Dear fellow writer,
I first published this image in a post titled Aides-Mémoire, which recounts a cross-disciplinary collaboration that I undertook years ago with a visual artist I’d never met. Every week, I would mail her a notebook containing a new hand-written poem, and she, in return, would send me a notebook containing a new drawing or a delicate paper sculpture unfurling from its pages:
I can still vividly remember the anticipation that I felt each week as I opened the mailbox to find Anne-Sophie’s latest envelope/artwork inside. I would tear the package open and flip through the notebook to find how she had responded to my last entry: subtly, obliquely, never in an obvious or literal way. I did my best to respond in kind, not just with poems but also with glued-in photos and cards and scraps of paper, items inspired rather than directly informed by Anne-Sophie’s enigmatic line drawings.
I must have carried a visceral memory of that playful, tactile, serendipity-affirming exchange when I decided last February to give away 50 handcrafted notebooks as part of a Special Event celebrating the fourth anniversary of my WriteSPACE community. This time, however, it was a one-way affair: all you had to do was register for the event, type your name and address into an online form, and voilà — a free notebook was yours for the asking, no strings attached.
Between the effort involved in designing, producing, and mailing out 50 unique notebooks and the agonisingly slow speed of snail-mail these days, many of my colorful creations have only recently arrived in their new homes. A few, it seems, have been lost in transit — although you never know, even migratory birds sometimes blow off course before finding their inner compass again! A number of recipients have not yet responded to my plea for news and a photo, but I trust that they will soon. 🥰
In the meantime, here are some of the many inspiring images I’ve received so far from writers around the world:
A special shout-out to Heather S, a US-based historian on sabbatical at Oxford, who sent me this stylish blank book from Blackwell’s Bookshop, upcycled from the cover of a French novel:
What a treat it was to receive a package in the mail! In the words of author Lewis Hyde,“the gift must always move” — and these world-winging wordbirds aren’t just moving but flying high as they circle the globe.
Has this post aroused a twinge of notebook envy in you? I have 10 more notebooks to give away to paid subscribers who missed out on the first round. You’ll find a link to the request form at the bottom of this post.
Enjoy!
Writing Rituals
If you missed my live WriteSPACE Special Event earlier in May with the wonderful
, you can now watch a video of our full 2-hour conversation and workshop in the members-only WriteSPACE or WS Studio Library. Events Manager Amy Lewis captured Mason’s inventive energy in a spirited blog post:Mason’s philosophy of “wriggling through” stems from a Kafka quote: “Time is short, my strength is limited, the office is a horror, the apartment is noisy... one must try to wriggle through by subtle maneuvers”. . . . When facing creative paralysis, Mason doesn’t prescribe vague mantras such as “Trust the process.” He prefers wildly specific, delightfully zany hacks.
What kinds of “wildly specific, delightfully zany hacks,” you ask? Read the full post here.
Stylish Writing Intensive
Enrollment closes early next week for my next Stylish Writing Intensive, which runs on Monday June 9, Wednesday June 11, and Friday June 13 for writers anywhere in the world. In just 3 action-packed days of advanced workshops, focused writing and editing time, and intensive live coaching, I’ll help you transform your writing from stodgy to stylish, or from adequate to amazing — PLUS you’ll get a free pass to a six-week Writing Catalyst Course of your choice (a $550 value). Learn more and enroll here.
If you appreciate hearing about resources like these — or just want to make my day — please take a moment to drop me a heart, leave a comment, and/or click Restack at the bottom of this message. Your enthusiasm and support mean so much to me.🩷
Kia pai tō koutou rā (have a great day) — and keep on writing!
Write more, right now! For exclusive access to live workshops, craft-focused coaching, and premium writing and editing tools, join me and writers from 30+ countries in the WriteSPACE, a vibrant international writing community and resource treasury. To try free for 30 days, click below and enter the discount code SNEAKPEEK at checkout.
Books by WriteSPACE founder Helen Sword
Bonus content for paid subscribers
I have 10 unique handcrafted notebooks to give away to writers who missed out in February! To nab your notebook, follow this link and fill out the online request form.