Hi everyone. So, I'm doing my best to participate in Essay Camp myself, but doing so more in Rebel Mode 🤘. I did say that even our most bedraggled selves were encouraged to attend, and I am quite bedraggled indeed. But I read aloud one and a half chapters from my book in progress to see how they flowed (until I had to stop and take a nap afterwards, lol), and then later on I revisited some writing that I think will go in a memoir I hope to polish up and turn in not long after the other thing. It's something I "accidentally" wrote when I tried doing the Essay Camp exercises every day for a year. So, you do never know! Only about 5-10% of what I wrote during those exercises that year is of interest to me now, but it turns out that's enough. Anyway, I hope everyone who has decided to attend Essay Camp is enjoying (or at least surviving!) their first day 💜
I did it! I wrote a five things essay in about 15 minutes while my 10-month-old created chaos around me. It’s some of the worst writing I’ve ever done but (a) it’s the first time I’ve written since she was born and (b) I did it!
Thank you for the gift of Essay Camp this week, Summer. My father died on November 3rd. After writing his obituary and a tribute to him on my blog (https://www.creativesanctuary.net/another-tomorrow/), I suspect that Essay Camp will help me wade through my grief a bit. In my Five Things essay today, he made a few appearances. But so did chocolate from Maison Bouvier in Saint-Malo and church bells in Strasbourg. Now it's time to read a few essays. Happy writing!
Thank you for this note Allison, and I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm glad to hear that he showed up in your writing, as well as the chocolate and the bells 💜
Thanks for doing this, Summer. I used the 5 Things prompt and wrote for almost 40 minutes, all random thoughts that were on my mind. One was about my father whom I grieve, but also with whom we celebrated our last Thanksgiving in 2019. Enjoyed the essay about the moth. I seem to remember that Annie Dillard also wrote an essay about a moth. Other than that, I like what you said about writers being afraid and that most days, we simply have to just write. Thanks again.
I had fun with this today! Completed the 5-Things exercise (setting it aside for later), read Cheryl Strayed's excellent essay, and started work on an essay about oranges.
Giving paid membership a serious ponder. Stand by!
I'm doing Essay Camp! For the first time since I started following you years ago! It was good. Nothing stellar was written, but sitting down for a bit of goal-free writing was really lovely. Lovely too was the idea that I needn't unpack a bit of trauma in every one. I could sometimes touch on pain, but leave it at just a touch. Freeing. Thanks, Summer! (I know I use too many exclamation points. They follow me home and I can't bear the sad looks on their faces.)
"sitting down for a bit of goal-free writing was really lovely. Lovely too was the idea that I needn't unpack a bit of trauma in every one." —love this especially, thank you. I am a big believer in this when it comes to versions of freewriting, prompt or otherwise. I'm really glad to hear it was freeing. (And those damn exclamation points!!! So needy sometimes! 😉)
what a wonderful gift of a post. I'm on it. Having recently gone through some changes, transitions and transformations, I found myself requiring a centering exercise, as I often feel like my thoughts are tossed around the spin cycle that won't stop, while the cheerleader art of me, is shouting, " please pick a topic, any topic will do." Fortunately I have developed a good sense of humor in my slumbering years of life.
I'm trying to write something, anything really, after years and I think I'll try this camp! Tonight I couldn't do the five things essay, too much to start, but I wrote 3 pages about happiness that I'm quite pleased about and 2 about how I started loving to travel that I absolutely hate but maybe I'll work on them in the next few days. Thank you for your camp, it looks very promising
Love this new camp! I loved the metaphor of the wool jacket that you are dying to shed. It's so true. Sometimes it feels like a weight on top of us. I'm so excited to keep going with the next few days!
I'm following along a few days behind. I wrote 5 Things About Sweatshirts because last night I weeded and tidied my not-insubstantial collection of same. It was fun, both activities. And Tiny Beautiful Things made me cry, as in right now I'm crying. Thank you for this Summer.
Welcome Marie! This is really common, I think lots of people start a few days in. I love the idea of writing 5 Things About Sweatshirts (turns out there isn't a sweatshirt emoji, but should be!). And yes, that Cheryl Strayed, she will get you. It's a beautiful essay. I had the same reaction 💜
Well, that worked. Five things, they rolled rather effortlessly. I read some essays after - Didion and Strayed, whose writing appeals to me so much. And then after Didion I wrote a poem (ish) about being 19 that maybe I'll work on again some day. Thank you for making this accessible to all.
So grateful to be back at camp! I think I did my first one in January '24, which helped me figure out a few very stuck points. Now, at a few different stuck points, I hope it feeds that Muse once more! Thanks for being here
This is such a fascinating premise. I've participated in writing round robins before, but nothing like this. I'm going to try and follow along this week. Here's a sneak peek of the first of my "five things" 1. She licked the rays of the sun, one by one, until her insides glowed with satisfaction. What was the opposite of a vampire, she wondered? A girl who gulps up rainbows.
