Someone just gifted me ‘No Bad Parts’ by Richard Schartz, so I will join you and follow your journal in response parameters. I love the idea of using the advent ritual in a nonreligious way. Thanks for this.
I love this idea Ruth! A good contemplation of a concept I’ve been learning from is Katherine Mays book on Wintering. Looking forward to reading a second time around and writing deeper thoughts.
I love this so much. I have such a hard time following through with ”daily challenges” or scheduled routines, but I so want to be more disciplined. I want to have the soft, comfortable rhythm during these special seasons. Perhaps I’ll have my own reading or writing rhythm for the 12 day of Christmas. It feels like a bit more doable for a beginner. So I feel a sense of accomplishment rather than my usual disappointment of bailing on a structured plan halfway through. In any case, whatever comes of it, thank you so much for the inspiration! 💫
Thank you Liz. Yes, please do set yourself up with this to succeed. A 12 days of Christmas sounds like a lovely version :) I am the same with daily challenges funnily enough. This length of project feels good to me - I am generally OK for about a month - but I have never yet completed a 100 day challenge or an open ended daily practice! I am not nearly consistent enough. A new idea will pop in my head and I will follow that instead :-D
At this time of the year, I usually just read from a reliable winter "traveling companion" by Caryll Houselander. This year, I'll read and write by spending time with Erosion by Terry Tempest Williams. The timeliness of your suggestion in my life is not lost on me. Thank you, Ruth.
Ah lovely. I'm glad this showed up at the right time! :) I too read Erosions this year. Just last month in fact. I will look up Caryll Houselander too :)
What a wonder-full idea!!! Only today, I read on Emma Simpson's Substack about her swimming advent, and now this... It sounds so good and I'm already trying to think what book might my advent companion. Only life is quite heavy at the moment, and I'm not sure I'll have the bandwidth for such a lovely contemplative practice. Can't wait to read the results, Ruth!
I love the idea of a writing advent. I bought a recent book haul and got Ross Gay’s new book so this might be perfect for it. I have twinned my reading and writing for a few years now in the early hours after waking but my choice of books recently have not yielded the prompts I’ve found in others. It’s a fine line to walk between broadening my book horizon beyond the same genre favourites, and knowing what kind of books really move me to write. Mostly though I just follow your suggestions and that seems to work a treat 😅
Hahaha! That made me smile! I will use this power responsibly. I don't know Ross Gay's new one, but if Delights was anything to go by it sounds like a great choice....
That's a really interesting reflection to hear back, thank you :) I was mindful not to say 'rules', but I think writing with a sense of containment can be very...freeing!
Rules bring school to mind and can create instant mind block for many, so not using that word was kind consideration from you. I agree that parameters and principles are freeing. Too much choice also has a tendency to create paralysis. Happy Writing!
I love your prompts here. Brevity always, like poetry, can allow us to go deeper than many realize! Anticipating good things emerging ahead. I’ll remain dogged in this—the inherent spiritual practice of the creative process ♥️
Yes, it is absolutely inherent. I believe that too. Brevity is my favourite challenge in writing. I'm not sure I hit it often, but when you find it for a moment in a poem or a great sentence it feels sublime, divine even ❤️
Oh I love this Ruth. I am so in. I have been fiercely consuming words since spring, with very little output however. This is what I need to turn the tide 🖤
I love this idea Ruth! One of the reasons (among others) that I left a PhD program in English Lit. years ago was because I had lost my ability to read for pleasure. I had lost my unfettered love of reading. The combination of reading and writing contemplatively is such a wonderful invitation. I may try this!
Oh please do. Yes, I have killed a couple of loves by bringing too much analysis to the whole thing. Including poetry where I did my MA. It took 8 years to recover from that and write a poem again.
What a lovely idea! I too have a hard time sticking to hard & fast schedules - but I may try for the 12 days or Christmas or maybe for the month of January to start the new year. Your book choice is very interesting too!
Yes, I think make it work for you. Ah the book I'm reading is wonderful. Very specific to a theme but a theme I am very much busy with at the moment. I think a good reading choice is equally key in this little practice, as I reflect onnit.
I love this so much Ruth — Christmas typically fills me with dread and anxiety for many reasons, so a traditional advent calendar is my worst nightmare, but this I can get on board with!
Thanks Katie. Yeah I think this could be sufficiently absorbing to create a bit of necessary distance from the other more difficult stuff this season. X
Someone just gifted me ‘No Bad Parts’ by Richard Schartz, so I will join you and follow your journal in response parameters. I love the idea of using the advent ritual in a nonreligious way. Thanks for this.
Ooh this would be a wonderful book to read contemplatively 💞
You're welcome! And that's an interesting book. Enjoy!
I love this idea Ruth! A good contemplation of a concept I’ve been learning from is Katherine Mays book on Wintering. Looking forward to reading a second time around and writing deeper thoughts.
