Wow. This was so helpful. I've looked at the systems, but seeing them tied to writing style put a new lens on it! It seems like my writing here on Substack is definitely Forest... I go deep into my own struggles with my creativity and ego to help others who struggle with the self-doubt you mentioned... with my fiction writing, that feels more Aquatic. My desire is to challenge the status quo and shake people up enough to ask questions about the stories we've been told... interesting to see the difference between the two! And hold space for both to be true.
The first fantasy book I ever read was probably one of the most impactful (although I can't think of the title for the life of me right now...) but it opened my eyes to see the impact we're having on our physical world.... and now I write fantasy. Sooooooo.... lol
I love it. Just remember that if your transformation is different in fiction and non-fiction, you’ll likely have a harder time transiting people from one to the other. It’s not a bad thing, and people really want all five, but if you get different reactions, that might be why.
Ohhhhh that's good to know. So, I'm thinking about turning my SS into a place that hosts my fantasy writing (with short stories and behind the scenes world stuff) and also has some of my forest-y personal essays and tools I've used to work with/overcome the creative blocks... is that a tough combo or could it work?
It could work. The forest/aquatic overlap is strong, but the reader wants to different things, and they might not find it in both work. I started having one Substack for both but split them bc the day I launched fiction every month was when I lost the most subs. I think forests can probably get away with it most. The closer you can make the fiction and nonfiction I think the better, especially is one are parables of the other.
Super helpful! I mean, the themes I’m working with in both fiction and non-fiction do have a lot of overlap so I think I can make it so they mirror each other in some way… something to chew on… thank you!!
No it didn’t. Most people think it’s something I dreamed up one day and not an architecture that we’ve been developing over two years. It’s grand it works for you. I love it.
Wow. This was so helpful. I've looked at the systems, but seeing them tied to writing style put a new lens on it! It seems like my writing here on Substack is definitely Forest... I go deep into my own struggles with my creativity and ego to help others who struggle with the self-doubt you mentioned... with my fiction writing, that feels more Aquatic. My desire is to challenge the status quo and shake people up enough to ask questions about the stories we've been told... interesting to see the difference between the two! And hold space for both to be true.
The first fantasy book I ever read was probably one of the most impactful (although I can't think of the title for the life of me right now...) but it opened my eyes to see the impact we're having on our physical world.... and now I write fantasy. Sooooooo.... lol
I love it. Just remember that if your transformation is different in fiction and non-fiction, you’ll likely have a harder time transiting people from one to the other. It’s not a bad thing, and people really want all five, but if you get different reactions, that might be why.
Ohhhhh that's good to know. So, I'm thinking about turning my SS into a place that hosts my fantasy writing (with short stories and behind the scenes world stuff) and also has some of my forest-y personal essays and tools I've used to work with/overcome the creative blocks... is that a tough combo or could it work?
It could work. The forest/aquatic overlap is strong, but the reader wants to different things, and they might not find it in both work. I started having one Substack for both but split them bc the day I launched fiction every month was when I lost the most subs. I think forests can probably get away with it most. The closer you can make the fiction and nonfiction I think the better, especially is one are parables of the other.
Super helpful! I mean, the themes I’m working with in both fiction and non-fiction do have a lot of overlap so I think I can make it so they mirror each other in some way… something to chew on… thank you!!
Love this. Makes so much sense.
Looking forward to reading the book!
Yay!
Love the metaphors of transformation through landscape
Yay! They are way more than metaphors, though. I have written a whole book on the archetypes we developed.
Sorry if that seemed reductive
No it didn’t. Most people think it’s something I dreamed up one day and not an architecture that we’ve been developing over two years. It’s grand it works for you. I love it.