A Writer's Mind
Step inside the often muddled musings of a writer.
I may have procrastinated about writing this substack for around two years. I have shied away from it fearing that no one would read it, how would I market it, what value do I have? I have thought about this an awful lot longer than most I would imagine, that is until I realised that I am in fact a writer, people reading what I write is exactly what I do, laying down words for readers. Putting myself out there is what I am prepared to do as a writer and author (albeit I am still on the perpetual hunt for an agent). So here I am, adding to the many substackers substacking in the world. Ta-dah! Well, maybe less ta-dah and fanfare, more skidding to a halt into my substack parking spot running a little late to the party!
I am very happy to be writing this for you, the artist, the writer. Whether at the beginning of your memoir or novel, coming back to writing, or a seasoned author; welcome to the inner workings of my own writer’s mind. It might get weird, but it also might just serve as a place you can feel at home. The substack version of a sofa covered in faux fur throws in front of a roaring fire. I hope you too have a steaming cup of something lovely by your side.
In my humble writer’s opinion….
I am guessing you are here because you either a) like me (imagine a winky emoji here) or b) have a fondness for the written word. I am new to this, and I probably have no business talking about a substacker charging for their followers to read exclusive content, or to read on further into the substack letter behind a paywall, holding back the good stuff for those that have the funds, or the inclination to pay. My statement, however, is that I do not believe that this substack, or letter as I prefer to refer to it, should be monetised.
This is probably an unpopular opinion but hear me out. I have decided to write to you because writing is what I do and I want you to read my work, all of my work. I want you to feel connected to me as a writer, I want to create a community, a support vine if you like, resulting in a safe place for writers to speak up.
Charging for that is not in my interest.
Of course in transparency, I will charge for my workshops, learning groups, or writing retreats, and of course, I will earn from my writing as and when I am a published author, I can even earn pitching for magazines and collaborations but this letter to you is free and will remain free. If I learn something of value, I will share this with you, for free. So much of the world is monetised and I see why, but I value community higher, supporting each other, and giving each other time. Time is such an expensive commodity, but it means so much. Writers spend a lot of time on their own, it is a solitary business which is why I offer free online writing sessions, and now this letter to you.
A Writer’s Life
To start this feature, I wanted to ask one of the many fabulous creatives from my writing community. As it is the first one of this feature, instead, you’ve got me, as I thought it wholly appropriate you got to know me a little better, your brand new substack host, before selecting one of the wonderfully talented writers I write alongside every week. I will be asking the same questions every time to showcase the immense amount of variety there is out in the world of ‘writer’. There is no right or wrong way to write, but there are plenty of superstitions, routines, and lucky chairs or mugs out there.
How long have you been writing for?
Two nearly three years in a full-time capacity, before that I wrote in journals before jumping into the world of copywriting which incidentally did not scratch the itch I had to write for a living but in fact, made it worse! I quickly understood I needed to be writing for myself.
Describe your desk:
Messy! I do try to keep it tidy but I am a chaotic creative! Apart from the enormous amount of stationery I have acquired, there are bud vases stuffed full of wildflowers I find on my walks, candles, books, and always a cup of coffee or tea. Beside me are my latest projects, currently this is a pile of notes, thoughts, and budgets for the forthcoming writing retreat, the beautifully made bookmarks staring at me ready to be marketed, my various drafts of the memoir, and a huge stack of notes and research books on witches for the Uprising as well as a storyboard and character notes.
What are your writing essentials?
I never start writing without a cup of coffee. Non-negotiable to kickstart creativity! I need a notebook nearby for ideas, new subplots, and questions I want to revisit. My phone, for quick research purposes and random social media dumps. A plethora of highlighters, pens, and post-it notes. My storyboard. I light a candle just before I commit words to the page.
Morning Pages, yes, or no? If yes, describe how these help you.
Yes, but this is a recent addition to my day. Since embarking on reading The Artist Way, I do these daily and they seem to be helping me untangle the oddities floating around in my brain.
Best non-fiction, writing-themed book?
Currently, it is The Artist Way, which is life-changing for me. I also love Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and Cathy Rentzenbrink’s Write It All Down.
What are you currently reading?
Dog of the North by Elizabeth MacKenzie
What writing communities do you recommend?
Write With Me - my own shameless plug there!
Do you have any writing routines before coming to the page?
Pop the heating on, make coffee, light a candle, write. In that order.
What is your current WIP?
My novel, Uprising.
Describe your writing day.
