If I remember from way back when I first saw your writing, this is your dream! To write the book!
Give it your heart Will, the book will be beautiful. And if you are pulled in too many directions, and feeling Substack-obliged, I have seen other writers pause / extend subscriptions while they take time out.
Just don’t burn out! Your writing and experiences are worth sharing for sure. 👌🏼💪🏼🌟
Good advice Sarah, Thank you. I didn’t write the piece with any intention to move away from Substack but felt I needed to explain my radio silence recently. Thank you for reading and always supporting.
“What it will be, is a journey into storytelling and memoir, with the tale of the love of my craft and the pace of the seasons at its heart, weaving its way through the changing year, and a love of my work that at one time seemed lost in the dark corners of burnout and the realisation that I had reached my lowest point, ready to throw everything away as I couldn’t see the purpose anymore.”
No worries, Will. You focus on what you have to and bring a balance that best work for you. Change that mind set from- ‘I have to/need to’, to = ‘I want to/love to.’ Your future self will be grateful that you did. Gentle does it! You got this-
I don’t remember how I came across your substack initially but the notes feature has me scrolling endlessly and I thought to myself -this evening!- where is that substack I used to read by the chef with his wonderful writing about the seasons and patience and chickens and plants and intention all of the things you manage to touch on. Excited to hear of a book in the works - congratulations we will be happy to hear from you whenever the time is right!
Very glad I turned up again in your Notes. Thank you for the compliment, I’ve certainly not gone away, but the last month or so has seen my schedule turned on its head. Normal service, be it with perhaps slightly shorter essays, resumes soon.
You have the grace you need to focus on your creation Will, your fans will be here when you have something to share. In the meantime, I’m so delighted for you having this opportunity to write your book. I’m heading down to the bookshop now to place my order for the first edition.
Thanks for the update, William! Writing a book is terrifying at the start (and sometimes all the way through). It’s a real hero’s journey (which I’ve been writing about lately). Here’s an essay I wrote about the courage required to take on such a project and how to approach it:
You MUST give yourself permission to pour all your energy into the book and little into Substack (many use Substack to procrastinate about their book project!). How about just occasional updates here on how the book is going. I for one would be interested in that saga, and you might get some support for the project from your readers, which is a good thing.
Thank you for this. It is hard to explain, but this was inspiring to me and I appreciate it as much as your vivid descriptions of the details of the seasons, for example.
Thank you for reading. I’m sure I can balance all this again, I just need to give places to each project which I’ve struggled with to be fair. Thanks for your support Erin.
I hope your wonderful past posts here on Substack help you find your way with the book and give you clues for where to go next when you get stuck. I really enjoy your writing and insights. I’ve learned lots about kitchens - and bees!
Thank you Wendy, I’m sure there is plenty to dig through if I need it. This book will be a reflection on work, life and how the seasons influence and bring meaning to that world, my past and present. Thank you for your support.
Your writing is eloquent, your observations about the countryside ( esp. the girls) amusing and beautiful and your cooking makes one wish for a regular invitation to your table.
As a homeschooling mother of nine, two of whom are nonverbal with Down syndrome, who is not only raising children but also plants and animals of all sorts, I understand well both the agony and (what is the word now…) of finding word-craft as necessary as rain and yet as slippery as birthday wishes. They arrive, if at all, on their own sassy timelines, and though it is beautiful and encouraging (oh so, so encouraging) to have many subscribers in the room, most compelling is, indeed, the love and calling and pleasure of writing itself, and that is at heart where it remains. I look forward to reading your book by the window side.
Thank you Kerimae for your words. I very much admire your place in life’s woven threads. Bravo. I will keep your encouragement in mind in the months ahead. Onwards.
If I remember from way back when I first saw your writing, this is your dream! To write the book!
Give it your heart Will, the book will be beautiful. And if you are pulled in too many directions, and feeling Substack-obliged, I have seen other writers pause / extend subscriptions while they take time out.
