This audiobook I checked out randomly from the library was a delightful and intimate “conversation” between the author and Octavia as she worked through Octavia’s papers at the Huntington Library. Highly recommend: A HANDFUL OF EARTH, A HANDFUL OF SKY: THE LIFE OF OCTAVIA E BUTLER / LYNELL GEORGE.
I love Lynell George's work--especially A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky--I think I mentioned it at the end of this post. I read the actual book, but the audiobook version sounds delightful! I'm sure it gives it more of that "conversation" feel!
This was an incredible read. Often find myself writing and rewriting goals and encouragement to myself and often wonder if I’m strange or exhausting for it. This helped. 🩷
"Write process notes" really struck me. I'm on a journey of understanding my voice, perspective, and process. I want to clarify my identity as a writer so I can build off of it in a stronger, more foundational way. I've already started writing process notes, I realize. Now it's time to build off of that.
This is the notebook that touched me the most, Jillian. I feel Octavia's painful shyness and social anxiety. She was so hard on herself, so disciplined, she pushed herself to reach the best that she could! What an example! Looking from the outside she's such an admirable person. I don't think that she completely grasped this about herself, not beyond her fiction in any case. Thank you for this article!
She’s a force. I feel like life brought her to her knees and even though she stood up and came out victorious, her feelings of loneliness and alienation were a lifelong companion. My heart tears up for her.
read this today. thank you so much for writing such an insightful post. saved it to read again and again. thank you. i was really lost for past few weeks and this post gave me some strange kind of motivation to get myself working again.
I have never read Octavia Butler's work but this post has inspired me to do so. I also adore the idea of writing contracts to fulfil one's creative goals - I am starting that this week! Thank you so much for sharing this post, I found it fascinating. I love reading about other writers and how they process their work/notebooks.
I am so motivated! As a visual artist, I relate deeply to OB’s ideas & I am in awe of her bravery! Writing it all down & willing it into life. I will write a contract with myself.
This audiobook I checked out randomly from the library was a delightful and intimate “conversation” between the author and Octavia as she worked through Octavia’s papers at the Huntington Library. Highly recommend: A HANDFUL OF EARTH, A HANDFUL OF SKY: THE LIFE OF OCTAVIA E BUTLER / LYNELL GEORGE.
I love Lynell George's work--especially A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky--I think I mentioned it at the end of this post. I read the actual book, but the audiobook version sounds delightful! I'm sure it gives it more of that "conversation" feel!
Love, love, love this. Might copy her notes verbatim into my own notebook. Thanks so much for compiling this.
Such a great idea!
Maravilloso ✨
Gracias!
This was an incredible read. Often find myself writing and rewriting goals and encouragement to myself and often wonder if I’m strange or exhausting for it. This helped. 🩷
If my research is any indication, you're definitely not strange!
"Write process notes" really struck me. I'm on a journey of understanding my voice, perspective, and process. I want to clarify my identity as a writer so I can build off of it in a stronger, more foundational way. I've already started writing process notes, I realize. Now it's time to build off of that.
That's so great, Macey! I'm such a fan of using writing to better understand ourselves.
This is the notebook that touched me the most, Jillian. I feel Octavia's painful shyness and social anxiety. She was so hard on herself, so disciplined, she pushed herself to reach the best that she could! What an example! Looking from the outside she's such an admirable person. I don't think that she completely grasped this about herself, not beyond her fiction in any case. Thank you for this article!
Yes--that painful shyness is so evident! She's been such an inspiration to me, so I'm very happy to be able to share more of her!
She’s a force. I feel like life brought her to her knees and even though she stood up and came out victorious, her feelings of loneliness and alienation were a lifelong companion. My heart tears up for her.
Heartbreaking yet inspiring! Thank you so much for researching this, just fascinating!
My pleasure! I loved doing this research.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful woman's journey and her wonderful notes.
My pleasure!
One of my favorite writers, in any genre! She was so prescient in her writing, especially with Parable duology.
The Parables are so powerful! It's shocking to me that she wrote them so long ago.
read this today. thank you so much for writing such an insightful post. saved it to read again and again. thank you. i was really lost for past few weeks and this post gave me some strange kind of motivation to get myself working again.
💛
Such an amazing late night motivational reading as I get ready to start my own writing journal
I have never read Octavia Butler's work but this post has inspired me to do so. I also adore the idea of writing contracts to fulfil one's creative goals - I am starting that this week! Thank you so much for sharing this post, I found it fascinating. I love reading about other writers and how they process their work/notebooks.
What a treat to see! Thank you Xo
I just finished my first OEB book, The Parable of the Sower. I soaked up everything in this fascinating post. Thank you!
I am so motivated! As a visual artist, I relate deeply to OB’s ideas & I am in awe of her bravery! Writing it all down & willing it into life. I will write a contract with myself.
Yay! I'm so happy to be able to share all the OEB inspiration!
Beautiful + Inspiring. Thank you for such a thoughtful and thorough post. Thank you for this work. It is needed. It is loved. 🩷🙏🏿
That means so much to me, Sally! 💛