Thank you Amber :)
I love this so much. I have such a hard time following through with ”daily challenges” or scheduled routines, but I so want to be more disciplined. I want to have the soft, comfortable rhythm during these special seasons. Perhaps I’ll have my own reading or writing rhythm for the 12 day of Christmas. It feels like a bit more doable for a beginner. So I feel a sense of accomplishment rather than my usual disappointment of bailing on a structured plan halfway through. In any case, whatever comes of it, thank you so much for the inspiration! 💫
Thank you Liz. Yes, please do set yourself up with this to succeed. A 12 days of Christmas sounds like a lovely version :) I am the same with daily challenges funnily enough. This length of project feels good to me - I am generally OK for about a month - but I have never yet completed a 100 day challenge or an open ended daily practice! I am not nearly consistent enough. A new idea will pop in my head and I will follow that instead :-D
At this time of the year, I usually just read from a reliable winter "traveling companion" by Caryll Houselander. This year, I'll read and write by spending time with Erosion by Terry Tempest Williams. The timeliness of your suggestion in my life is not lost on me. Thank you, Ruth.
Ah lovely. I'm glad this showed up at the right time! :) I too read Erosions this year. Just last month in fact. I will look up Caryll Houselander too :)
What a wonder-full idea!!! Only today, I read on Emma Simpson's Substack about her swimming advent, and now this... It sounds so good and I'm already trying to think what book might my advent companion. Only life is quite heavy at the moment, and I'm not sure I'll have the bandwidth for such a lovely contemplative practice. Can't wait to read the results, Ruth!
Thank you Annette. Oooh a swimming advent. That's fun! I wish I could do that!
I love the idea of a writing advent. I bought a recent book haul and got Ross Gay’s new book so this might be perfect for it. I have twinned my reading and writing for a few years now in the early hours after waking but my choice of books recently have not yielded the prompts I’ve found in others. It’s a fine line to walk between broadening my book horizon beyond the same genre favourites, and knowing what kind of books really move me to write. Mostly though I just follow your suggestions and that seems to work a treat 😅
(And I tend to stay in my wheelhouse when it comes to reading...if I stray, it invariably leads to abandoning the book. I know what I like 😅
That is reassuring to know it’s not just me x
Hahaha! That made me smile! I will use this power responsibly. I don't know Ross Gay's new one, but if Delights was anything to go by it sounds like a great choice....
Love this! My project is just 2 pages a day (freehand, unedited) on the Water Element chapter of book-in-progress— continuing emergent processes.
Parameters and principles are not the usual words I see when people write about their writing life. Thank you for expanding my view.
That's a really interesting reflection to hear back, thank you :) I was mindful not to say 'rules', but I think writing with a sense of containment can be very...freeing!
Rules bring school to mind and can create instant mind block for many, so not using that word was kind consideration from you. I agree that parameters and principles are freeing. Too much choice also has a tendency to create paralysis. Happy Writing!
Thank you! You too :)
I love your prompts here. Brevity always, like poetry, can allow us to go deeper than many realize! Anticipating good things emerging ahead. I’ll remain dogged in this—the inherent spiritual practice of the creative process ♥️
Yes, it is absolutely inherent. I believe that too. Brevity is my favourite challenge in writing. I'm not sure I hit it often, but when you find it for a moment in a poem or a great sentence it feels sublime, divine even ❤️
Oh I love this Ruth. I am so in. I have been fiercely consuming words since spring, with very little output however. This is what I need to turn the tide 🖤
Amazing! I'm so glad. Let's turn the ride together then :) x
What a lovely invitation! I’m in! I already have an idea, and 100 words a day is a perfect dose. ☺️
Wonderful! I'm so pleased :) let's see what we come up with eh! X
Wonderful idea Ruth and exactly what I've been looking for. I shall be a little late in starting, but I shall start! Thank you
Wonderful! Welcome to writing advent :)
I love this idea Ruth! One of the reasons (among others) that I left a PhD program in English Lit. years ago was because I had lost my ability to read for pleasure. I had lost my unfettered love of reading. The combination of reading and writing contemplatively is such a wonderful invitation. I may try this!
Oh please do. Yes, I have killed a couple of loves by bringing too much analysis to the whole thing. Including poetry where I did my MA. It took 8 years to recover from that and write a poem again.
It took me quite awhile as well. I did try it this morning, and I'm going to keep going!
What a lovely idea! I too have a hard time sticking to hard & fast schedules - but I may try for the 12 days or Christmas or maybe for the month of January to start the new year. Your book choice is very interesting too!
Yes, I think make it work for you. Ah the book I'm reading is wonderful. Very specific to a theme but a theme I am very much busy with at the moment. I think a good reading choice is equally key in this little practice, as I reflect onnit.
Love this idea
Thanks Wendy! Jump in too!
I love this so much Ruth — Christmas typically fills me with dread and anxiety for many reasons, so a traditional advent calendar is my worst nightmare, but this I can get on board with!
Thanks Katie. Yeah I think this could be sufficiently absorbing to create a bit of necessary distance from the other more difficult stuff this season. X