A Trip Down Memory Lane
Greatest Hits Part 1
Remember how I said not too long ago that I normally don’t enjoy this time of year? And that despite that, I was feeling motivated and getting things done anyways? Yeah, about that.
February’s traditional malaise has set in, and I’ve been doing a whole lot of sleeping. Doesn’t help that I am with this dog, who also likes sleeping.
Normally, today is Writing Advice Day, the day where I transmit my All Knowing Wisdom™️ about writing to you.1 But I’m really behind on grading, and would rather be sleeping, so we’ll keep it short and simple today.
To be good at writing, you need to write a lot. You also need to take time to review and appreciate your own work. In the immortal words of Drag Queen Katya, “If you’re not embarrassed about last year, then you’re not making any progress.”2
For all the new folks out there, here’s some of my favorite posts from my chaotic reading adventures over the past 6 months.
The First Post
It took me so darn long to start this Substack. I first heard of this platform almost four years ago, and had actively wanted to start one for about a year before I bit the bullet and did it. This first post is a testament to me actually doing it. It also contains a few hallmarks of what you can expect going forward: memes, sarcasm, and a whole lot of footnotes.
Pride and Prejudice and Life Lessons
For reasons I still cannot comprehend, Pride and Prejudice has showed up way too much in my life. I examine that and how thankful I am that Rom-Coms are not real life here.
A niche Marissa Interest™️
If you can imagine the clip of Haley Joel Osment from The Sixth Sense saying ‘I see dead people?’ That’s me, purposefully wandering into cemeteries. I explore all that and more, including my favorite monuments to the deceased, in this Halloween post.France
In what I’m sure will be the first appearance of many, I catalog some of my chaotic adventures in France, a land of truly chaotic (yet chic) people. This post features a giant hole in the ground and some truly groundbreaking 2000s fashion featuring castles and high school students.
Wibby Wobbly Joints
BookTok meets disability representation in my exploration of Rebecca Yarros’s Romantasy hit. As someone who suffers from EDS, I take you through whether Fourth Wing is good disability representation, and whether I enjoyed this bit of brain candy. (The answer: yes.)Ann Hood
I have been so grateful to everyone who has participated in my Artist Interview series, and I have some great guests in the works. Ann’s interview has a special place in my heart, not only because I know her, but also because she has such good wisdom about her career in writing to share. Also featuring flight attendants, union busting, and copious traveling.How Optometry and Western Mass Will Never Leave Me Alone
A recent favorite. How Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five relates to Optometry, and why eyes and the area where I grew up will never leave me alone.
To keep to my own advice, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve written so far, even beyond these posts. I’ve settled into a rhythm, with which topics appeal to me and how to manage my overall reading to output capacity.
Going forward, I think it would help if I create outlines, even minimal ones, for my book reviews and book adjacent posts. That way, I won’t have the tendency to get lost in the sauce, as the youths™️ say, and I’ll remember to hit all the points I want to. I have lots of ideas! And lots of thoughts! Even looking through some of these posts, I realized: Oh shoot, I forgot to mention that thing.
Also: typos. That’s all I’m going to say. Typos.
I am also going to adjust how I plan out my posts, so it doesn’t end up being the day before a post goes up and I’m writing one of these in a hurry.3 I already have enough college student theatrics and procrastination to deal with in my every day life, I don’t need to supply more of them. I will say that I’ve continued to have fun writing this newsletter, and that the minute it stops being fun is the minute I stop.
So there you have it. A few reflections on my own words, and how I want to edit them going forwards. Now to go back to joining the dog, asleep in front of the fire.
Please imagine me saying this with the biggest dose of sarcasm you can possible conjure.
At 6:50 in the video down below.
Which may or may not be right now, can neither confirm nor deny.
February is a beautiful month in Australia. It's the last summer month and mornings are getting sligtly cooler while the days are bright and sunny.
I liked Queen Katya, “If you’re not embarrassed about last year, then you’re not making any progress.” I hadn't heard of it before, and it helped me understand all that embarrassment I was feeling about myself and my work meant something. I was growing.
Marissa, you've shared some fantastic reads, but I'm struggling with the sheer volume of material to read these days. I'm subscribed to numerous newsletters, and while I'd love to read them all, I don't have the time (or a method) to do so.
Gone are the days when I could leisurely spend an afternoon or evening curled up with a good book. It's been ages since I've read a novel, and I used to finish one in just 3-4 days.
I'm retired now, and I don't have many other responsibilities. I spend my days reading, yet I still can't seem to get through all the reading I want to do.
Do you have any suggestions?
This is very good writing advice. I love what I wrote a couple weeks ago but those first few posts whew!!