jamiatt:

The true story behind this is that at the after party for Rosie’s book launch we all went to Walker’s and John Bowman took the crayons they provide at every table and started noodling around on the paper tablecloth and over the course of the hour – all the while talking and joking and saying brilliant things – made this drawing. Then right before I left he ripped it apart from the rest of the tablecloth and gave it to me and I felt extremely special. And then one morning, not too long after that, when I was feeling really stuck with my book I remember rolling over in my loft and looking up at the wall and remembering how he had made the city of Aleppo appear from his memory with just crayons so maybe I should stop being such a baby and just get back to work and write my new book. And then I did.

And we all get mired in the bullshit, the personality quirks, the personality disorders (ours and everyone else’s), the jealousy, the disappointment, the blocks, the financial struggle, our egos, I do it too, I do it too, but if you can’t remember it is all about the work and nothing else then I can’t help you and you can’t help yourself and you will lose. I promise you. You will lose.

Jami Attenberg dropping wise words.

jamiatt:

The true story behind this is that at the after party for Rosie’s book launch we all went to Walker’s and John Bowman took the crayons they provide at every table and started noodling around on the paper tablecloth and over the course of the hour – all the while talking and joking and saying brilliant things – made this drawing. Then right before I left he ripped it apart from the rest of the tablecloth and gave it to me and I felt extremely special. And then one morning, not too long after that, when I was feeling really stuck with my book I remember rolling over in my loft and looking up at the wall and remembering how he had made the city of Aleppo appear from his memory with just crayons so maybe I should stop being such a baby and just get back to work and write my new book. And then I did.

And we all get mired in the bullshit, the personality quirks, the personality disorders (ours and everyone else’s), the jealousy, the disappointment, the blocks, the financial struggle, our egos, I do it too, I do it too, but if you can’t remember it is all about the work and nothing else then I can’t help you and you can’t help yourself and you will lose. I promise you. You will lose.

Jami Attenberg dropping wise words.