One Quote + One Note + One Question January 16, 2024
One Quote
You can’t write what you’re going to write tomorrow or next week or next year without being who you are today.
-Charlotte Donlon
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One Note
One idea that helps me nourish my full self is the idea that all of life is the writing life. Who you are right now is forming who you’ll be and the art you’ll make in the future. This includes the creative work you are or aren’t doing, the angst, rejection, failure, dread, joy, delight, wonder, overconfidence, and imposter syndrome. This includes every conversation, argument, postcard, prayer, meal, errand, nap, dream, nightmare. Every moment of every day and every night is forming you to be who you’ll be when you write the words you’re going to write.
The realization that all of life is the writing life has soothed my soul for the past few years, ever since the early days of the Covid pandemic when I wondered if I'd ever be able to write more than an instagram caption. This view of the creative life helps me continue in my writing and work today. It can help you continue in your writing and work, too. When you believe all of life is the writing life, you will find more rest in your creative work and practice.
You will feel less anxious. You will quit worrying so much about why you did whatever you did when you could’ve been writing instead.
Until next time,
Charlotte
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One Question
How do you find rest in your work and creative practice?
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Charlotte Donlon’s writing and work are always rooted in helping her readers, audience, and clients notice how art and other good things help them belong to themselves, others, the divine, and the world. Charlotte is the founder of Thoughtful Books Etc.™, One O’Clock Central, Spiritual Direction for Writers® , Spiritual Direction for Belonging™, and Parenting with Art™. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. Her next book on Spiritual Direction for Writers will be published by Eerdmans in 2024 or 2025. Charlotte’s essays have appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and a certificate in spiritual direction. To receive Charlotte’s latest updates, news, announcements, and all kinds of good things, subscribe to Thoughtful Readers Etc. + Five Good Things.