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if someone likes your writing, chances are they will like a lot of the other stuff you like and share. our writing reflects our values and tastes. it's not possible to like someone's writing without being drawn to some part of their ethos.
elaine
2,559 posts
elaine
@lainewrites
humanities girl working in tech. introvert, curious about people. novelist, essayist, always in revision mode. | IG: literaryelaine
- a friend said you can't eliminate the grief of heartache, but you can fill your life with good things until the grief appears small in comparison to all the joy in your life
- used to think it was an introvert thing, but now i’m convinced that when you feel drained after a social event it’s bc you weren’t comfortable being yourself w the ppl you were with. it’s super energy-consuming to suppress a part of you or be anyone other than yourself.
- i really like ppl who are openly ambitious and find them easier to talk to than ppl who are self-deprecating or guarded about their aspirations. ambition is an expression of earnestness. there's way too much cynicism in this world.
- i used to think it was only worth traveling to places i’ve never been. but cities are like people. once you fall in love with one, you can never get sick of it. returning to a city after many years is like visiting an old friend: you remember all the good times and see them anew.
- the best time to write is when you have the seed of an idea but don't know what you want to say yet, or you're moved by a feeling but don't know how to express it, bc writing is a process of discovery & crystallization
- writing is a process of making the subconscious conscious. as joan didion said, "i write entirely to find out what i'm thinking, what i'm looking at, what i see and what it means."
- have come to realize i don't want complexity in love. i want security and stability so that i have the energy to pursue complexity in other areas of my life.
- it must be one of the great tragedies of life that we show our very worst to the people we love most
- it's pretty incredible how terrified we are of seeming needy or inconveniencing our friends, and yet, on the other end, we have an intrinsic desire to help and be useful to those we love.
- friend has a theory that the more peculiar you are as a person the harder it is for someone to break up with you
- genuinely curious: why are some people susceptible to love bombing while others become less interested the more love and attention they receive?
- waking up to this from my hotel window makes me feel like i’m in a scifi movie
- convinced everyone has the potential to become very good at anything they really enjoy doing, and knowing this is really empowering