Thank you both. I live in Minneapolis, and I have been unable to write since all of this happened. I have told myself I have been busy, busy helping, busy crying, busy trying to not let my children know how afraid I am, busy being a person in an animal body that thinks it needs to run, but I think really I've been just so so pressed down by it all that the words have fallen flat. I needed this gentle reminder of how one can begin, that the words will matter even if they just serve to remove this heaviness from my chest. I live five minutes from where they shot Renee, I am ten minutes from where they shot Alex, and I am thirty seconds from a neighbor in every direction who will break your heart with their courage and kindness. Sending warm gratitude, love, and appreciation for this email this morning from Minnesota.
Oh Sarah, this must be terribly agonizingly hard for you. Yes, i lived in Saint paul, years ago. But these are you people, you own neighbors, people you know and in normal times, although normal times almost seem buried by this regime. I am so sorry for what you go through every single day. Start maybe with some familiar routine, see when it hits you, and just keep writing. Or maybe remember a time a while ago when you ran into a friend, or a neighbor and had an easy exchange, or a nod in passing and then see and write what has changed utterly. I want very much to read how you approach this. And thank you for reading.
Thank you Abigail, this means so much. I appreciate all the thoughtfulness and ideas on how to approach. And yes, just write. That's always the way isn't it. I didn't know you lived in St. Paul. It's a gem of a city our kids go to school there now. Sending love and gratitude for you. P.S. I put chili crisp on my eggs too, it's the best.
In the UK I watch the news and horrendous videos of these shootings and feel sick. I don't feel like I'm all the way over here. I feel like I'm with you all, right there. I don't know what else to say but on some deep level you're not alone.
And that is the silver lining in all of this, we have learned here in Minneapolis, that when people come together (in the multitude of ways available to them - and everyone’s capacity is different and that is just as it should be) and remind each other that they are not alone, that we DO have community, when people in the UK and elsewhere feel connected, something powerful can happen. And I will say, we have learned here that meeting up in real life, having a potluck, eating together and talking it all through - that’s a whole other level. If I can offer anything right now - never underestimate the power of potluck. XOXO
Sarah, when I read you were in Minneapolis.... no words. I'm all the way over in Australia and this year started so heavily. From so far away the events in your town have affected us all. I went to your substack and read a bit, and commented. I really enjoyed your work, for what its worth. Stay strong. The world is with Minneapolis.
Thank you Debbie! That means so much! I hope today feels a little less heavy for you. Sending you warmth and gratitude. Australia is one of my favorite places - give her my love.
I just threw out your kisses to the seaside, just a block away from where i live. so important to get out in nature and remind ourselves there is a beautiful world out there.
Your writing brings me to tears. Tears that need to be shed and shared. How to continue doing the things we love in life when such unhinged madness is all around us? The feeling of utter helplessness along with the desire to lead a life we dream about. Thank you both for sharing this place of not knowing- and continuing on. 🙏 with gratitude
Hard to keep anything up, but writing is important . Thank you for this reply. Knoing and not knowing. There's a start for you. And thank you very much.
Thank you both for this excellent piece—a generous gift. 🎁 I am happily now subscribed to both of you as a result, I restacked this, and I am greatly enjoying diving down both of your writerly rabbit holes!
I am becoming very curious about rabbit holes. I want to go down a real one. Maybe on google until the snow goes away. And thank you very much for your kind words.
Your wholehearted partnering in "How to Write During Difficult Times" is a vitally needed reminder of our 'writerly service', as Jane Trombley shares below. I've been standing at the mouth of the cave of a personal hibernation...you two have pushed me out into the light, and I am forever grateful.
What a great writer's prompt PDF on such a winter's day. It was more than a gift. It feels like my personal pass into the circle of the cool kids who write well. Darien Gee--another cool kid storyteller.
What always resonates in your writing, Abigail, is the non-negotiable stance. It's not that writing is a choice because it is the air that I need all the time, and I try to not overthink it. Your "How to Write" offers a change-up for the moment, to try this instead of whatever you thought you might finish writing today. It's permission to be naughty and run down that rabbit hole this Monday because there might be a tea party in there.
Thank you, Georgia. There might bemore than a tea party, I hope. But tea would be nice on a wcold wontry dat. Thank you again, for your very kind words.
Thank you, Deborah, the same wishes for you. So far we are both warm. Thesnow is over the steps on my porch, but we are still warm in Wooodstock. Waiting on the plow.
I want to thank you for your words to help us keep thinking and writing in impossible times. Writing has become important to me over the past few years, and it seems even more true today. Your writing is always a gift, especially now.
