Thanks for this! I haven't written to a prompt in a long time because when I look them up in books, I tend to skip to ones I feel like using. I also love the idea of writing alongside someone else and 7 minutes a perfect amount of time for an idea to form.
How to be Good at Playing the Fiddle in a Middling Way:
You've got to start young so that by them you are fifty you can explain to people that even though you've played your whole life you aren't really very good. You don't want to set up expectations after all - people might want something fancy, something you can't deliver after years of stops and starts and playing in bands that are so loud you can mostly hide your sound. Secretly resent your mother while also being glad she taught you discipline by getting you out of bed before school every day to practice. I might you hate playing, but also created a bit of guilt for every week or month you let your fiddle lie fallow for the rest of your days. So instead of abandoning it entirely you've "kept it up" but never stood out or excelled in any way. Now that you are fifty, the music schools call you an "amateur adult player", a term so depressing you want to give up except that now you are pretty sure it's the only thing keeping the arthritis in your hands at bay. So you persist in learning tunes that you play to no one, convincing yourself that it's okay to do something just in your room that no one else hears, being afraid to mention your playing to anyone because it means explaining all of the above each time you do.
I really enjoyed this, Megan. In this culture where we’re supposed to be exceptional if we do anything, I love this piece that celebrates doing something middling well. I was especially struck by the idea that playing the violin was helping to keep away arthritis, and the image of the player hiding in loud bands. Thank you!
Thanks for the gentle feedback. I am aiming for more honesty in my writing these days, and this feels like one of the more original/honesty snippets that's come out of me in ages.
Oh, Kelsey, you're so wonderful and so is this new podcast of yours! I love how warm and companionable it is with the sound of your pen on the page too. And the prompts are interesting and thoughtful. I'll be sharing this with others soon!
Thank you Jill! I’m so glad you like the sound of the pen on the page. I had to work a bit to get that to record right, but the sound of pens on page is one of the things I like about in-person writing workshops, so I wanted it in the podcast. I’m so glad you liked the prompts too.
Thanks for this! I haven't written to a prompt in a long time because when I look them up in books, I tend to skip to ones I feel like using. I also love the idea of writing alongside someone else and 7 minutes a perfect amount of time for an idea to form.
How to be Good at Playing the Fiddle in a Middling Way:
You've got to start young so that by them you are fifty you can explain to people that even though you've played your whole life you aren't really very good. You don't want to set up expectations after all - people might want something fancy, something you can't deliver after years of stops and starts and playing in bands that are so loud you can mostly hide your sound. Secretly resent your mother while also being glad she taught you discipline by getting you out of bed before school every day to practice. I might you hate playing, but also created a bit of guilt for every week or month you let your fiddle lie fallow for the rest of your days. So instead of abandoning it entirely you've "kept it up" but never stood out or excelled in any way. Now that you are fifty, the music schools call you an "amateur adult player", a term so depressing you want to give up except that now you are pretty sure it's the only thing keeping the arthritis in your hands at bay. So you persist in learning tunes that you play to no one, convincing yourself that it's okay to do something just in your room that no one else hears, being afraid to mention your playing to anyone because it means explaining all of the above each time you do.
I really enjoyed this, Megan. In this culture where we’re supposed to be exceptional if we do anything, I love this piece that celebrates doing something middling well. I was especially struck by the idea that playing the violin was helping to keep away arthritis, and the image of the player hiding in loud bands. Thank you!
Thanks for the gentle feedback. I am aiming for more honesty in my writing these days, and this feels like one of the more original/honesty snippets that's come out of me in ages.
The honesty comes through for sure!
Oh, Kelsey, you're so wonderful and so is this new podcast of yours! I love how warm and companionable it is with the sound of your pen on the page too. And the prompts are interesting and thoughtful. I'll be sharing this with others soon!
Thank you Jill! I’m so glad you like the sound of the pen on the page. I had to work a bit to get that to record right, but the sound of pens on page is one of the things I like about in-person writing workshops, so I wanted it in the podcast. I’m so glad you liked the prompts too.
What a terrific poem to use for a prompt! And a great prompt, Kelsey. "Let it do what it wants."
Thanks! I’m so glad you liked it.