Oct 24, 2023·edited Oct 24, 2023Liked by Rachel Katz
For me (a non-traditional artist type; although also a musician), I achieve "The Artist's Date" by going into nature. Most recently, an arduous backpacking trip through the Yosemite back country.
There is something deeply creative about the process. Finding camp in a nook amongst the rugged landscape, collecting wood and building fire, finding water and filtering it for use, carrying everything I need upon my back, waking with the sun.
Sure, I could go out to a music venue or take a pottery class. I think that would be meaningful. But nothing seems to strike me to the core, awe me with its beauty, and tap me into the creative flow as immersion in the wild does.
Thanks Rae for this helpful information and intriguing possibility.
And thanks for sharing your essays, which I look forward to reading.
My reading often sparks my own essays.
Ted Gioia's essay on the Death of Information made me think of trust and that made me think of self-trust and now I'm working on a pst about a time I lost trust in myself.
Questions: Am I correct in assuming that magazines will only accept work that has NOT been posted to Substack? And a variant of that question: what if you posted an essay on Substack but wanted to take it much further in terms of depth and length?
That AGNI essay is a wonder, a joy, the prelude to a manifesto, a sock for old Geoff to chew on, and a bell announcing the hour of the coming-out ball for sensitive folk. It also proves your point about lit mags. Even reading your post and the AGNI essay on the same mobile device, I felt the different “medium.” The lit mag essay slowed way down, in the best way. Hallelujah.
I love this slow writing idea! I often feel I want to write something that takes longer and more effort but I never think these fit the Substack mode of publishing once a week, so I will definitely be considering magazines for these pieces. And I fell in love with a class on Grubsteet until I realised it runs midnight to 3am my time. 😳😢
Fantastic resource and advice Rae. I've saved it for future reference.
1. My last artist date was to go to two different art stores and buy supplies to draw and learn how to use the brush stroke pens. Just because it looks cool and admire all the artists here on Substack.
2. I haven't submitted to any magazines or newspapers since my 20's (a long time ago). I have an interest and this post is super exciting for me. Because...
3. I signed up for a writing class at the University of Victoria through Continuing Studies and it started two weeks ago. It is definitely reigniting my creative spark (and helping with some practical tools like the ones you've shared above.)
Thanks so much for this post Rae. Greatly appreciated. xo
I also have "The Artist's Way" and have gone on artist's dates with myself. The last date outside my home was pre-pandemic; however, I have a reminder in my calendar to set aside one day out of the week for Play. Usually this means collaging on a little project. It takes me out of the "verbal" world of writing and gives voice to my nonverbal parts.
When I was attending college, I managed to publish two stories in the "official" literary magazine they had there, a very short piece I wrote pretty well spontaneously and a longer story I had worked several years on. I daresay the stories were the first Science Fiction stories the university had seen!
As to reigniting my creative spark, there are a handful of music videos I found on YouTube that do the trick, from my MTV days when they played actual music videos. Reading new-to-me stories can also do it. If I find myself wanting to take a story I'm reading and go farther with its characters and/or plot, that's a sign that I'm good to go, along with it being a really good story.
As a visual artist, when I am feeling stuck I find it often helps to switch medium. Drawing is not going so well so I have started playing around with printmaking again. It helps me to loosen up, psychologically.
Hallelujah indeed! Sadder but wiser may not win the futile game of capitalism but we reside in truth. And as I sit here with a cat making quiet biscuits by my side, rain insisting on gray and no tidy answers in my reach, I’m content. Thank you Rae for joining me/us there. Genuine, validating, vulnerable, powerful essay.
That AGNI essay is so, so good! An absolute must read!
I’m itching to write on a more personal level, but I’m not ready to share that with my email list. Too many people that I know in real life.
I’ve used Submittable for writing workshops and photo submissions but had not connected the dots to the idea of personal writing. I’m really grateful for the how-to here.
Thanks for the insight, and tips. I've been told a few times to submit my work to literary magazines (I write fiction as well as non-fiction) but it still feels quite daunting to sit down and actually start the process. This will definitely help.
