Inside the Writing Life: Fun With Friends
It’s been a year for putting the shutters up…
In this time of Covid, I’ve frequently joked that the writing life is “naturally self-isolating”—and although speaking in humour, it’s also true, by and large, since one of the key ingredients for writing (for most writers, although I’m sure there are exceptions) is uninterrupted writing time.
The corollary of this, of course, is that storytelling and literature spring from observation, interaction, and the hurly-burly of life. So although writing may need blocks of uninterrupted time, it also needs human interaction, from coffee and catch-ups with friends, to spending some time in market-places and crowds. Imho, anyway—all of which I’ve canvassed previously, most specifically in the May 28 post titled “Naturally Self-Isolating.” 😉
Mmmm, delicious…
One of the reasons why I always wanted to live a writing life, is not only because I love storytelling, and books, and the magic of language and words, both written and spoken, but also because I love engaging with others about the wonder and glory of storytelling, books, and the language of both. If I can slip in some home-baked goodies, a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine with that, then all the better. 🙂
Consequently, there are not many things I like better than the opportunity to catch up with friends who love doing the same, many of whom are fellow writers, and all of whom are keen readers and ‘viewers.’ Not infrequently the good talk about books spills over into TV shows and films and games, focusing on what we *heart* and what doesn’t spin our wheels quite so much. And quite often with plenty of laughter to go around.
There is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as putting one’s feet up with a book… 😉
It doesn’t happen nearly as often as I would like, because we all have our own commitments, writing and otherwise—but when it does happen, it’s definitely one of the “ups” of the writing life. Especially when everyone votes to stay “just a little longer”, or as once happened, the first arrival declares that all through a very busy morning at work, she has been looking forward to an afternoon where she can “really be herself.”
So although I love the AS Byatt quote, “that the writer wrote alone, and the reader read alone, and they were alone with each other”; and although the writer may of necessity write alone, getting together and having some fun is also an important part of fueling the life creative.
People, books, fun — it makes the writing world go around 🙂
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Previous Inside The Writing Life Posts:
One does read a book by oneself but once more than one person in your circle reads the same book, then a discussion about it can occur. If you have similar reading tastes book groups are really good value.
I recall you used to have a great SpecFic book group going in Wellywood, June — is it still thriving in these Covid times?
Yes – we are still going strong. Some of us read more while others of us read less during the lockdown, but we were all very pleased to get out and see each other again.
I think I read about the same, which was about 1-2 books and some short fiction, but I was in a real big rush to get to the library as soon as it opened.
I know several others who were beating down the library doors after lockdown, too. 🙂 And great to hear that the group is still going!