“Love words, agonize over sentences. And pay attention to the world.”- Susan Sontag.
Hello writers. I’m Ramona Grigg and this is Writer Everlasting. I chose that name because I’m in it for the long haul and there’s no end in sight. If you’re an everlasting writer, welcome to our world.
I’ve been writing, teaching, and editing for more than 40 years. I’ve made all of the newbie mistakes, and I can’t say I’ve found perfection at last, but I’m comfortable with who I am as a writer. That’s half the battle. It took me a while to see this, but if I can share anything here it’ll be the absolute necessity to shed our fears and get comfortable with our writing selves.
Some of you may be new to publishable writing and are feeling like newbies. That’s because you are newbies! No worries. We’ve all been there. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but really, seriously, don’t be afraid to add to the dialogue. Disagree with us if you’re feeling it! We’re all still learning, and if we aren’t, well, shame on us.
(You can check out my easy four-part tutorial in this section called ‘Substack for Newbies’. It’s there to get you started.)
Writing is a lonely art. When we sit down to write it’s just us and our thoughts. At some point we need to talk to somebody, and when we do, we go looking for our community.
We don’t have to look far. There are writers’ groups and clubs and organizations everywhere. Even and especially online. So what makes Writer Everlasting different? I don’t know. It could be because I’m here and you’re here and we’re looking for the same things.
I’m here to let you know I’ve been in all those bright and dark places, and bright is better. The dark is brutal and scary and best not to be traveled alone. This will always be a safe place.
No judgement, no dismissal, no failures.
But I need to make this clear: Writer Everlasting is for working writers at any stage, in any phase, in any creative genre. Writing doesn’t have to be your full-time job, or even a job at all. Maybe you’re fairly new at it, and you want to get better. If it’s a commitment and a passion (even when it’s light or funny or meandering), if it feels as if you’re working at it and not just throwing it out there, if you’ve taken the time to get it right, then you’re in the right place.
When you come here you’re not just a guest, you’re a part of everything that happens here. Our comments sections can get pretty lively, so I hope you’ll want to join in.
You’re here because you write and you want to be read. Me, too.
You want to know you matter. Me, too.
You want to do it better. Me, too.
See how much we already have in common?
Okay, then. I’m ready if you are.
My main focus here at Writer Everlasting is on Creative Nonfiction. If you’re wondering what that might be, this is how I see it:
It's the 'Creative' in Creative Writing That Makes it Creative.
At the last Substack Office Hours I asked again for a category specific to Creative Nonfiction. This may be the fourth or fifth time, but this time it got some attention—not from any Substack crewmember so far, but from readers at Office Hours, a few dozen who wanted the very same thing. So I thought I’d talk again abou…
Please check out my author page here. If you have questions or comments you would rather bring to me privately you can contact me from there or at writereverlasting@substack.com.
But remember that we’re a community. Sharing thoughts and ideas are a big part of what we do here so I hope you’ll jump into the comments section whenever you’ve got something you want to add.
After you’ve spent some time here at Writer Everlasting, I invite you to my more general sister publication, Constant Commoner. I write about my life in the North woods, along with anything else that strikes me as smart or clever or funny or enraging, including politics when it becomes urgent and necessary. Thanks for visiting both of my neighborhoods.
Besides becoming a free or paid subscriber, you can now support my work here with a one-time donation at either Ko-Fi or PayPal. Thank you!
