Pleased to meet you
In which Beth introduces herself and Touchpoints: A Writer's Truth
I thought it would be useful to launch a Substack specifically about a writer in – wait, can I say I’m in mid-career? I’ve published five books and have taught nonfiction writing at two Toronto universities for almost 30 years, so that would indicate someone who’s well into a career — though my books have sold few copies, so well-known (and well paid) I am not.
On the other hand, I’m 73, so if I’m mid-career, that means I’ll peak at age 140 or so. I’d better hurry up!
Wherever I am in my career, I’m a struggling writer like every other writer. Well, almost every other writer, let’s discount J. K. Rowling, Margaret Atwood, and Colleen Hoover (whoever she is) who are doing just fine. But most of us are out here wondering why we’re poor and whether what we’re doing counts for much.
But it does. I assure you, it does. It matters that we bother to process life in words on paper or a screen when 99.99% of the world does not. As I say to my classes, “The normal people are at the mall buying watches. We’re in here ripping our guts out on the page.”
Because that’s what we do.
So – this Substack is about this particular writer at this particular stage of her life — what is working, what is not, what she’s trying to accomplish, and what she has given up on.
FYI: right now, I have a new book out, MidLife Solo, that’s getting better word of mouth than any of my others. Is this the breakthrough book? I doubt it, but at least it’s garnering lovely attention.
I had hopes for my last book, a memoir called Loose Woman, especially when it ended up as one of three nonfiction finalists of an independent book award. Thrilling! I flew out west for the judging, so was sitting in the audience when another book won. It’s good to be a finalist. It’s better, much better, to be a winner.
MidLife Solo, a memoir-in-essays, has been out a few months, and a great deal of time has gone into marketing: tracking down and contacting podcasters, sending notes to literary festivals and excerpts to magazines, updating my website, posting on social media, meeting with my young tech assistant who explains complicated things to me.
But at the same time, after all that, I also have to think about and begin work on the next project, the next book. I know what it’s going to be, but the thought of it is daunting. More anon.
So that’s where we are now: helping a new book fly, beginning to nurture the next. Plus, of course, teaching, running a house, seeing kids and grandkids, trying to keep body and soul going. Busier than ever, at 73.
I’d better get a move on. You’re welcome to come along for the ride.
I was an English major in college, and just loved my creative writing professor, "Mr. Kiley." When I invited him to my wedding right after graduation, he came, but was very sad. "You're going to stop writing," he said, "and that's too bad." Well, now it's 54 years later, and while I've been journaling (prayer journaling, in fairness) for 20+ years and writing random curriculums and newsletters, I admit that I proved Mr. Kiley's prediction mostly right. This past month, however, as my husband lays dying (I think of Faulkner every time I invoke that phrase) I spontaneously began to write again. I'm using Substack as my practice platform, and I'm a little shy as I try to find my voice (75 being a little different than 21). I can see you'll be a good mentor to me as I get back to business. You would have loved Mr. Kiley...
I’m in Beth! Looking forward to reading your work. I have a lot to catch up on.