Monday Memo #35
Write one true sentence.
The Monday memo is food for thought to fuel your week.
Hi everyone,
You might have a book inside you. Writing a book feels like a lot, doesn’t it? But books are made up of sentences.
In A Movable Feast, Hemingway wrote about this problem:
“I would stand and look out over the roofs of Paris and think, 'Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.' So finally I would write one true sentence, and then go on from there. It was easy then because there was always one true sentence that I knew or had seen or had heard someone say.”
Exercise.
Here’s your exercise for the week. Write one true sentence. If you can, go on from there. See where it takes you.
Our next Collaboratory.
In our next Collaboratory, Brandy Agerbeck will help us explore the messy middle of creative projects. What are the monsters that hold us back? How do we stick with a project when it’s not fully formed yet? Brandy is a veteran of many creative projects, both personal and professional, as well as the author of several books, including the Idea Shapers and the Graphic Facilitator’s Guide.
For $25 you can buy a one-time ticket for this event on Brandy’s website, or become a member today to access this live, interactive session, on Wednesday, August 21, from 9 to 10:30 am Pacific time.
Project studio.
I’m also planning a change-up from our Collaboratory format in October. Starting October 16, I will run a six-week intensive I’m calling project studio. I will provide a lightweight structure within which we will work together to complete our personal creative projects, encourage and support each other, and hold each other accountable to being true to our creative selves. Project studio will meet weekly, every Wednesday, from 9 to 10:30 am, starting October 16 and wrapping up on November 20, just before Thanksgiving in the US. So mark those dates on your calendar and stay tuned for more details. Project studio will be free for members.
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As of this week we have 80 members. In 2025, membership dues will increase to $30/month, $300/year. If you join now, you will lock in the $20/month, $200/year rate for as long as your subscription remains active.
If you’re already a member, thank you. You’re making this possible.
More information for members is below the fold.