Finnian Burnett

Heyyyyyy! When I posted last time, I was still in the middle of Hell-May, but nearing the end of my month of madness… And now I’ve survived my 21 zoom classes. 80K of client feedback. A desperate pants-related road trip.

I’m now writing this from the actual middle of the Alexandra Writers’ Centre annual retreat and I have to say, it’s weird. In a good way, I mean. It’s like– quiet. We had s’mores and talked. Andrew and I gave our workshops. Today, we’ll all go our separate ways, back to our lives, but hopefully taking something important with us. The power of community.

In the middle of all my crazy busyness of last month, I’d forgotten how much I love just getting to sit and talk with writers, to hear their ideas, to talk about their processes. We all have such different ways of getting the words out and it’s gratifying to be reminded of that. This idea that most of us aren’t out there pounding out words every single day. Many of us have families and so many projects and absolutely frenetic lives. A lot of the participants also have kids and pets and day jobs.

It’s so important to remember that the only writing process that works is the one that works for you. People will try to sell you on their program, on their idea of the best way to be a writer. But ultimately, the process that keeps you joyfully creating is the one that works for you.

I’ll be back next week with another Five Questions With. In the meantime, I hope you do some creating this week. I hope it’s joyful.