ah this is so wonderfully said and written. Recently I watched that video from that youtuber I've followed for years, she was talked about taking notes about what she reads. And she simply said sometimes she has nothing to say about what she reads, she takes notes simply to remember it. And it's true, putting the pen to the paper (or finges to keyboard although it sticks less to my brain lol) changes everything. It connects it all - past, present and future. And it makes the media we consume alive somehow. Sometimes at the cinema I get frustrated because i cannot scrible down as i watch the movie, which is silly because then I forget, but still. On the moment i wish I could press pause and write things down so the feeling I had the first time i saw a particular scene or heard/read a particular quote stickes forever?
I'm not even going to lie to you... sometimes when I'm in the cinema I will pull my phone out to make notes of really powerful quotes while the film is still rolling. TERRIBLE CINEMA ETIQUETTE, I know, but there's so much that I want to remember and some quotes literally floor me and it would just be WRONG to forget them. It's funny that you mention the act of writing with a pen as opposed to typing because that's something I've been thinking on lately. I mean, I journal, and I have a "digital commonplace book" on my Notion, but I've been watching a bunch of YouTube videos about the beauty of having a physical journal full of written reviews/thoughts. I think that's something I want to start doing as well.
I feel like this essay speaks personally to everyone who reads it. Because each one of us at this stage of consuming media but not celebrating it, noticing things around us. We are in this never ending loop which creates a short of time blindness.
Recently, i have been putting effort to watch, to read, to listen and participating intentionally. When I do things with intention it makes me love my life more and live the moment to the fullest.
Loved this..especially the lines " I pass through the media..."💌
Approaching art with the intention to really absord it really does make me love life more as well... you took the words right out of my mouth. I've been thinking about getting rid of my numerical reading/watching goals of the year because sometimes the rush to read/watch a lot of different things gets in the way of properly taking your time with something, properly absorbing every aspect of it. I'm realising that I write this substack as a way of forcing myself to slow down, forcing myself to actually sit with what I just consumed before moving on to the next thing!!
Well said! This is a question ive been thinking about for a while now as well, it’s good to know im not the only one. I, for one, regularly relish the sweetness you decide to share with us (despite not having a sweet tooth irl ;))
It's kind of crazy how you posted this at the EXACT moment I needed to read it. I've been silently (or maybe not) struggling with terrible imposter's syndrome and self-critical thoughts about my own writing to an extreme, and also wondering why I even bother anymore. I'm talking being *thiiiis* close to just deleting full wips and manuscripts in the worst moments. I really needed this reminder, and I hope—while writing for yourself is ultimately an incredible form of self-love and respect, and I myself will try to be better at reminding myself of that too—that you do know that your writing also touches me and so many others. Thank you for sharing with us.
Writing really is such a solitary practice so being stuck in your room with just your words and your laptop screen… I feel like that’s just a perfect breeding ground for self-doubt, unfortunately. I’m so happy that this post resonated with you, seriously… especially since you’re a major reason why I’ve been so inspired lean more into my desire to write. Love ya, Hebs ❤️ and thank you so much
you’ve described what it means to be a writer and someone who loves writing so tenderly, it remains clear to anyone who reads this that you hold it close to your heart. to write is to act as a witness and so we must pay attention. it is a gift we must remember as such. brilliant piece as always!
I write as an act of survival, as an act of remembrance. I have suffered from depression for a long time and there are so many holes in my memory. Writing helps me patches those holes back together. It’s freeing to let it all out with my pen and notebook.
I’m just beginning this journey almost a decade later and have been having this conversation in my head. Honestly, I do want the external validation, but its not so much for praise but to find like-minded people and build an exciting community. However, I cant mention how excited I am to just simply write and post. I look forward to it, already drafting multiple posts and a part of me wants to stop doing what I am or cancel some plans so i can just *write.* I dont care if no one sees it because the excitement of writing, articulating my thoughts makes me proud, period. Thank you for this, Chioma!
Ugh thank you for this piece Chioma 💓 the disappointment felt after pouring your heart into a piece of work is very real, especially when that work has metrics of success plastered all over it. I think that writing for yourself is the most important goal you could have. I would say that I write for my own satisfaction, but also for the process. I love the research and refining the subjects I work on until I hit the sweet spot of what I want to be immersed in. I also like the idea of putting work out there and witnessing some kind of progress. But it's hard to do all that without getting caught up in the metrics not gonna lie
ah this is so wonderfully said and written. Recently I watched that video from that youtuber I've followed for years, she was talked about taking notes about what she reads. And she simply said sometimes she has nothing to say about what she reads, she takes notes simply to remember it. And it's true, putting the pen to the paper (or finges to keyboard although it sticks less to my brain lol) changes everything. It connects it all - past, present and future. And it makes the media we consume alive somehow. Sometimes at the cinema I get frustrated because i cannot scrible down as i watch the movie, which is silly because then I forget, but still. On the moment i wish I could press pause and write things down so the feeling I had the first time i saw a particular scene or heard/read a particular quote stickes forever?
