11 Comments
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Brenda Horrigan's avatar

so great to have a name for what drove me into museum exhibits & biography!! Brilliant essay

Jan Brogan's avatar

The MV Museum should be grateful for your creative discontent!! As are its patrons!

Elisa M. Speranza's avatar

So happy to have a name for: “I’m done writing about World War 2.”

Jan Brogan's avatar

Even if your WWII novels are my favorite...I applaud your creative discontent.

Audrey Altstadt's avatar

Yes, Jan, I had the "creative discontent" that Sarah talked about and it resonated with me, too, at the time. This I think is what propelled me to turn from research-based history (foreign archives in foreign languages, 10 years for a book) to historical fiction where I am now a neophyte, sort of. It's in fiction that I find I have patience I thought I had lost. Fingers crossed! Thanks for raising this issue for us all.

Jan Brogan's avatar

Can't wait to see the fictional output with such a high level of research!

Priya M. Sathya's avatar

Jan, so true! Somewhere inside of me I have an actual man/woman difficult relationship book to write. And also a book about family secrets and how they twist with time. Maybe also a novel where I write from a male POV. Isn't it beautiful that we have many possibilities in front of us?

Jan Brogan's avatar

the best possible way to look at it!

Tracey Braun's avatar

Me too! I’m done (maybe? Probably?) with writing beach read romcom novels set on Martha’s Vineyard under a pen name. Can I write something else? Am I brave enough to put my real name on it? I’ll have to see.

Jan Brogan's avatar

I will miss those beach reads!