So is yours, John. I return to the music often. I imagine an evening if old songs sung as other kinds of the national anthem. We are such a creative country, and I love the old rock&roll, the old country music, the old protest songs, and god knows, Strange Fruit, all sung as a kind of different protest. Chuck Berry, who went through hell, and wrote his music anyway. Elvis, Leon Russell, And so many others i can't list them all right now.Hundreds and hundreds of the music made in this country, influenced by history, influencing history.My god, I amost forgot Bon Dykan. And Bruce, and, and and...
Thank you both, soooo much. I feel like I've been in the middle of one of the trauma responses - FREEZE, and nothing I have gone to has helped. So kind. So generous. SO grateful. ❤️
You're very welcome, Michal. Trauma response is exactly it. It was our honor to work together to see what might be helpful for others in the same boat. 💕
Thank you both. I live in Minneapolis, and I have been unable to write since all of this happened. I have told myself I have been busy, busy helping, busy crying, busy trying to not let my children know how afraid I am, busy being a person in an animal body that thinks it needs to run, but I think really I've been just so so pressed down by it all that the words have fallen flat. I needed this gentle reminder of how one can begin, that the words will matter even if they just serve to remove this heaviness from my chest. I live five minutes from where they shot Renee, I am ten minutes from where they shot Alex, and I am thirty seconds from a neighbor in every direction who will break your heart with their courage and kindness. Sending warm gratitude, love, and appreciation for this email this morning from Minnesota.
Oh Sarah, this must be terribly agonizingly hard for you. Yes, i lived in Saint paul, years ago. But these are you people, you own neighbors, people you know and in normal times, although normal times almost seem buried by this regime. I am so sorry for what you go through every single day. Start maybe with some familiar routine, see when it hits you, and just keep writing. Or maybe remember a time a while ago when you ran into a friend, or a neighbor and had an easy exchange, or a nod in passing and then see and write what has changed utterly. I want very much to read how you approach this. And thank you for reading.
Thank you Abigail, this means so much. I appreciate all the thoughtfulness and ideas on how to approach. And yes, just write. That's always the way isn't it. I didn't know you lived in St. Paul. It's a gem of a city our kids go to school there now. Sending love and gratitude for you. P.S. I put chili crisp on my eggs too, it's the best.
What exactly is chili crisp? My mouth is watering and I’m not sure for what.
Sending hugs and love from Hawaii, Sarah. You are not alone, we are all there with you. 💕
Thank you Darien, that means so much right now. I appreciate you.
Big hugs, Sarah.
In the UK I watch the news and horrendous videos of these shootings and feel sick. I don't feel like I'm all the way over here. I feel like I'm with you all, right there. I don't know what else to say but on some deep level you're not alone.
Thank you, Tina. That is good to know.
And that is the silver lining in all of this, we have learned here in Minneapolis, that when people come together (in the multitude of ways available to them - and everyone’s capacity is different and that is just as it should be) and remind each other that they are not alone, that we DO have community, when people in the UK and elsewhere feel connected, something powerful can happen. And I will say, we have learned here that meeting up in real life, having a potluck, eating together and talking it all through - that’s a whole other level. If I can offer anything right now - never underestimate the power of potluck. XOXO
Never underestimate the value of a potluck. Thank you. I absolutely love that.
Sending prayers as everyone from everywhere is for all of Minnesotans as this horrific battle goes on. Let the end be in sight soon.
Yes, please. Please. let it end the right way.
Sarah, when I read you were in Minneapolis.... no words. I'm all the way over in Australia and this year started so heavily. From so far away the events in your town have affected us all. I went to your substack and read a bit, and commented. I really enjoyed your work, for what its worth. Stay strong. The world is with Minneapolis.
Thank you Debbie! That means so much! I hope today feels a little less heavy for you. Sending you warmth and gratitude. Australia is one of my favorite places - give her my love.
I just threw out your kisses to the seaside, just a block away from where i live. so important to get out in nature and remind ourselves there is a beautiful world out there.
This is such a kind, generous gift to writers in times we never thought possible not so long ago. Thank you.
We find ourselves unable to metabolize what is happening right under our noses. It is becoming all too familiar now. GOT TO CHANGE!
Thank you, Linda. 💕
Your writing brings me to tears. Tears that need to be shed and shared. How to continue doing the things we love in life when such unhinged madness is all around us? The feeling of utter helplessness along with the desire to lead a life we dream about. Thank you both for sharing this place of not knowing- and continuing on. 🙏 with gratitude
Hard to keep anything up, but writing is important . Thank you for this reply. Knoing and not knowing. There's a start for you. And thank you very much.
