Writing Prompts #48 & #49

Opportunity and Fallow

Hi Everyone,

Did you miss me? Didn’t mean to disappear for so long. Can’t pinpoint any one thing but I can say there’s always a lot going on over here. And I’m just referring to my personal life, not the shitshow that is the End of Democracy happening before our eyes.

I can say that while I was gone from this space, I certainly didn’t forget about it, about y’all. I made a mental note a few weeks ago to put up a post about the importance of allowing yourself Fallow Time. I’m too lazy to go through past posts to see if I tackled this already, but even if I did, it bears repeating. I think a lot of us have an inner critic that gets on our case the rare times we don’t have a specific task (or device) in front of us, and the critic, noting we aren’t doing anything, demands: WHY AREN’T YOU USING THIS TIME TO WRITE?

It is true that the only way to write is to actually write, so at some point the sitting down and the actual writing are important. However, just because you’re not writing during precious free time, doesn’t necessarily mean you are avoiding writing. And you’re certainly not bad, so you can let that one go. Sometimes we really do need time to be fallow. Not only for future writing but for life. You know, recharge. Like Leonard Cohen’s year in the monastery.

So for writing prompt #48– Do you allow yourself Fallow Time? If so, what does that look like? Is it important to you that Fallow Time be followed by production, harvesting, etc? Or can you be cool with just being fallow and not worrying about future outcomes? If you’re crap at Fallow Time, write a piece imagining what your version of Fallow Time would look like.

Writing Prompt #49 is OPPORTUNITY. Before I explain, I will tell you this prompt was prompted because I have an opportunity for y’all. It might not last long. As I mentioned at my other substack, last week a tenant up and bailed on me with no notice the day before rent was due. Total douche move. He was living in the bitchin’ ‘69 airstream pictured above. I am currently debating whether to get another long term tenant or go with short term rentals. I really hate Airbnb but… well, I’m mulling.

While I mull, I am briefly resurrecting Writing Residencies at the ranch. If you’re working on a project—or looking for some fallow time—you can rent the Silver Fox for $250 for a week (seven days, six nights) and get some serious writing (or thinking) done. If you’re interested, drop me a line. Or if you know someone interested, please tell them about this excellent opportunity.

Now, for the prompt—Write about a time in your life when someone gave you a wonderful opportunity. Did you take it? What happened? Did you not take it? Do you regret that?

And finally—I just read a great obituary in NYT for poster illustrator David Edward Byrd. This gift link should allow you access. I’m going to end this installment with a quote from that article but first! I’ve told y’all before about Shen. She is a member of this here writing group. She just started a wonderful website where people can submit more accurate obituaries for folks who were maybe misrepresented in their official obituaries. It’s a brilliant idea. Here is her substack post about Honest Obits. I hope you’ll make some time to read it.

And here’s the quote from David Byrd’s obituary—I think I might need to get this as my next tattoo:

Mr. Byrd often said that he found the making of art more fulfilling than the end result. “The final art product is merely the doo-doo, the refuse, the detritus of the creative experience,” he said in his book. “The golden moments in my life have always been the personal, magical world of the ‘Aha!’ moment.”

I hope you all are well.

Love,

Spike

NOTES:

You can check out my other substack here: SpikeGillespie.substack.com

I’m still leading free writing workshops at the Hampton Branch Library the first and third Tuesdays of every month from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. They always fill up so if you want to join us, please RESERVE A SPOT.

Great News! In March, April and May I will be leading free writing workshops on Mondays at the San Marcos Public Library from 10 am til noon.