This is a story about blank but it’s also about blank and blank and blank
And sometimes the more blanks there are the better
Thank you for the reminder to read Refuge. One of my dear friends suggested it and I haven’t gotten to it yet. Your words are truly like dark chocolate for me. I think you should consider writing a book about writing. You are quite good at it.
I read every book I can find by Terry Tempest Williams. I read a few other authors like that, including Janisse Ray, Edward Abbey, and Ron Rash. There are more authors I could list, but time runs out.
Thank you for continuing to produce this important newsletter. When my newsletters arrive, I read this one first. I live in the litter - the leaf litter.
For the reason you asked this question, I recently unsubscribed from two daily Substacks. I love the platform but can’t keep up with so much longform content. I voted for once weekly but value what you’re posting regardless.
Yes, maybe I said this already, but I find myself in this position, of deciding to unsubscribe to a few. And I subscribe to others that I feel arrive too often. I don't ever want to be in a position of annoying someone by appearing too often at their front door. Thank you for your honesty.
As a long-time journalist and a creative writer, my view of the following is a bit more nuanced : "When Gerard suggested two layers, I believe that he was thinking of creative nonfiction as opposed to journalism. Journalism has one layer, the text."
I think it's fair to say that journalists (unlike creative writers) can't make up facts! indeed, they would rightly be fired for doing so. However, there are lots of journalistic pieces that have multiple layers. For example, a recent, deeply reported piece I wrote for The New European on the revival of English folk traditions and communal rituals. The text was exactly that. The subtext was much deeper. That England was searching for an identity that was both pre – and post-empire and that for the first time ever, it was permitting itself to recognise it was "exotic", in the same way as it traditionally categorised everyone else (the Scots, the Welsh, Indians, Yoruba...everyone) over the centuries.
Rashmee, now that you point this out, I see that you're exactly right. I think I'll go back into the post & add "traditional journalism" or some words to that effect. Because the new journalism & investigative journalism, etc all would encourage layers. THANK YOU so much for pointing this out.
I enjoy two posts a week and your newsletters are the ones I set aside the time to sit down and read and catch-up on. It is that square of dark chocolate! But if you decide to drop down to one, I think that's ok, too.
And yes, the subscription overload is abundant but I only read in the app or website so my email is never cluttered. It feels like the old days of Google Reader where I could filter through the blogs I wanted to enjoy.
Yes, under settings you can change it to Smart Notifications and be only notified in the app. I still get more important emails from publications such publication changes or things like that but not a deluge of emails from new essays. It works wonders!
Janisse, I read all of The Rhizospheres you post - usually immediately - and I can't say that for any other newsletter I receive. I find your guidance in the newsletters very clear and on point and extremely helpful.
This is a story about blank but it’s also about blank and blank and blank
And sometimes the more blanks there are the better
Thank you for the reminder to read Refuge. One of my dear friends suggested it and I haven’t gotten to it yet. Your words are truly like dark chocolate for me. I think you should consider writing a book about writing. You are quite good at it.
Thank you, Mary. I am working on a craft book!
Of course you are! I will pre-order that one.
Refuge is so, so good. Haunting. I'm still recovering years later and have never picked up another TTW book yet despite wanting to.
These sentiments feel contradictory 😂
haha, I know! It's so good that you wonder if anything else she writes can hold a candle, ya know? I'm sure it does, it's TTW!
Refuge is a great book by a great author.
I read every book I can find by Terry Tempest Williams. I read a few other authors like that, including Janisse Ray, Edward Abbey, and Ron Rash. There are more authors I could list, but time runs out.
Oooh, pay you later, Ray.
Thank you for continuing to produce this important newsletter. When my newsletters arrive, I read this one first. I live in the litter - the leaf litter.
LOL about living in the leaf litter. Me too, sometimes! :)
The Rhizosphere IS a little square of dark chocolate for me, and I savor it -- every time. Thank you for everything!
For the reason you asked this question, I recently unsubscribed from two daily Substacks. I love the platform but can’t keep up with so much longform content. I voted for once weekly but value what you’re posting regardless.
Yes, maybe I said this already, but I find myself in this position, of deciding to unsubscribe to a few. And I subscribe to others that I feel arrive too often. I don't ever want to be in a position of annoying someone by appearing too often at their front door. Thank you for your honesty.
Two is not too many, but I would be happy with one. They’re always worth my time.
Thank you so much, dear Cathy.
@janisseray Thanks for this.
As a long-time journalist and a creative writer, my view of the following is a bit more nuanced : "When Gerard suggested two layers, I believe that he was thinking of creative nonfiction as opposed to journalism. Journalism has one layer, the text."
I think it's fair to say that journalists (unlike creative writers) can't make up facts! indeed, they would rightly be fired for doing so. However, there are lots of journalistic pieces that have multiple layers. For example, a recent, deeply reported piece I wrote for The New European on the revival of English folk traditions and communal rituals. The text was exactly that. The subtext was much deeper. That England was searching for an identity that was both pre – and post-empire and that for the first time ever, it was permitting itself to recognise it was "exotic", in the same way as it traditionally categorised everyone else (the Scots, the Welsh, Indians, Yoruba...everyone) over the centuries.
Rashmee, now that you point this out, I see that you're exactly right. I think I'll go back into the post & add "traditional journalism" or some words to that effect. Because the new journalism & investigative journalism, etc all would encourage layers. THANK YOU so much for pointing this out.
I enjoy two posts a week and your newsletters are the ones I set aside the time to sit down and read and catch-up on. It is that square of dark chocolate! But if you decide to drop down to one, I think that's ok, too.
And yes, the subscription overload is abundant but I only read in the app or website so my email is never cluttered. It feels like the old days of Google Reader where I could filter through the blogs I wanted to enjoy.
Such a smart idea to read in the app. Wow. I may do some switcharoos.
Yes, under settings you can change it to Smart Notifications and be only notified in the app. I still get more important emails from publications such publication changes or things like that but not a deluge of emails from new essays. It works wonders!
Janisse, I read all of The Rhizospheres you post - usually immediately - and I can't say that for any other newsletter I receive. I find your guidance in the newsletters very clear and on point and extremely helpful.
That comment is worth a million. Thank you.