I also really struggle with the slow writing idea - it pains me, almost, to be writing week after week on the same post and feel like it's not ready. It's that fine line between 'done is better than perfect' and determining 'no, this one needs a little more cooking'.
Although the Artist's date concept is new to me, I sometimes go to see live music by myself, especially if this is a musical style that none of my friends are into, but sometimes even if they are. I will now add to this going to galleries without knowing what is on. That sounds really inspiring.
Thank you for reminding us that your work gets rejected! You are a brilliant writer and even though I know good writers get rejected it’s nice to see it in writing from the writer herself.
I am going to check out Grub Street!
I’ll answer #1. I’ve taken myself on a few artists dates watercoloring. I write (bad) poetry in my yard while watching the hillsides.
First, I disagree with the advice to submit to smaller markets at first with any project. That's prejudging your work and, for all you know, that Big Name Editor might be looking for something exactly like what you've written. The other piece is that after they've seen a certain amount of work from you, they start looking for something that they can buy from you.
Secondly, for me one caveat is that I never, ever, pay to submit.
Other than that? Go for it! If you are really intense and wanting to submit fiction and essays, honestly, your best chance is to build up an inventory of 10-20 things in circulation. I heard this one years ago and it's true...once you're sending out that quantity of work, things do sell. Regularly.
Thanks for this post Rae. It's a great reminder of why some of us do slog through the literary magazine submission process. I've only been shortlisted once so it's still a "goal". My writing process is increasingly strengthened by sharing my stories in my writing groups, including one that includes a weekly live storytelling session. It's changed my life. The idea of an artist's date is one I'm familiar with but again thanks for the "nudge". I'm hoping to submit to CBC (Canada) short fiction contest next week. I actually dictated a story to myself during a 3 hour drive this morning but on transcribing it see it now as a piece of non-fiction so I think it's going to Prairie Fire. Reading stories out loud has become the best tool in my "toolbox". Thanks again!
When a trek through the mountains isn’t possible, a trek through the thrift store provides sneaky creative beauty. Recently- I went to three thrift stores and just looked at the book sections, lightly keeping an eye for volumes I could use for erasure poetry & cutup work -- a playful creative departure from my usual flow.
For me (a non-traditional artist type; although also a musician), I achieve "The Artist's Date" by going into nature. Most recently, an arduous backpacking trip through the Yosemite back country.
There is something deeply creative about the process. Finding camp in a nook amongst the rugged landscape, collecting wood and building fire, finding water and filtering it for use, carrying everything I need upon my back, waking with the sun.
Sure, I could go out to a music venue or take a pottery class. I think that would be meaningful. But nothing seems to strike me to the core, awe me with its beauty, and tap me into the creative flow as immersion in the wild does.
Thanks Rae for this helpful information and intriguing possibility.
And thanks for sharing your essays, which I look forward to reading.
My reading often sparks my own essays.
Ted Gioia's essay on the Death of Information made me think of trust and that made me think of self-trust and now I'm working on a pst about a time I lost trust in myself.
Questions: Am I correct in assuming that magazines will only accept work that has NOT been posted to Substack? And a variant of that question: what if you posted an essay on Substack but wanted to take it much further in terms of depth and length?
That AGNI essay is a wonder, a joy, the prelude to a manifesto, a sock for old Geoff to chew on, and a bell announcing the hour of the coming-out ball for sensitive folk. It also proves your point about lit mags. Even reading your post and the AGNI essay on the same mobile device, I felt the different “medium.” The lit mag essay slowed way down, in the best way. Hallelujah.
I love this slow writing idea! I often feel I want to write something that takes longer and more effort but I never think these fit the Substack mode of publishing once a week, so I will definitely be considering magazines for these pieces. And I fell in love with a class on Grubsteet until I realised it runs midnight to 3am my time. 😳😢
Fantastic resource and advice Rae. I've saved it for future reference.
1. My last artist date was to go to two different art stores and buy supplies to draw and learn how to use the brush stroke pens. Just because it looks cool and admire all the artists here on Substack.
2. I haven't submitted to any magazines or newspapers since my 20's (a long time ago). I have an interest and this post is super exciting for me. Because...
3. I signed up for a writing class at the University of Victoria through Continuing Studies and it started two weeks ago. It is definitely reigniting my creative spark (and helping with some practical tools like the ones you've shared above.)
