I very much dislike how everything is dubbed “content creation” these days. It’s a thief of sincerity and authenticity, it cheapens the art, the romance, the act of existing and breathing for anything more than what it is and who we are.
I completely understand. I’ve banned that phrase in my life. I think of my work as poetry, art, and on a higher level — publishing. Content is only allowed if it’s said post eating a burger after a big week and you’re sighing “agh, I’m so content with life right now”.
“Life is a story, too” 🥺🥺🥺🥹🫶🏻 I love how insync we are. There are times for writing and there are times for living. Something I am learning to navigate right now as well. Love youuuu 💋
I’m nodding so deeply, in a sort of I feel this all through my bones adjustment. I’m right there with you. Writing my way through all the shitty days and sweet bunches of flowers and human glory. You, Gwen, are also a glory.
Tiffany, I feel that struggle. It’s a strange paradigm to exist in. What to share, what not to share. One I understand well.
It’s funny, I found an old family/communal planner in a draw from when I was still in school. It was a weekly planner and it would have things written like “school camp” or “call mum when you get home”, and the smile and big rush of memory I got from reading these sort of boring every day things that would have otherwise been lost, made me realise, in a way; it’s all important.
I’m so glad it opens up freedom for you. It did for me, too. When I realised writing stories can happen with our words. It feels, free and also exciting. Even in all the mess.
This is a post that needed to be written, and certainly one that I needed to read. Thank you, Brooke. I’m reminded of going to an Immersive Van Gogh event where people were so busy capturing the magnificent images through their phones that they were missing the experience. Even the word ‘capture’ speaks to the problem. There’s tremendous value, of course, in expressing and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have to do that and for the many Substack writers I read who do it so beautifully, yourself included. At the same time, it can be another form of addiction, an obsessive need to capture, to package, and to push it out to the world. On that last, just to mix metaphors and bit more, I wonder at the value of birthing ideas so quickly as is the case with all of our social media sites. Are we missing something by seeing moments as little discrete pieces of ‘content’, not connecting this moment to another one and fully living the story? As you can see, Brooke, your post has provoked a lot of thoughts. Thanks so much 🌷
Beautifully said, Karen! Especially your last point about fully living out the story vs. seeing things as disparate pieces of the whole. 💗 So much food for thought!!
I will never get tired of saying how you’re one of my favorite writers and poets of today. The way you can take abstract ideas and extrapolate them and juice them down to every drop . . The way you’re able to put images in concepts that are hard to explain. You bring out the beauty and messiness of life in the most beautiful way. Thank you 🤍
I very much dislike how everything is dubbed “content creation” these days. It’s a thief of sincerity and authenticity, it cheapens the art, the romance, the act of existing and breathing for anything more than what it is and who we are.
I completely understand. I’ve banned that phrase in my life. I think of my work as poetry, art, and on a higher level — publishing. Content is only allowed if it’s said post eating a burger after a big week and you’re sighing “agh, I’m so content with life right now”.
“Life is a story, too” 🥺🥺🥺🥹🫶🏻 I love how insync we are. There are times for writing and there are times for living. Something I am learning to navigate right now as well. Love youuuu 💋
I’m nodding so deeply, in a sort of I feel this all through my bones adjustment. I’m right there with you. Writing my way through all the shitty days and sweet bunches of flowers and human glory. You, Gwen, are also a glory.
I am right in the messy middle of so much change & I find that I am at odds with whether it’s writing ‘worthy’ or simply too boring for words.
I appreciate your reminder to story live in my here & now. That seems to open up so much more freedom for me which surely can only be a good thing.
🧡
Tiffany, I feel that struggle. It’s a strange paradigm to exist in. What to share, what not to share. One I understand well.
It’s funny, I found an old family/communal planner in a draw from when I was still in school. It was a weekly planner and it would have things written like “school camp” or “call mum when you get home”, and the smile and big rush of memory I got from reading these sort of boring every day things that would have otherwise been lost, made me realise, in a way; it’s all important.
I’m so glad it opens up freedom for you. It did for me, too. When I realised writing stories can happen with our words. It feels, free and also exciting. Even in all the mess.
This is a post that needed to be written, and certainly one that I needed to read. Thank you, Brooke. I’m reminded of going to an Immersive Van Gogh event where people were so busy capturing the magnificent images through their phones that they were missing the experience. Even the word ‘capture’ speaks to the problem. There’s tremendous value, of course, in expressing and I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have to do that and for the many Substack writers I read who do it so beautifully, yourself included. At the same time, it can be another form of addiction, an obsessive need to capture, to package, and to push it out to the world. On that last, just to mix metaphors and bit more, I wonder at the value of birthing ideas so quickly as is the case with all of our social media sites. Are we missing something by seeing moments as little discrete pieces of ‘content’, not connecting this moment to another one and fully living the story? As you can see, Brooke, your post has provoked a lot of thoughts. Thanks so much 🌷
Beautifully said, Karen! Especially your last point about fully living out the story vs. seeing things as disparate pieces of the whole. 💗 So much food for thought!!
I will never get tired of saying how you’re one of my favorite writers and poets of today. The way you can take abstract ideas and extrapolate them and juice them down to every drop . . The way you’re able to put images in concepts that are hard to explain. You bring out the beauty and messiness of life in the most beautiful way. Thank you 🤍
Your writings are always so magical ❤️
The most miraculous medium indeed. Thank you for bringing a smile to my face this morning. ✨
This…is magical❤️