I’m lying in bed reading and not focused on the words.

I’m thinking about a friend who recently told me she doesn’t share things about herself unless asked.

This got me thinking about how I express myself.

My writing tends to be dense, prosaic, abstract, and philosophical. I discovered that I use this writing style to avoid plainly stating what I feel.

I reach for imagery.

Or I analyze what I’m going through based on something I’ve read or dive into research.

My quest this week is to write about emotions.

Today, I chose disgust. I wrote three short stories, a blend of memory and make-believe.

Takeaway: it feels good to purge the person you once were.

Conflict: am I still that person?

Sending you love,
Sera.

On Disgust 1

“I’d dressed for the date in a silk shirt. Pink or white, I can’t recall. It glowed in the candlelight so he could see me as I spilled the salad—arugula with olives—onto my lap. I plucked the leaves with my fingers. There were oil stains on my skirt, small blots I rubbed with my thumb from the edge of the fabric onto my thighs. I liked how slippery the oil felt against my skin. I enjoyed the sensation of my tongue in my palm. The flames flickered, and I closed my eyes. Maybe one minute passed. Maybe ten. He cleared his throat. Are you alright? I shook my hair free of tomatoes and capers.” — Keep reading here.

Haruki Murakami -

But my style, my prose, is very easy to read. It contains a sense of humor, it’s dramatic, and it’s a page-turner. There’s a sort of magic balance between those two factors; perhaps that’s another reason for my success.

Read the full interview here.

Quote of the Week:

New consciousness is demanding new eyes, new ears, new antennae, new vibrations, new everything. We are microcosms of the macrocosm.

Marion Woodman

1question to brew on:

• What’s your short story on disgust?