Just don’t burn out! Your writing and experiences are worth sharing for sure. 👌🏼💪🏼🌟
Good advice Sarah, Thank you. I didn’t write the piece with any intention to move away from Substack but felt I needed to explain my radio silence recently. Thank you for reading and always supporting.
“What it will be, is a journey into storytelling and memoir, with the tale of the love of my craft and the pace of the seasons at its heart, weaving its way through the changing year, and a love of my work that at one time seemed lost in the dark corners of burnout and the realisation that I had reached my lowest point, ready to throw everything away as I couldn’t see the purpose anymore.”
WONDERFUL project vision! 👏
Thank you, Baird.
No worries, Will. You focus on what you have to and bring a balance that best work for you. Change that mind set from- ‘I have to/need to’, to = ‘I want to/love to.’ Your future self will be grateful that you did. Gentle does it! You got this-
Thank you for the support Aki. Slowly does it, I think I have learned is the better way.
I don’t remember how I came across your substack initially but the notes feature has me scrolling endlessly and I thought to myself -this evening!- where is that substack I used to read by the chef with his wonderful writing about the seasons and patience and chickens and plants and intention all of the things you manage to touch on. Excited to hear of a book in the works - congratulations we will be happy to hear from you whenever the time is right!
Very glad I turned up again in your Notes. Thank you for the compliment, I’ve certainly not gone away, but the last month or so has seen my schedule turned on its head. Normal service, be it with perhaps slightly shorter essays, resumes soon.
You have the grace you need to focus on your creation Will, your fans will be here when you have something to share. In the meantime, I’m so delighted for you having this opportunity to write your book. I’m heading down to the bookshop now to place my order for the first edition.
As always thank you for having faith.
Go forth and write, you good and talented man.
Thanks for the update, William! Writing a book is terrifying at the start (and sometimes all the way through). It’s a real hero’s journey (which I’ve been writing about lately). Here’s an essay I wrote about the courage required to take on such a project and how to approach it:
https://bairdbrightman.substack.com/p/the-courage-to-create
You MUST give yourself permission to pour all your energy into the book and little into Substack (many use Substack to procrastinate about their book project!). How about just occasional updates here on how the book is going. I for one would be interested in that saga, and you might get some support for the project from your readers, which is a good thing.
Write on! 🖊️🖍️🖌️🖋️
Thank you for this. It is hard to explain, but this was inspiring to me and I appreciate it as much as your vivid descriptions of the details of the seasons, for example.
Thank you for reading. I’m sure I can balance all this again, I just need to give places to each project which I’ve struggled with to be fair. Thanks for your support Erin.
I hope your wonderful past posts here on Substack help you find your way with the book and give you clues for where to go next when you get stuck. I really enjoy your writing and insights. I’ve learned lots about kitchens - and bees!
Thank you Wendy, I’m sure there is plenty to dig through if I need it. This book will be a reflection on work, life and how the seasons influence and bring meaning to that world, my past and present. Thank you for your support.
Your writing is eloquent, your observations about the countryside ( esp. the girls) amusing and beautiful and your cooking makes one wish for a regular invitation to your table.
Very kind words thank you. I hope never to disappoint.
As a homeschooling mother of nine, two of whom are nonverbal with Down syndrome, who is not only raising children but also plants and animals of all sorts, I understand well both the agony and (what is the word now…) of finding word-craft as necessary as rain and yet as slippery as birthday wishes. They arrive, if at all, on their own sassy timelines, and though it is beautiful and encouraging (oh so, so encouraging) to have many subscribers in the room, most compelling is, indeed, the love and calling and pleasure of writing itself, and that is at heart where it remains. I look forward to reading your book by the window side.
Thank you Kerimae for your words. I very much admire your place in life’s woven threads. Bravo. I will keep your encouragement in mind in the months ahead. Onwards.