59 Comments

Congratulations on your wave of subscribers. This was a great issue. It was very detailed and captured Ms. Butler visualized success. Thanks!

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Another fantastic post. And what a genius way of keeping track of books! For the first time in my life I'm keeping notes on what I read. I'm doing it on a google sheet and it's fun, interesting and fulfilling. I'm noticing things I wouldn't notice without my 'Book Fun' google sheet. Like that I might enjoy switching to non-fiction after a bunch of fiction readin!

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This is fantastic Jillian. And the book stickers! So glad so many new readers are coming your way!

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Wonderful, Jillian! Octavia's research and planning notes are just awesome - I have a lot to learn! Thank you so much for exploring them here - your 'Notes on Butler's Notes' are such great takeaways! 😊

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“At this point, basically, I don’t know what I’m doing.” Me, every time I put pen to page.

Have you considered giving a workshop in writing (fiction, CNF, whatever) based on all the gems you’ve uncovered in other writers’ writings? This writer would sign up in a heartbeat. (Lot of writerly words in that paragraph...)

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This is so good, Jillian! I am inspired.

I am so happy I found this post—and your newsletter!

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Wow. Butler was incredible. Her determination and her fearlessness were both mighty.

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Ooooh! So looking forward to reading this one!

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Wow this is so cool. I can't imagine being able to see her journals firsthand!

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This is one of my favorite posts yet! Something about Octavia Butler's journals always touch me deeply. She's so earnest, so willing to lay herself bare, so thoughtful, so brilliant, so practical. After reading her pages I always think, "I wish I had known her!" Her novels also move me. But its her journals that make me wish we'd been friends. Haha. You have pages here I've not seen before. They're wonderful. Thank you for all your beautiful work.

"At this point basically I don't know what I'm doing. I have two serious plains of ignorance to populate." I feel like this can apply to life in general.

And: Love those stickers!

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Another amazing post! Really insightful and inspiring! Thanks! 🍃

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Great list thanks for sharing

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I'm enjoying reading your newsletters and I'm glad you're getting more subscribers!

Every few months I want to write a novel. The last time I worked on a manuscript was spring/summer 2022. I was going to participate in nanowrimo 2022 in November but decided not to. Maybe I'll give it a try this year.

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Its such a thrill to see her actual notes in her own handwriting. And thanks to your reminder, I have just updated my reading log for this year so far.

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I need to say two things.

I love how O.E.B. used to write to herself as though she was writing to another person. It tells me so much about how she grew up and what kind of life she had.

When you say, ‘I found Butler’s notes so inspiring that I almost believed I could write a compelling science fiction novel.’ I do believe you, not almost, but definitely. However, what I want to ask for is not a science fiction novel, but please write her biography!

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An inspiring read, thank you Jillian. (And congrats on the deluge of subscribers!)

I love the notion that a twist does not need to be how we conventional think of the meaning of a twist in a story but here is defined as "a strand of the unusual". I like that, a lot.

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