Thanks so much for this post Rae. Greatly appreciated. xo
Some answers...
I also have "The Artist's Way" and have gone on artist's dates with myself. The last date outside my home was pre-pandemic; however, I have a reminder in my calendar to set aside one day out of the week for Play. Usually this means collaging on a little project. It takes me out of the "verbal" world of writing and gives voice to my nonverbal parts.
When I was attending college, I managed to publish two stories in the "official" literary magazine they had there, a very short piece I wrote pretty well spontaneously and a longer story I had worked several years on. I daresay the stories were the first Science Fiction stories the university had seen!
As to reigniting my creative spark, there are a handful of music videos I found on YouTube that do the trick, from my MTV days when they played actual music videos. Reading new-to-me stories can also do it. If I find myself wanting to take a story I'm reading and go farther with its characters and/or plot, that's a sign that I'm good to go, along with it being a really good story.
As a visual artist, when I am feeling stuck I find it often helps to switch medium. Drawing is not going so well so I have started playing around with printmaking again. It helps me to loosen up, psychologically.
Hallelujah indeed! Sadder but wiser may not win the futile game of capitalism but we reside in truth. And as I sit here with a cat making quiet biscuits by my side, rain insisting on gray and no tidy answers in my reach, I’m content. Thank you Rae for joining me/us there. Genuine, validating, vulnerable, powerful essay.
That AGNI essay is so, so good! An absolute must read!
I’m itching to write on a more personal level, but I’m not ready to share that with my email list. Too many people that I know in real life.
I’ve used Submittable for writing workshops and photo submissions but had not connected the dots to the idea of personal writing. I’m really grateful for the how-to here.
Beautiful article on AGNI! walked right through me.
Thanks for the insight, and tips. I've been told a few times to submit my work to literary magazines (I write fiction as well as non-fiction) but it still feels quite daunting to sit down and actually start the process. This will definitely help.
I also really struggle with the slow writing idea - it pains me, almost, to be writing week after week on the same post and feel like it's not ready. It's that fine line between 'done is better than perfect' and determining 'no, this one needs a little more cooking'.
Although the Artist's date concept is new to me, I sometimes go to see live music by myself, especially if this is a musical style that none of my friends are into, but sometimes even if they are. I will now add to this going to galleries without knowing what is on. That sounds really inspiring.
Thank you for reminding us that your work gets rejected! You are a brilliant writer and even though I know good writers get rejected it’s nice to see it in writing from the writer herself.
I am going to check out Grub Street!
I’ll answer #1. I’ve taken myself on a few artists dates watercoloring. I write (bad) poetry in my yard while watching the hillsides.
Two things--
First, I disagree with the advice to submit to smaller markets at first with any project. That's prejudging your work and, for all you know, that Big Name Editor might be looking for something exactly like what you've written. The other piece is that after they've seen a certain amount of work from you, they start looking for something that they can buy from you.
Secondly, for me one caveat is that I never, ever, pay to submit.
Other than that? Go for it! If you are really intense and wanting to submit fiction and essays, honestly, your best chance is to build up an inventory of 10-20 things in circulation. I heard this one years ago and it's true...once you're sending out that quantity of work, things do sell. Regularly.
Thanks for this post Rae. It's a great reminder of why some of us do slog through the literary magazine submission process. I've only been shortlisted once so it's still a "goal". My writing process is increasingly strengthened by sharing my stories in my writing groups, including one that includes a weekly live storytelling session. It's changed my life. The idea of an artist's date is one I'm familiar with but again thanks for the "nudge". I'm hoping to submit to CBC (Canada) short fiction contest next week. I actually dictated a story to myself during a 3 hour drive this morning but on transcribing it see it now as a piece of non-fiction so I think it's going to Prairie Fire. Reading stories out loud has become the best tool in my "toolbox". Thanks again!
When a trek through the mountains isn’t possible, a trek through the thrift store provides sneaky creative beauty. Recently- I went to three thrift stores and just looked at the book sections, lightly keeping an eye for volumes I could use for erasure poetry & cutup work -- a playful creative departure from my usual flow.