I'm not even going to lie to you... sometimes when I'm in the cinema I will pull my phone out to make notes of really powerful quotes while the film is still rolling. TERRIBLE CINEMA ETIQUETTE, I know, but there's so much that I want to remember and some quotes literally floor me and it would just be WRONG to forget them. It's funny that you mention the act of writing with a pen as opposed to typing because that's something I've been thinking on lately. I mean, I journal, and I have a "digital commonplace book" on my Notion, but I've been watching a bunch of YouTube videos about the beauty of having a physical journal full of written reviews/thoughts. I think that's something I want to start doing as well.
I feel like this essay speaks personally to everyone who reads it. Because each one of us at this stage of consuming media but not celebrating it, noticing things around us. We are in this never ending loop which creates a short of time blindness.
Recently, i have been putting effort to watch, to read, to listen and participating intentionally. When I do things with intention it makes me love my life more and live the moment to the fullest.
Loved this..especially the lines " I pass through the media..."💌
Approaching art with the intention to really absord it really does make me love life more as well... you took the words right out of my mouth. I've been thinking about getting rid of my numerical reading/watching goals of the year because sometimes the rush to read/watch a lot of different things gets in the way of properly taking your time with something, properly absorbing every aspect of it. I'm realising that I write this substack as a way of forcing myself to slow down, forcing myself to actually sit with what I just consumed before moving on to the next thing!!
Thank you so much for reading, Vivi!!! x
Well said! This is a question ive been thinking about for a while now as well, it’s good to know im not the only one. I, for one, regularly relish the sweetness you decide to share with us (despite not having a sweet tooth irl ;))
A little sweetness every now and again doesn't hurt!! lmao... thank you so much for reading
It's kind of crazy how you posted this at the EXACT moment I needed to read it. I've been silently (or maybe not) struggling with terrible imposter's syndrome and self-critical thoughts about my own writing to an extreme, and also wondering why I even bother anymore. I'm talking being *thiiiis* close to just deleting full wips and manuscripts in the worst moments. I really needed this reminder, and I hope—while writing for yourself is ultimately an incredible form of self-love and respect, and I myself will try to be better at reminding myself of that too—that you do know that your writing also touches me and so many others. Thank you for sharing with us.
Writing really is such a solitary practice so being stuck in your room with just your words and your laptop screen… I feel like that’s just a perfect breeding ground for self-doubt, unfortunately. I’m so happy that this post resonated with you, seriously… especially since you’re a major reason why I’ve been so inspired lean more into my desire to write. Love ya, Hebs ❤️ and thank you so much
you’ve described what it means to be a writer and someone who loves writing so tenderly, it remains clear to anyone who reads this that you hold it close to your heart. to write is to act as a witness and so we must pay attention. it is a gift we must remember as such. brilliant piece as always!
I’m so glad you didn’t let the disappointment keep you from continuing to write. You write for a reason and have a gift with words. Keep going 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾
I write as an act of survival, as an act of remembrance. I have suffered from depression for a long time and there are so many holes in my memory. Writing helps me patches those holes back together. It’s freeing to let it all out with my pen and notebook.
I’m just beginning this journey almost a decade later and have been having this conversation in my head. Honestly, I do want the external validation, but its not so much for praise but to find like-minded people and build an exciting community. However, I cant mention how excited I am to just simply write and post. I look forward to it, already drafting multiple posts and a part of me wants to stop doing what I am or cancel some plans so i can just *write.* I dont care if no one sees it because the excitement of writing, articulating my thoughts makes me proud, period. Thank you for this, Chioma!
Ugh thank you for this piece Chioma 💓 the disappointment felt after pouring your heart into a piece of work is very real, especially when that work has metrics of success plastered all over it. I think that writing for yourself is the most important goal you could have. I would say that I write for my own satisfaction, but also for the process. I love the research and refining the subjects I work on until I hit the sweet spot of what I want to be immersed in. I also like the idea of putting work out there and witnessing some kind of progress. But it's hard to do all that without getting caught up in the metrics not gonna lie