Thank you all so much for doing this with me. This morning I wrote 1,090 words in a five things draft, then worked on a Substack essay about my new essay series (an essay on essays about essays!). I've actually been working on this series since the spring, but wasn't able to finalize it before now. I'm going to do a deep dive into each of the different essay forms, what they do, and how to write them. If that is of interest to you, be sure to subscribe!💜
During the past five days of Essay Camp I have managed to write 5,533 words in five things drafts. I have already taken some of the material from the second day and crafted it into a 655-word personal essay—(I'm really drawn to working in a shorter format these days when it comes to personal topics). This one is actually very personal, so I don't know if I'll be publishing it here, or if I will save it for the collection I'm putting together. However I have ALSO edited five other short essays from material produced in the past two weeks that I WILL be sharing, so if you're interested in seeing what I was able to make from my own freewriting exercises, those will start going out on Thursday.
Thank you again for participating, and please tell me how it went for you in the comments! 🖋⛺️💜
I really enjoyed the 5 things approach, I'll be keeping that up for a while. I've done a lot of work and had a good breakthrough on an essay series I was working on before. But I've also got I think three other pieces developing from the 5 things writings. And thank you so very much for the structure, the encouragement, and the deadline for a finished piece. I so need deadlines.
I've been writing all week but it sort of feels like I just got started.
I love the fresh blank page of the "write five things" prompt! I used that prompt all five days and I didn't care if I ran out of time on two days and only wrote two things and three things those day.
The notes you made for each day of this week were themselves a joy to read. Everything was so lovingly put together. Thank you for this experience. Someday, in some capacity, I'd be curious to learn more about why you think finishing matters even when you're not exactly feeling it...what that experience of wrapping up even a very imperfect thing can do for your practice.
Thank you Sumner! I did the five things prompt on four of the five days and noticed when I looked at it this morning that a couple of themes emerged. One in particular is , like yours, very personal and I’m not sure I’d publish it. But on your advice here, I’m going to at least write it and see where it goes. And I’m going to continue the practice for the rest of the month. I think feeling stalled in my writing has something to do with telling the truth and being authentic--being a little too mannered in my writing. So if I can tell the unfiltered truth at least to myself with this practice, that’s a good start. I’ll be checking in here and look forward to seeing your work! Thanks again.
Nov 5, 2023·edited Nov 5, 2023Liked by Summer Brennan
I've shown up every day but in the "I hate everything I've written" camp. Maybe this is just where I'm at in my life (suffering through severe depression and burnout) but all I've managed to write is a bunch of journal-y whiney blurbs and when I dig through what I've written I'm struggling to find a thread I can pull at in order to create anything coherent or cohesive. Guess I'll just keep trudging through! Thank you so much for doing this btw, I needed an alternative to NaNo.
Here’s the finished essay! It’s a compilation of notes I took during the Five Things exercises, when I realized there appeared to be a bit of a theme! The note-collecting of the past four days may also lead to some other stuff. https://billswritingplace.wordpress.com/2023/11/05/everything-is-time/
Day Five, the last day of Essay Camp, and I learned so much. About the different structures of essays, how to get myself to write each day (show up with the 5-things prompt, and wait to see what develops), and the wide world of beautiful writing that Summer rounded up for us. Thank you, Summer! I’m proud of myself, and appreciate you creating this experience for all of us.
Kudos to me for getting through all five days of Essay Camp this time ;-) No major personal emergencies got in my way (thank goodness).
Thank you so much, Summer, for hosting Essay Camp. Your instruction, encouragement, and recommended readings are priceless. I've learned that I need to write a lot before I really start writing, and that's okay. The bulk of what I wrote over these five days won't ever be published or shared, but getting the words out and down has been therapeutic and cleared the way for me to write what I need to write.
I do plan to continue this practice for the next 25 days. It can't hurt :-)
I am playing “Taps” on the horn to close out camp and to show my gratitude Summer. This came at the right time for me. I’m going to finish my memoir draft this month. I started it over two years ago before our foster son came to live with us, and now I know it’s time. I’m in the project now, and I know I will finish and this is such a gift. Here is the short essay I wrote this week if anyone wants to check it out. It has audio. It’s about how much truth we are required to share in our stories.
Thank you, Summer! I did the five things prompt on four of the five days and noticed when I looked at it this morning that a couple of themes emerged. One in particular is , like yours, very personal and I’m not sure I’d publish it. But on your advice here, I’m going to at least write it and see where it goes. And I’m going to continue the practice for the rest of the month. I think feeling stalled in my writing has something to do with telling the truth and being authentic--being a little too mannered in my writing. So if I can tell the unfiltered truth at least to myself with this practice, that’s a good start. I’ll be checking in here and look forward to seeing your work! Thanks again
Thank you so much for Essay Camp. It could not have come at a better time for me. I had been in the research phase of a book project and knew that I needed to start writing. Your daily emails, suggestions and encouragement were just the nudge I needed. At the end of Camp, I've got some good bits, and more importantly the beginnings of a framework, and (of course) more things to research.