Once the twins are at school I get into nature for a walk with the dogs, I come back and either complete a workout or set a timer for a 30-minute speed clean, and then I come to the desk. I usually start with an online Write With Me for two hours before stopping for lunch then dipping back in before picking up the twins. I spend two hours with them before jumping back online for an evening session.
Who inspires you in your writing?
Many people inspire me but in my writing, it goes without saying that everyone in the writing community I sit alongside daily inspire me. The legendary Agatha Christie has always been a favourite for so many reasons, mostly I think she was a trailblazer for women’s crime writing. Delia Owens, her descriptive writing is flawless. All that said my youth would not have been the same without the writers Jilly Cooper or Jackie Collins spicing it up! Every writer has their place.
Shout about your writing, give us a sample of your writing.
See below for an excerpt from my memoir - I will be serialising the first few chapters exclusively for you over the next few months.
Where can people follow you and your work?
Instagram seems to be where I hang out! @lovelifeloretta or @mama.lupi
What would you like to promote right now, if anything?
The Writing Retreat in September. 23rd to be exact! This three-day writing hiatus will be held in a beautiful country farmhouse in Dorset, complete with extensive grounds, and an indoor swimming pool with a sauna - see below for more details.
Ask one question of the next person featured.
Which authors would you invite for dinner?
What’s currently on my desk for April?
Publishing what is on my desk this month, makes me feel a little vulnerable in truth, but the point is to give an insight into my writer workload to show that each month is different and varied and that is ok, it is normal. Some months I earn nothing and other months I do, some work is for my pleasure, and other work is to earn from. Although it is worth noting I will never reveal client work as that would breach the writer/client bond.
My current work in progress is my novel. It is currently called ‘Uprising’ but this may end up being just its working title, I am not yet sure. The novel is 70% finished and I know how it will end but I am already reworking from chapter one. It feels right so I am going with it.
This letter to you, this also means I find myself at the beginning of starting an email list.
Planning the September Writing Retreat! Now the accommodation is booked I am free to add all the extra touches and crunch numbers.
Working out how to showcase my latest collaboration (see below)
At the end of the month, I have two in-person agency meetings, one for my memoir and the other for my novel, so there is lots of research happening for that.
Continuing to work through The Artist Way, I kick start each writing day with Morning Pages, and some tasks and affirmations. I also prep for the support group I hold on a Thursday, one of my most favourite times of the week. This work has been so valuable to me.
Sorting out the new writing studio. I only moved in last month and there is flooring to go down, (now ordered at least), more wallpaper to go up, and shelving to build. Forever grateful the heating works – the British weather is cold and wet and has been for what feels like eleventy billion years!
Online Writing Community news
I host free online writing hours, Write With Me, most weekdays. To have the opportunity to write with other writers is joining a community, where we share progress, and support for each other’s work makes you feel like you have a cheerleading team. Watching my writer friends grow, achieve, and learn is very rewarding, for each of us.
Last month saw so many writers doing lots of important art; two people are editing novels while another is editing a memoir, one is starting a blog, another is reading and studying, someone is at the beginning of their writing journey, one has been reimagining her substack alongside writing a novel. There are two poets casting their poetry spells, four people working through The Artist Way, someone editing for their job, and others using prompts. Art in the making.
As writing projects come to fruition I will promote them here, in this space.
All the hours I host are completely free (no catches, I promise), and you can drop in and out when you like. Check out my Instagram page for all the details of when as they change weekly. This week’s writing hours are:
This is the link you will need to jump on into a session: https://meet.google.com/xga-pbkj-njd - the link is also in my bio on my social feeds.
The Writing Retreat is back!
Are you dreaming of endless amounts of time without the distraction of the day-to-day to just write when you want to, for as long as you want to? Do you fancy hanging out with other writers, discussing your projects, musing on your writing dreams, and fully embracing the time to indulge your inner creative?
In September, you can do just that, get lost in the beautiful grounds of the retreat, and the Dorset landscape beyond, or even at the bottom of the luxuriously heated pool, or whilst taking in the view above the bubbles from your rolltop bath. Find yourself through journaling, conversation, eating good food, and project sharing. Be inspired by your surroundings, your new writer friends, and the words you find amongst it all. This retreat offers the writer much-needed rest, relaxation, and as much space for writing as you can muster.
With six rooms, all with ensuite bathrooms, four of which, have roll-top baths, plus there is an indoor swimming pool with a sauna. It is fully catered, that’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you will want for nothing.
This is a three-night retreat arriving Monday, 23rd from 4.30 pm, leaving Thursday 26th at 10 am will be just the tonic to inspire the writer.
A retreat-specific email with all the details, including cost, will be winging its way to you very soon.
