This is SUCH a fantastic interview. Thank you, Debbie. thank you, Abigail. I will take this with me, the working with clay (my writing), knowing it can’t be forced and only begun. I can see even in this interview why the Emily Dickinson of memoir is apt.
A friend and I were recently discussing how we’re rounding on 50. “Do you sometimes get that feeling that this is it, that we have reached some sort of flatline we will be going forward?” she asked. “No,” I told her honestly, “not at all.” I think this is in part because of the many wonderful women I’ve connected with of late. I’m reading and becoming friends with so many women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. They are creating new work, delving into new projects, falling in love, screwing up, screwing, hoping support groups, making podcasts, learning to work with clay. ;) They are living.
ooo Holly, it’s not a flat line at all after 50! though I do recall that turning 50 felt MOMENTOUS, but so did turning 70. At 50 I sensed that whatever big thing I wanted to do I better DO IT because I was more than half way to the finish line. (I published a book with a big New York publisher when I was 58; that ticked a box.) I can’t wait to hear what’s next for you and thank you for listening to this wonderful episode with Abby.
Love hearing that! I’m well into a memoir manuscript. Next step—soon—book proposal and agent queries. So, I love hearing this. I’m feeling that push to do, in an empowering way, these days. ♥️
![[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/e_trim:10:white/e_trim:10:transparent/h_72,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb939748d-5d80-4d0f-867c-2ed252ac633c_1344x256.png)
This is SUCH a fantastic interview. Thank you, Debbie. thank you, Abigail. I will take this with me, the working with clay (my writing), knowing it can’t be forced and only begun. I can see even in this interview why the Emily Dickinson of memoir is apt.
A friend and I were recently discussing how we’re rounding on 50. “Do you sometimes get that feeling that this is it, that we have reached some sort of flatline we will be going forward?” she asked. “No,” I told her honestly, “not at all.” I think this is in part because of the many wonderful women I’ve connected with of late. I’m reading and becoming friends with so many women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. They are creating new work, delving into new projects, falling in love, screwing up, screwing, hoping support groups, making podcasts, learning to work with clay. ;) They are living.
ooo Holly, it’s not a flat line at all after 50! though I do recall that turning 50 felt MOMENTOUS, but so did turning 70. At 50 I sensed that whatever big thing I wanted to do I better DO IT because I was more than half way to the finish line. (I published a book with a big New York publisher when I was 58; that ticked a box.) I can’t wait to hear what’s next for you and thank you for listening to this wonderful episode with Abby.
Love hearing that! I’m well into a memoir manuscript. Next step—soon—book proposal and agent queries. So, I love hearing this. I’m feeling that push to do, in an empowering way, these days. ♥️