It's the last day of Essay Camp!! 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you all so much for doing this with me. This morning I wrote 1,090 words in a five things draft, then worked on a Substack essay about my new essay series (an essay on essays about essays!). I've actually been working on this series since the spring, but wasn't able to finalize it before now. I'm going to do a deep dive into each of the different essay forms, what they do, and how to write them. If that is of interest to you, be sure to subscribe!💜
During the past five days of Essay Camp I have managed to write 5,533 words in five things drafts. I have already taken some of the material from the second day and crafted it into a 655-word personal essay—(I'm really drawn to working in a shorter format these days when it comes to personal topics). This one is actually very personal, so I don't know if I'll be publishing it here, or if I will save it for the collection I'm putting together. However I have ALSO edited five other short essays from material produced in the past two weeks that I WILL be sharing, so if you're interested in seeing what I was able to make from my own freewriting exercises, those will start going out on Thursday.
Thank you again for participating, and please tell me how it went for you in the comments! 🖋⛺️💜
I really enjoyed the 5 things approach, I'll be keeping that up for a while. I've done a lot of work and had a good breakthrough on an essay series I was working on before. But I've also got I think three other pieces developing from the 5 things writings. And thank you so very much for the structure, the encouragement, and the deadline for a finished piece. I so need deadlines.
I've been writing all week but it sort of feels like I just got started.
I love the fresh blank page of the "write five things" prompt! I used that prompt all five days and I didn't care if I ran out of time on two days and only wrote two things and three things those day.
The notes you made for each day of this week were themselves a joy to read. Everything was so lovingly put together. Thank you for this experience. Someday, in some capacity, I'd be curious to learn more about why you think finishing matters even when you're not exactly feeling it...what that experience of wrapping up even a very imperfect thing can do for your practice.
Thank you Sumner! I did the five things prompt on four of the five days and noticed when I looked at it this morning that a couple of themes emerged. One in particular is , like yours, very personal and I’m not sure I’d publish it. But on your advice here, I’m going to at least write it and see where it goes. And I’m going to continue the practice for the rest of the month. I think feeling stalled in my writing has something to do with telling the truth and being authentic--being a little too mannered in my writing. So if I can tell the unfiltered truth at least to myself with this practice, that’s a good start. I’ll be checking in here and look forward to seeing your work! Thanks again.
I've shown up every day but in the "I hate everything I've written" camp. Maybe this is just where I'm at in my life (suffering through severe depression and burnout) but all I've managed to write is a bunch of journal-y whiney blurbs and when I dig through what I've written I'm struggling to find a thread I can pull at in order to create anything coherent or cohesive. Guess I'll just keep trudging through! Thank you so much for doing this btw, I needed an alternative to NaNo.
Here’s the finished essay! It’s a compilation of notes I took during the Five Things exercises, when I realized there appeared to be a bit of a theme! The note-collecting of the past four days may also lead to some other stuff. https://billswritingplace.wordpress.com/2023/11/05/everything-is-time/
Thank you so much, Summer.
Day Five, the last day of Essay Camp, and I learned so much. About the different structures of essays, how to get myself to write each day (show up with the 5-things prompt, and wait to see what develops), and the wide world of beautiful writing that Summer rounded up for us. Thank you, Summer! I’m proud of myself, and appreciate you creating this experience for all of us.
I wish I could have done this but press of work prevented it! I did follow along each day, however. Thanks for offering this. Next time!
Kudos to me for getting through all five days of Essay Camp this time ;-) No major personal emergencies got in my way (thank goodness).
Thank you so much, Summer, for hosting Essay Camp. Your instruction, encouragement, and recommended readings are priceless. I've learned that I need to write a lot before I really start writing, and that's okay. The bulk of what I wrote over these five days won't ever be published or shared, but getting the words out and down has been therapeutic and cleared the way for me to write what I need to write.
I do plan to continue this practice for the next 25 days. It can't hurt :-)
I am playing “Taps” on the horn to close out camp and to show my gratitude Summer. This came at the right time for me. I’m going to finish my memoir draft this month. I started it over two years ago before our foster son came to live with us, and now I know it’s time. I’m in the project now, and I know I will finish and this is such a gift. Here is the short essay I wrote this week if anyone wants to check it out. It has audio. It’s about how much truth we are required to share in our stories.
https://pocketfulofprose.substack.com/p/bypassing-the-jugular
Thank you, Summer! I did the five things prompt on four of the five days and noticed when I looked at it this morning that a couple of themes emerged. One in particular is , like yours, very personal and I’m not sure I’d publish it. But on your advice here, I’m going to at least write it and see where it goes. And I’m going to continue the practice for the rest of the month. I think feeling stalled in my writing has something to do with telling the truth and being authentic--being a little too mannered in my writing. So if I can tell the unfiltered truth at least to myself with this practice, that’s a good start. I’ll be checking in here and look forward to seeing your work! Thanks again
Thank you, Summer. The lessons are helpful. I will continue now, with more structure than I had been thinking about before for sure.
Thank you for essay camp! I wrote an essay on "trying" (a la the French verb for trying, "essayer"). https://open.substack.com/pub/thingsnoonecaresaboutbutme/p/you-are-an-essayist?r=789qr&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thank you so much for Essay Camp. It could not have come at a better time for me. I had been in the research phase of a book project and knew that I needed to start writing. Your daily emails, suggestions and encouragement were just the nudge I needed. At the end of Camp, I've got some good bits, and more importantly the beginnings of a framework, and (of course) more things to research.