I swear I didn't ghost you
an explanation and update
Maybe you haven’t noticed my absence, but in case you have: I’m sorry. The last time you heard from me, over two months ago, I mentioned having a strange spring and being behind with a lot in life. In February, I accepted a temporary tutoring position, which disrupted the delicate equilibrium I worked to establish after my mental health crisis in the fall of 2022. More than the change in my schedule this spring, it was the change in my capacity that impacted me.
On Saturday, The Baltimore Banner published my essay about this—specifically, about the hard decisions we make in the name of healing. As usual, the process of writing was illuminating in ways that discussing it with loved ones or even my therapist is not. Writing this essay taught me how resistant I’ve been to accepting the truth of things: I cannot do as much as I once did. Of course, everyone in my life has gently, lovingly, repeatedly pointed this out to me, but framing this experience in essay form is why I’ve finally started to internalize it.
This spring, while learning to re-calibrate my energy, I needed to put other initiatives—like this newsletter—on pause. (By the way, paid subscriptions are also on pause, and have been since May; it’s not fair to ask you to financially support me while I get myself together!) Unfortunately, I’m not ready yet to return to posting regularly, in part because I have time-sensitive commitments to meet this summer*. My tentative plan is to start again this fall, with a new look and even name.
If you’d like to keep in touch in the meantime, please attend my workshops! My virtual series, Being Brief: How To Write Flash Narratives, begins Thursday. (The details are here.) Baltimore-area folks are also welcome to attend Poetry & Prose in the Park, a free workshop I’m co-facilitating with fellow writer Annie Marhefka this Friday. Email me if you have any questions about either of these workshops. If you have any workshop requests, please let me know; I’ll see what I can do!
Thank you for waiting this out with me. I didn’t—and won’t—ghost you.
*I’m applying for my Author Accelerator book coaching certification. Book coaches help writers finish their books, which can take a lot of forms: project management; developmental edits; brainstorming sessions; evaluating full manuscripts; encouragement; honesty. For years before completing this intensive training, I provided these services informally; now that I’m nearing the end of this program, I’m really looking forward to running my own book coaching business.