22 Comments

This was very helpful Thank you. I need to learn a lot more and try to understand the ME in CNF without it being ABOUT me. This is something I am not sure how it is done but want to learn.

I do tell stories of my life, especially in my earlier videos. I knew I had to build some kind of history so people could understand my beliefs. I do think I make people feel something they either love or hate my views of reality. I get all kinds of emotional reactive comments ...some supportive and some very hostile. I am a flashpoint for all kinds of emotions.

So I think that emotion alone can't be the only thing in CHF writing and you give other rules as well.

I love to read fiction writers who are masters at world-building. This is very true in fantasy fiction which I like but I have also read a lot of historical fiction. Some writers have the most musical descriptive sentences..... I wish I could do that :)

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Thanks for your thoughts here. I think keeping in mind the conversational aspect might help to ease up that notion that everything we write has to be more about importance than feelings.

It's not always a matter of pouring our hearts out; often it's just being ourselves as we search for the words that will tell the story.

We all envy those writers who, as you say, 'have the most musical descriptive sentences'. They help us out by giving us amazing examples of what we're trying to do but haven't yet accomplished. They're proof it can be done.

I'm sorry you have to deal with hostile comments on your work. That's tough, I know, but it also means you're getting through. Dwell more on those who love what you're doing.

My response to the haters is this: "I would have to care what you think in order to be insulted or offended by it. I don't and I'm not."

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I used to love reading Wayne Dyer. He said, "Other people's opinions are just that - theirs; not yours." I'm sure there are others who have said something similar, but his words made a little tattoo on my heart and it has stuck right there.

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," but true CNF takes us away from the lessons of real life and we're off on a journey with the writer, willing companions as he or she meanders and finds meaning in their observations."

Oh ,my how then does one teach a new idea if you can't talk about it,?

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It's not to say the lessons of real life can't be in a CNF piece, just saying they're not spelled out, obvious as 'lessons'.

But which new ideas can't we talk about? I don't understand your comment. Sorry.

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I give people a lot of new ideas about the nature of reality and the afterlife and understanding what Consciousness is. That's why it disrupts people's beliefs systems. its hard for me to make up a story around a new idea to be creative. Usually I just explain the idea and sometimes with examples in my personal life.

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Then you're not a Creative Nonfiction writer, which is the distinction here. We're talking specifically about CNF. What you're doing is entirely different. I'm sorry you're having problems with it, however. I hope you find peace with what you're trying to do.

Sometimes we have to back away from the heavy stuff and look to something else for relief. When it gets to be painful you have to stop and ask if it's worth it.

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Exactly Ramona and why I am here. I need to go in a different direction. My life experiences many of them traumatic since childhood and many experiences way beyond normal reality... I left them in a video library for others who may have had similar experiences. But writing about them all over again is beginning to not feel like the right direction. Some people wanted a short written version of my videos and so I did that. But sometimes once you purge and get it all out.... you cant go back. I'm at a crossroad I need fresh air and new things to think and write about in New ways. That's why Im here

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Honestly I am pretty tired of doing it. I purged everything in my YouTube video library and I feel done with it. I don't want to recreate it all on Medium.But it seems that is what I am doing

I want tob break free...

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I love this. I read it before and enjoyed the reminder the second time around. I write a lot of creative nonfiction and love to tell stories that connect with something in those who read them. I also love the humor of every day life. You are a master at this. When I laugh out loud at some point you have made or a clever way of saying something, you’ve nailed it with me. So here’s my question: I have some things to send and I always sent them to you at Indelible Ink, now you are more of a “moving target” so where do I send things now? Second, sending pieces to Indelible Ink set up an interactive conversation. I love this conversation just as much. How can those of us who follow you participate in an interactive way on Substack? I would love to do what I can to help this community flourish. It’s a good conversation. (I do share tour pieces.)

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Thanks so much for your always supportive comments, Edy. I'm going to think about what you've said here and try and come up with a better way to personalize my interactions with writers why might want my services. In the meantime, you can always email me.

But where to send your work now? I'm at a complete loss. Things are happening so fast at Medium and elsewhere, I haven't kept up and wouldn't want to steer you wrong.

One thought: Send me suggestions for what you might want to talk about here and I can always start an open forum on the topic. (That goes for everyone.)

I sincerely want this to behave more like a community than a one-woman operation, so any suggestions are more than welcome.

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*WHO* might want my services. Damn!

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You nailed the 'creative' non-fiction with your sleuthy way of sliding us over to your substack website. Off topic, but can you share the method behind the madness? 2 posts, one the excerpt with the link and the second the 'real deal'?? Will you remove the trailer post? I'm so confused ... but also anxious to be a mimic!

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LOL, Heather, It's not my idea. I picked it up, I think, on Substack's Thursday open page. They were talking about ways to draw readers in and this was one suggestion.

I find it awkward, since now I have two similar titles on my main page, but someone said to remove the newsletter page a day or so after sending it.

I don't know. I'm such at dork at trying to promote my own stuff. I haven't found the right thing yet that makes whatever I send out there irresistible!

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Well, I love, love, love the concept. So much so that I emailed support for their ideas, too. 'Georgia' just got back to me. Here's what she suggested:

"Georgia from Substack Support here. Thank you for reaching out to us today!

If I'm understanding correctly, you are wanting to not send your posts via email but rather send readers a link to the post and have them read it on Substack directly. Is that correct?

If so, you could achieve this by sending an email which is not a post. To do so, you'll head to the Subscribers dashboard, scroll down to your email list, and select the addresses you'd like to email (check the box in the upper lefthand corner to select all). From there, you'll click the blue Email button in the upper righthand corner and then draft your message. "

From one dork to another, what do you think of this idea?

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OMG! Perfect! So I got it all wrong then. I had no idea! I'm your humble servant from now on for this! (Or until I forget where I got it from, which is entirely possible and actually most probable. Sorry in advance.)

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So, this was a very interesting read. I guess I have been writing creative nonfiction for my whole essay life. Though I can point to some pieces that feel more creative than others. Would you consider your post itself to be CNF?

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Hi Nicci, yes, some pieces are definitely more creative that others, and that might be where the confusion comes in.

No, this piece isn't CNF in the true sense, though it's written in first person. It's basically a straight piece of reporting, though it may present itself as more personal, but true CNF takes us away from the lessons of real life and we're off on a journey with the writer, willing companions as he or she meanders and finds meaning in their observations.

That's not to say we can't stop and learn something along the way, but CNF seeks creative language to describe even everyday events. It tells a story.

I wanted to share this link as an example, and looked for it in my sister Substack publication, Constant Commoner, only to find that I had never moved it there from Medium! So thank you for sending me to look for it. I've just this minute published it on Constant Commoner and I think it'll be much happier there.

If you want to discuss it here after you've read it feel free. Thanks.

https://ramonagrigg.substack.com/p/water-is-my-existence?r=92byi&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=

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Helpful description, Ramona. Thanks

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