Notes From A Non-Expectant Mother
A memoir. A journey like no other.
Scanning my emails, as I munched my way through another unsatisfyingly boring salad at lunchtime, I was looking for one email in particular. Again. I had become obsessive about this one email arriving. I did not really expect there to be one waiting for me today, but I lived in eternal hope. I was continuously being told to be patient by everyone around me,’ when the time is right it will come.’ Time. How much more time was I meant to wait?
Except inside this lunch break there it was, sat snugly between an email from British Gas containing an energy statement and an Amazon Echo Dot recommendation. Louisa’s emails stood out to me as if they had flashing lights on them. I just stared at it blinking at me, fork midway to my mouth, as I registered the enormity of what waited inside this email for us. I had waited so long for this email but now I couldn’t open it; I just continued to stare at it until it went all blurry. Slowly my brain unfroze itself, salad easily abandoned, I clicked on the email to open it, noticing instantly an attachment. I dismissed the niceties of the greeting and scanned the email for the information I needed. There in black and white stood thirteen words that I knew in my core would change the course of our lives forever. ‘There are children, twins actually, that I think are suited to you both. I have attached a photo and a basic biography. Let me know if you wish to proceed.’ I am pretty sure my heart and my breath stopped whilst the picture was downloaded from the email. Nothing existed around me other than the screen and a pounding in my ears, it had all fallen away. It must have only taken seconds to download but it is fair to say I am impatient even at the best of times. Why is our internet connection so bloody slow? My screen finally filled with two beautiful smiling toddlers playing at a patio window. Both stood up, small palms flat on the window for stability having just learned to walk. A cheeky grin on one, and a big smile on the other as they looked at something beyond the pane of glass. Boy and girl twins. My stomach lurched and tears stung the back of my eyes and right there in that moment, I was certain of two things. The first, these were our children, I felt it with every fiber of my body. The second thing unfolding in my brain was that they are the ‘why’. These two beautiful, innocent souls are why our IVF attempts failed. I understood our happy fate as if the final piece of our puzzle had finally been located and clicked into place. I sobbed and laughed at the same time with relief, possibly looking like some kind of unhinged mad woman.
Was it possible to feel unconditional love from a photo on a screen? Apparently, yes.
Rereading the email in full this time, I quickly learned from the rest of the email that the twins had three older siblings and a younger one too. They had been taken away at eleven months old from abusive parents and were now under the care of a foster parent. The twins were now fourteen months old and were just learning to walk. That was it, that was all I knew. I read it again, and again until I knew it by heart.
I was in the back room of our shop; I watched Henri cutting his client’s hair from the doorway. My body was jittery, transferring weight from foot to foot, a mascara-streaked, tear-stained face, the memory of the photograph held in my mind’s eye, I was visibly shaking. What a mess. Pull it together for goodness’ sake, people are starting to furrow their brows at you. He was nearly done with the cut. He turned. He beamed at me and then, just for a small beat, his gaze lingered on my frame. I saw his face register; he knew what I knew. He grinned and finished his client with less pomp than normal. “We did it. We have children,” I blurted out as soon as he reached the doorway.
“Children? What do you mean?”
“Yup,” I am beaming, “I am not joking, it’s twins!”
I led him to the screen that still held the picture of the twins grinning from it. I could feel his heart swelling from the intense squeeze of my hand in his; he had become a little giddy too.
“Both of them? We are going to have both?” I filled in the gaps from what little I knew and together we phoned Louisa to say yes. Buzz kill, of course, it is an answering machine. I eye rolled and we left a message, followed by an emailed reply too, and until Henri stopped me, I would have phoned again, and again until she picked up, proving that I had learned nothing about being patient.
Naively, I expected the next part of the process to be plain sailing as if nothing about our journey had taught me anything at all. Louisa finally called us back, explaining that there were two other couples looking to adopt the twins as well as us, and we had to enter what can only be described as a bidding war. Not with money but with ourselves and our lifestyles. Never has it been more important to be able to offer the best. Louisa was our bidder against two other bidding social workers. They had to hold a meeting to hash it out in a room with a lead social worker at the helm overseeing the discussion. We had to wait a week for it to be organised and held. A whole seven days. One hundred and sixty-eight hours.
I think this may be enough for my first letter to you, obviously, I now need to go and edit it over and over until I find I am boring myself and press send!
Loretta x
I got chills reading the excerpt from your memoir. It took me right back to the moment that I got a similar email 13 years ago. I loved stepping into that moment for you, as it unfolded. xx
Welcome to Substack! Sounds like you will be very successful!