I was able to watch David Sedaris's Masterclass recently and it was very interesting. He talked about his practice of diary-keeping and it was fairly clear that he edited his diaries in a similar way that I do with these notebook entries. He would take pieces of things and polish them up and then see if they could be expanded into something other than a vignette, or combined with other entries that supported a theme, etc. Sedaris is not interested in stand-alone vignettes. This month as I have been working on my book revisions I have not had the chance to polish many new pieces—these were selected from five things draft work in October, so I would not be overwhelmed as I turned my attention to the book, ran Essay Camp, and started the Essay Series. However I have learned a lot from the task of beginning to prepare these entries a few weeks in advance, rather than a few hours! Lately I have been interested in presenting vignettes, but there is something to be said for working the way Sedaris does more often, where you look for where else it can go. But also I found it interesting, that commonality, of shining up the pieces first. Thanks for reading.
Beautiful. "Dreams in the late mornings falling between the pillows, sliding between the spaces inside the orange light of the late morning, the dreams that are like dolphins diving, up and then back, turning from one side to the other, laid out against the hillsides of the pillows, so important as they happen and then nothing, forgotten." An exquisite sentence.
This evocative vignette of someone adrift in Paris — her observation entwined with memories and feelings and places and states past — evokes Jean Rhys' wonderful writing on the subject, though yours is more ... hmm melancholy and less desperate. (Maybe because I just read her "Good Morning, Midnight" recently ... and I mean this as the highest compliment!)
My favorite line was, “ Dreams in the late mornings falling between the pillows, sliding between the spaces inside the orange light of the late morning, the dreams that are like dolphins diving, up and then back, turning from one side to the other, laid out against the hillsides of the pillows, so important as they happen and then nothing, forgotten.” Loved the imagery in that! Thank you. :)
There's a shop like that down the street from my apartment in southeastern France and it's like a portal to another dimension. My roommates flippantly say it's a front for a drug dealer but they might be serious.
Readers will focus on the lines that catch something in their heart, and for me that line is “and now are not.” Devastating. We are set adrift, aren’t we?
I was able to watch David Sedaris's Masterclass recently and it was very interesting. He talked about his practice of diary-keeping and it was fairly clear that he edited his diaries in a similar way that I do with these notebook entries. He would take pieces of things and polish them up and then see if they could be expanded into something other than a vignette, or combined with other entries that supported a theme, etc. Sedaris is not interested in stand-alone vignettes. This month as I have been working on my book revisions I have not had the chance to polish many new pieces—these were selected from five things draft work in October, so I would not be overwhelmed as I turned my attention to the book, ran Essay Camp, and started the Essay Series. However I have learned a lot from the task of beginning to prepare these entries a few weeks in advance, rather than a few hours! Lately I have been interested in presenting vignettes, but there is something to be said for working the way Sedaris does more often, where you look for where else it can go. But also I found it interesting, that commonality, of shining up the pieces first. Thanks for reading.
Stunningly evocative, sensory. I want a book of these gems! Thank you, Summer. 💎
Beautiful. "Dreams in the late mornings falling between the pillows, sliding between the spaces inside the orange light of the late morning, the dreams that are like dolphins diving, up and then back, turning from one side to the other, laid out against the hillsides of the pillows, so important as they happen and then nothing, forgotten." An exquisite sentence.
This is just gorgeous. I like the contrast between the rich and sumptuous description and the loneliness, wistfulness, and pain.
I love your writing, that is all. ❤️
All these details, and the emotions you connected them to, touched me. Like others, I look forward to a vignette collection.
Beautiful. You have such a lovely way of writing, Summer. Thank you for this. I hope you are feeling better today 💕.
Absolutely beautiful, Summer. I love reading your work! You inspire me to keep writing (and hopefully get better at it)
This evocative vignette of someone adrift in Paris — her observation entwined with memories and feelings and places and states past — evokes Jean Rhys' wonderful writing on the subject, though yours is more ... hmm melancholy and less desperate. (Maybe because I just read her "Good Morning, Midnight" recently ... and I mean this as the highest compliment!)
My favorite line was, “ Dreams in the late mornings falling between the pillows, sliding between the spaces inside the orange light of the late morning, the dreams that are like dolphins diving, up and then back, turning from one side to the other, laid out against the hillsides of the pillows, so important as they happen and then nothing, forgotten.” Loved the imagery in that! Thank you. :)
Beautiful.
Ah such an atmospheric read. My two places are London and Northern California and so, this is very evocative.
There's a shop like that down the street from my apartment in southeastern France and it's like a portal to another dimension. My roommates flippantly say it's a front for a drug dealer but they might be serious.
Readers will focus on the lines that catch something in their heart, and for me that line is “and now are not.” Devastating. We are set adrift, aren’t we?
So beautiful. Amazing how these kinds of entries with the simplest details of a day are so evocative, like short films.
Feeling all of this, Summer, and less alone after reading it. Thank you.