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“Any piece of writing is a time capsule. It reflects the choices—and the abilities, and the limitations—of the writer we are at the time.”
― Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life
― Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life
“Commit to doing at least one thing in service of your writing every day.”
― Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life
― Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life
“You want to know why I'm crying?" My voice was cracked, my eyes burning. "It's that you think I'm some kind of horrible person just because I wear pants and have a nose ring, and yet you see that girl outside and praise her. That's why I'm crying, Daddy. I'm evolving and changing, just like that girl out there, but you can't see it. You treat me like I'm a prodigal who's turned her back on you. You treat me worse than you treat my pedophile brother."
Pops looked stunned. "Well...," he stammered. I wondered whether he was about to agree with me, to confirm that in his mind my sins of disobedience really were as bad as what Josh had been doing.”
― Counting the Cost
Pops looked stunned. "Well...," he stammered. I wondered whether he was about to agree with me, to confirm that in his mind my sins of disobedience really were as bad as what Josh had been doing.”
― Counting the Cost
“When I'm writing, or settling in to write, I have a far-off look. I know this because my friend Wendy captured it in a photograph. In the picture, I'm sitting on a train somewhere in Montana, holding a pen, a notebook in my lap. I'm looking out the window, but there doesn't need to be a window. I'm not looking, I'm listening. I can see it in my face, how closely I'm listening for the voice of the mind. Of my mind.”
― Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life
― Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life
“All along, I thought I was protecting the kids. Shielding them from realities behind closed doors. Sacrificing to maintain a two-parent Christian home. Making hard, better choices for their faith, family, and education than I made for myself, trying to safeguard them from pain.
But they saw. That was obvious now. And staying meant raising sons who hit women. Staying meant raising a daughter who stayed with the man who hit her. And that would be my fault. I'd be the one who taught them life like this was okay. I didn't just let erratic violence continue happening---I helped by refusing to leave. Good mothers don't let this happen to their kids.”
― A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy
But they saw. That was obvious now. And staying meant raising sons who hit women. Staying meant raising a daughter who stayed with the man who hit her. And that would be my fault. I'd be the one who taught them life like this was okay. I didn't just let erratic violence continue happening---I helped by refusing to leave. Good mothers don't let this happen to their kids.”
― A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy
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