I take my summer reading with me just about everywhere we go these days. I’m finding it’s easy to get a few pages in here and there while the girls play at a park. The other day Hadley ran over to the bench I was sitting on and asked if I would read to her. Harper followed behind and echoed Hadley’s request. So I read from Writing True: The Art and Craft of Creative Nonfiction by Sondra Perl and Mimi Schwartz.
“You are not always conscious of working…..And then it happens. It erupts like a volcano….your imagination is working all the time in a subterranean way.” -Erica Jong
Harper wished there were pictures in the book, and Hadley pointed to the leaf next to the quote I read. “Here’s a picture, Harper.” That seemed to please her.
The girls ran back into the park: Hadley giving the monkey bars another go and Harper continuing to work on the home she was building for a creature she hoped to catch later.
And I jotted down few notes for a blog post I thought I’d write someday.
Love the way your writing life intersects so fruitfully with your parenting. A few posts ago, you blogged about Hadley (I think it was Hadley) wanting to be a paleontologist and how she’d already picked up on your intentionality and focus as a writer. This post about reading to them from a CNF book is such a great way of meeting their curiosity with your own activities & life aside from motherhood (when age-appropriate, of course!) And it proves how well children respond to what they’re given. Doesn’t have to be a fancy four-color picture book (although that has its place)–even a leaf will do.
Thanks, Lindsey! I am learning that their curiosity and their lovely “I can do anything” attitude are wonderful ingredients to work with during our days together. The other day the girls made up an entire story using a twisty tie (those things you tie the garbage with). It was completely unprompted. They just picked one up and made a character out of it.
I absolutely love mini stories such as this. Nothing but the truth. Your eye and ear and heart are what make your writing poignant… in my opinion.
Thank you, PJ. I really like your opinion! 🙂
I like the layers of meaning here.
And I’ve added the book to my reading list.
Anita, it is a great book! Another one (that you might want to read first) is Tell It Slant – Writing and Shaping Creative Nonfiction (Miller/Paola). That book (and Lindsey Crittenden’s teaching) got me hooked on CNF.
Loved Hadley pointing out the leaf. And this is the second time today that I’ve heard of Tell It Slant. It must be good. I have to check it out.
I’m going to have to check those out. I always try and take a book with me…I hate to have a moment to read and be bookless!!!