this, except it's the whole thing. but most of all, i feel all sorts of ruined over "so real in the way only creatives can know" and hearing how much you love writing. it's like yes, i know, i feel it so palpably in how you weave words yourself, but to hear it so simply and directly and explicitly is just. making me weirdly choked up at 10 in the morning. i say this all the time, too, but it's always so special when i find myself on the receiving end of your own delicate, heart-full relationship with language and writing. so thank you for taking the time to not only read but leave me your thoughts in this capacity. i eternally adore you and your words.
months late to this i know but reading "i'm rooting for you" just took me by such heartwarming surprise that i have to reply anyway. just — thank you for reading. thank you for leaving this comment. i hope life is treating you kindly.
it is so wonderful to hear from you sha <3 i have always found myself at a loss of words for the allure of writing other than "i need to" and you articulate it far better than i could have dreamed, this weight that comes with loving something so much. thank you as always for sharing, and i look forward to your next letter.
tiff !! how on earth did i miss this, oh my goodness. this reply is much too late, but i just wanted to take a second to respond anyway bc there's also something freeing in how even the parts of writing that can feel too much — loving or hating or needing it too much, sometimes all three at once — can be shared across different relationships with it. so thank you for reading, and as ever, i feel very blessed to be on the other end of your kind words 🤍
i think writing is a thing that happens on the fly, like running and taking a leap of faith, rather than a thing much thought out before the act, you know?
if you look closely, there’s this small “fear-of-forgetting-meter” next to my head that goes up whenever i am truly content, and so i used to write purely to document those fleeting moments just in case i forget. now, i write to set things right. whatever did my past selves think writing was?
hmm it's strange (in a way i'm very grateful for) to hear what writing is like for other people — especially those who are more feeling-oriented than i am, whose relationship with intuition is different from mine, who conceive of things like forgetting and nostalgia and feeling and not-feeling in a way that i perceive to be completely different from how i do. it's strange, because look at that, how writing can be the same thing in different iterations to so many types of people. it's strange, because despite all that, we seem to agree that writing is best when it's allowed free reign and free range to run. a kind of possession, isn't it? until it no longer feels like running or taking a leap of faith at all but just. as easy as breathing. as picking up a pen or opening a note and letting the words go until you've run out. i love writing best when it's not meant to do anything except be. so it makes my world a little brighter to hear that for you, it's something capable of setting things right. and for you to word that like it's a realization that should have been inevitable from the beginning... it's strange and lovely and i'm thankful that you took the time to articulate that to me. it's nice to see you around these parts, my dear. thank you for reading, and i promise i'll get to devouring your own newsletter soon.
i'm finally getting to my unread inbox of newsletter subscriptions (and they REALLY piled on seeing as to how i'm replying to one from JUNE) but oh sha i love love love you! and i love love love writing! i know i say it all the time, but you write so precisely but also beautifully and eloquently, and every single thing that you feel and write for yourself (to us) is so real in the way only creatives can know. i went through so many emotions through this letter -- taking in that sentiment about how writing is the opposite of feeling, to see writing as something to sink yourself into, writing as dissection, and that insistence on loving writing. through all the introspection, you manage to capture such love and admiration and hope
no xiao oh my god how could i have missed this myself !! i don't know how long i've been sitting here trying to figure out a way to reply to this but — you know how sometimes people comment on fics or leave reviews on goodreads where the only response they can string together is to highlight all the quotes from the story that got them? that's how i feel with this, except it's the whole thing. but most of all, i feel all sorts of ruined over "so real in the way only creatives can know" and hearing how much you love writing. it's like yes, i know, i feel it so palpably in how you weave words yourself, but to hear it so simply and directly and explicitly is just. making me weirdly choked up at 10 in the morning. i say this all the time, too, but it's always so special when i find myself on the receiving end of your own delicate, heart-full relationship with language and writing. so thank you for taking the time to not only read but leave me your thoughts in this capacity. i eternally adore you and your words.
i adore your letters. thank you so much for posting these. im rooting for you.
months late to this i know but reading "i'm rooting for you" just took me by such heartwarming surprise that i have to reply anyway. just — thank you for reading. thank you for leaving this comment. i hope life is treating you kindly.
it is so wonderful to hear from you sha <3 i have always found myself at a loss of words for the allure of writing other than "i need to" and you articulate it far better than i could have dreamed, this weight that comes with loving something so much. thank you as always for sharing, and i look forward to your next letter.
tiff !! how on earth did i miss this, oh my goodness. this reply is much too late, but i just wanted to take a second to respond anyway bc there's also something freeing in how even the parts of writing that can feel too much — loving or hating or needing it too much, sometimes all three at once — can be shared across different relationships with it. so thank you for reading, and as ever, i feel very blessed to be on the other end of your kind words 🤍