Thank you for this, Summer! I tend to spend too much time overthinking what to write, or if I am doing it "correctly" (whatever that means). After reading your words this morning, I was able to get past those doubts and just write! It was a wonderful time, and I am so excited to do it again tomorrow 🤍
Hi everyone. So, I'm doing my best to participate in Essay Camp myself, but doing so more in Rebel Mode 🤘. I did say that even our most bedraggled selves were encouraged to attend, and I am quite bedraggled indeed. But I read aloud one and a half chapters from my book in progress to see how they flowed (until I had to stop and take a nap afterwards, lol), and then later on I revisited some writing that I think will go in a memoir I hope to polish up and turn in not long after the other thing. It's something I "accidentally" wrote when I tried doing the Essay Camp exercises every day for a year. So, you do never know! Only about 5-10% of what I wrote during those exercises that year is of interest to me now, but it turns out that's enough. Anyway, I hope everyone who has decided to attend Essay Camp is enjoying (or at least surviving!) their first day 💜
I did it! I wrote a five things essay in about 15 minutes while my 10-month-old created chaos around me. It’s some of the worst writing I’ve ever done but (a) it’s the first time I’ve written since she was born and (b) I did it!
Excuse my language, but fuck yes! This is awesome!!!!!
Thank you for the gift of Essay Camp this week, Summer. My father died on November 3rd. After writing his obituary and a tribute to him on my blog (https://www.creativesanctuary.net/another-tomorrow/), I suspect that Essay Camp will help me wade through my grief a bit. In my Five Things essay today, he made a few appearances. But so did chocolate from Maison Bouvier in Saint-Malo and church bells in Strasbourg. Now it's time to read a few essays. Happy writing!
Thank you for this note Allison, and I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm glad to hear that he showed up in your writing, as well as the chocolate and the bells 💜
Thanks for doing this, Summer. I used the 5 Things prompt and wrote for almost 40 minutes, all random thoughts that were on my mind. One was about my father whom I grieve, but also with whom we celebrated our last Thanksgiving in 2019. Enjoyed the essay about the moth. I seem to remember that Annie Dillard also wrote an essay about a moth. Other than that, I like what you said about writers being afraid and that most days, we simply have to just write. Thanks again.
I had fun with this today! Completed the 5-Things exercise (setting it aside for later), read Cheryl Strayed's excellent essay, and started work on an essay about oranges.
Giving paid membership a serious ponder. Stand by!
Thank you for joining Julie!
Thank you! This was helpful as I start my own Substack. I look forward to following along.
I'm doing Essay Camp! For the first time since I started following you years ago! It was good. Nothing stellar was written, but sitting down for a bit of goal-free writing was really lovely. Lovely too was the idea that I needn't unpack a bit of trauma in every one. I could sometimes touch on pain, but leave it at just a touch. Freeing. Thanks, Summer! (I know I use too many exclamation points. They follow me home and I can't bear the sad looks on their faces.)
"sitting down for a bit of goal-free writing was really lovely. Lovely too was the idea that I needn't unpack a bit of trauma in every one." —love this especially, thank you. I am a big believer in this when it comes to versions of freewriting, prompt or otherwise. I'm really glad to hear it was freeing. (And those damn exclamation points!!! So needy sometimes! 😉)
what a wonderful gift of a post. I'm on it. Having recently gone through some changes, transitions and transformations, I found myself requiring a centering exercise, as I often feel like my thoughts are tossed around the spin cycle that won't stop, while the cheerleader art of me, is shouting, " please pick a topic, any topic will do." Fortunately I have developed a good sense of humor in my slumbering years of life.
This is very important, that sense of humor. Sometimes we just have to hold our noses and jump into the cold pool, you know? Glad to have you.
I'm trying to write something, anything really, after years and I think I'll try this camp! Tonight I couldn't do the five things essay, too much to start, but I wrote 3 pages about happiness that I'm quite pleased about and 2 about how I started loving to travel that I absolutely hate but maybe I'll work on them in the next few days. Thank you for your camp, it looks very promising
That’s great! And remember, if you want to try five things again, they can just be one sentence or one word each as well :)
Love this new camp! I loved the metaphor of the wool jacket that you are dying to shed. It's so true. Sometimes it feels like a weight on top of us. I'm so excited to keep going with the next few days!
I'm following along a few days behind. I wrote 5 Things About Sweatshirts because last night I weeded and tidied my not-insubstantial collection of same. It was fun, both activities. And Tiny Beautiful Things made me cry, as in right now I'm crying. Thank you for this Summer.
Welcome Marie! This is really common, I think lots of people start a few days in. I love the idea of writing 5 Things About Sweatshirts (turns out there isn't a sweatshirt emoji, but should be!). And yes, that Cheryl Strayed, she will get you. It's a beautiful essay. I had the same reaction 💜
Well, that worked. Five things, they rolled rather effortlessly. I read some essays after - Didion and Strayed, whose writing appeals to me so much. And then after Didion I wrote a poem (ish) about being 19 that maybe I'll work on again some day. Thank you for making this accessible to all.
So glad to hear this. And you're very welcome. In an important way, as writers, we're all in this together.
So grateful to be back at camp! I think I did my first one in January '24, which helped me figure out a few very stuck points. Now, at a few different stuck points, I hope it feeds that Muse once more! Thanks for being here
Thank you Janelle! Glad to have you back
This is such a fascinating premise. I've participated in writing round robins before, but nothing like this. I'm going to try and follow along this week. Here's a sneak peek of the first of my "five things" 1. She licked the rays of the sun, one by one, until her insides glowed with satisfaction. What was the opposite of a vampire, she wondered? A girl who gulps up rainbows.
☀️🌈
Thank you Summer, I’m excited to begin this camp.
Welcome Kate!
Thank you for this, Summer! I tend to spend too much time overthinking what to write, or if I am doing it "correctly" (whatever that means). After reading your words this morning, I was able to get past those doubts and just write! It was a wonderful time, and I am so excited to do it again tomorrow 🤍
I'm so glad to hear it :)