Thank you, Mary Anne and Richard. Sending hugs. 💕
Thank you both for this excellent piece—a generous gift. 🎁 I am happily now subscribed to both of you as a result, I restacked this, and I am greatly enjoying diving down both of your writerly rabbit holes!
I am becoming very curious about rabbit holes. I want to go down a real one. Maybe on google until the snow goes away. And thank you very much for your kind words.
Thank you, Sage! 💕 We appreciate the kind words!
Stunning. Informative. Inspiring. Intimidating. Thank you.
You're very welcome, Susan. 💕
Oh god, Susan. I hope some part of this will be of use to those of us who find writing very daunting.
What a treasure out of the blue! Thank you both so much. Help just at the right time. Blessings to both of you for you are blessings to us.
We feel the same about everyone here, including you. Thank you, Brenda. 💕
Thank you, Brenda. We hope to be of use.
Thank you. A service and a gift.
So kind a thing to say, thank you for both of us. i hope it will be of use.
💗
Your wholehearted partnering in "How to Write During Difficult Times" is a vitally needed reminder of our 'writerly service', as Jane Trombley shares below. I've been standing at the mouth of the cave of a personal hibernation...you two have pushed me out into the light, and I am forever grateful.
That's the best thing we could hear, thank you very much, Nancy.
Thank you for your kind words, Nancy. It means a lot to us!
What a great writer's prompt PDF on such a winter's day. It was more than a gift. It feels like my personal pass into the circle of the cool kids who write well. Darien Gee--another cool kid storyteller.
What always resonates in your writing, Abigail, is the non-negotiable stance. It's not that writing is a choice because it is the air that I need all the time, and I try to not overthink it. Your "How to Write" offers a change-up for the moment, to try this instead of whatever you thought you might finish writing today. It's permission to be naughty and run down that rabbit hole this Monday because there might be a tea party in there.
Thanks for so many kind words, Georgia. Follow those squirrels and rabbits, wherever they may lead! You can trust that. Big hugs.
Thank you, Georgia. There might bemore than a tea party, I hope. But tea would be nice on a wcold wontry dat. Thank you again, for your very kind words.
Thank you! And I did write, today's Armchair Journalist, about these horrible times.
You're welcome, Nancy. Keep reaching for the words. 💕
Thanks, Nancy. So glad you wrote today.
Thanks to the two of you, writers whose work I admire and respect, a reminder that we need to keep moving forward, keep our words in the world.
Thank you, Dawn. And yes, we do, we do.
Thank you, Dawn. 💕
Thank you for this. I deeply appreciate that in the middle of the chaos of what's going on you both find it in your hearts to help others.
Mira, thank you very much from both of us. To your heart from ours.
Thank you, Mira. 💕 We appreciate you, too.
Excellent piece! Restacked!
Thank you from both of us.
You are both awesome!👏
Thank you for saying such a nice thing.
That’s what I’m here for. 😃
Big hugs, Sage! 💕
🤗
Just beautiful, Abby and Darien. Thank you again for opening your hearts and for creating this special gift. Stay safe and warm and hopeful.
You're very welcome, Deborah. And yes on staying safe, warm and hopeful! 💕
Thank you, Deborah, the same wishes for you. So far we are both warm. Thesnow is over the steps on my porch, but we are still warm in Wooodstock. Waiting on the plow.
I want to thank you for your words to help us keep thinking and writing in impossible times. Writing has become important to me over the past few years, and it seems even more true today. Your writing is always a gift, especially now.
So is yours, John. I return to the music often. I imagine an evening if old songs sung as other kinds of the national anthem. We are such a creative country, and I love the old rock&roll, the old country music, the old protest songs, and god knows, Strange Fruit, all sung as a kind of different protest. Chuck Berry, who went through hell, and wrote his music anyway. Elvis, Leon Russell, And so many others i can't list them all right now.Hundreds and hundreds of the music made in this country, influenced by history, influencing history.My god, I amost forgot Bon Dykan. And Bruce, and, and and...
Yes music keeps me going, all my life. I’m very lucky to get to play music with my friends. Music about love, honesty, laughter, hope.
You're very welcome, John. 💕
Thank you both, soooo much. I feel like I've been in the middle of one of the trauma responses - FREEZE, and nothing I have gone to has helped. So kind. So generous. SO grateful. ❤️
You're very welcome, Michal. Trauma response is exactly it. It was our honor to work together to see what might be helpful for others in the same boat. 💕
Thanks to you too, Darien. I think we're a nation of ptsd sufferers. I am grateful that you and Abigail thought of it. ❤️
Thank you so much, Michal. I hope it will be of use.
so do I. In the meantime, I'm grateful for the thought itself. :)