A professor once asked a class full of us writers why we write. I don’t remember what anyone else said. Eventually he looked at me and I told him I write because I can’t imagine not writing. He told me he thought the name Judy Clement Wall would look good on a book cover, and I decided he was my favorite professor of all time.
My short stories and essays have been published in print and online journals and on some pretty kickass websites. I just finished my first book, Beautiful Lives, a literary novel about love (and family, and mental illness, and ghosts, and dogs, and commercial signage… but mostly love). I climbed out of the writing cave just in time to watch the publishing industry being shaken to its core by an amazing, bottoms-up evolution. I did what any intrepid first-time novelist would do… I interviewed the experts. They were smart, insightful, articulate and generous, but the truth is, no one knows how this will all turn out. So, like everyone else, I’m winging it, dancing across the ever-changing landscape, figuring out the best next steps. I blog about the crazy of writing for publication in the “j’s Journey” series at Fear of Writing.
I do other stuff. Besides write. Often to avoid writing. Here’s a list of the other stuff I do – a list that doesn’t begin to get at the terrible neurotic ambivalence I feel toward my writing, the love-hate-euphoria-depression-delusional-paranoid-grandeur of it all.
- I grow tomato plants. Someday, I hope to grow actual tomatoes.
- I love. As fearlessly as I can. (And I write about it here.)
- I take pictures. Sometimes I post them.
- I listen to NPR.
- I check email. A lot. And tweet. And Facebook. And research things I hear on NPR. And research things I find while I’m researching things I hear on NPR.
- I get antsy, and then I’ve been known to pace. And doodle. And rearrange furniture. And cut my own hair.
- I make lists.
- I walk my dogs, hike, bike, boat, wakeboard, and practice yoga.
- I read. I often fall a little in love with the authors of the books I read. When I get the urge to write a love letter, I write a review.
- I wander. A lot. Because I know that it’s there, in the space between the things on my to-do list, where all the best stuff happens.
You can drop me an email at zebrasoundsj [at] gmail [dot] com. Or find me on Twitter. Or friend me on Facebook. Seriously. I’d like that. Distractions welcome.
Why is there not a pic of your lovely face and smile on the home page???
(jcw: DONE!)
I love your blogs… I’m your new biggest fan… well, I’ve always been one of your biggest fans!! I look forward to more!!! -me
I like your blog too, it’s very nice, great approach on the subjects :) Keep up the good relaxation since this isn’t your work, so don’t avoid it :P
Hi Judy,
I’m so glad you came by and left a comment. I wouldn’t know about your wonderful blog otherwise. I appreciate your list of what else you do. It made me laugh and intropsepctive at the same time.
I’m very new to this and very glad I came across your blog! :D
you do have GREAT TEETH.
lol. never typed that before.
Ya know, I finally made it over here and I’m so glad I did.
I am distracted by your eclectic tastes in all things, I am intrigued by your writing and your writing style.
In short, I am simply impressed.
I shall return.
George
George, Hi! And yay! Excuse my giddy smile, I left my professional one in my other pants. (Thank you!)
I really like what I’ve seen of your blog. I feel like I know you a bit now!
Dennis, thank you! If you’ve read it, you do know me. More than a bit. For better or worse! :-)
I found your piece, ‘Invisible” lovely :)
Fraz, Thank you for that. It was one of those scary, from a deep place pieces. It means a lot to me that you took the time to come here and comment.
Hi
I stumbled upon you short story “Invisible” yesterday while distracting myself from lesson planning. After reading it I had no choice but to use it in my English class. It was perfect for my class. I thought I would let you know how they reacted to reading your story.
All of my students enjoyed it very much and many of them remarked that they wanted to read more afterwards, which is something I have never heard the say before(and probably won’t hear again for a while).
Thank you for giving me a wonderful story to show my class
-A teacher from Norway-
Terje, Wow! Thank you so much for telling me that! I’m humbled and delighted, and really, really happy that I was able to distract you!
Hi Judy,
I just stumbled across your page and I absolutely fell in love with your words. I read “Invisible” first and it just sucked me in. I want to be a writer, too. I’m 21 and still in college but I’m writing every day and taking every opportunity to learn about it. You write in a way that reminds me of my own. I appreciate being able to see something beautiful that my writing could grow into! Do you have any advice about how I could progress as a writer and how I could go about finding a fulfilling job?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I will definitely be back to read your new updates!
Caitlyn, Thank you so much for that! You’re already doing the most important thing for a writer and that’s writing every day. The best advice any of my professors ever gave me was “just write.” Sometimes that’s the hardest thing! The fulfilling job part, I’m still trying to work out myself. ;-)
Good luck, I do hope you come back!
I randomly StumbledUpon your work, Invisible and I just wanted to thank you for sharing it on the interweb. I would love to read more of your work. I think its beautiful.
Thank you, Patrick! On my list of things to do is add a “J-writes” page to this blog, where I can’t post things that have been published. It’s coming! (You can read my short story “Zebra Sounds” on the Why Zebra Sounds page.)
Just clicked over to your blog. LOVE the sky picture!
Dear Judy,
not often it happens that what is written gives you a sensation of happiness which goes beyond the perspectives of happiness. It’s the kind of incontrolable, almost discomfortable, borderless yet breathtaking happiness which I haven’t felt for a long time. Thank you for that!!
good luck with everything.
Alexander
Wow. You totally made my day with this and it isn’t even 8 am yet! Thank you so much for this.
happy to do so.
I’ve read this page before but it was so bio-good I had to read it again. As usual, I love the way you make your lists so fun and fascinating and wide-ranging, and all in just ten points.
I cannot imagine ever making my life sound interesting enough to be worthy of a blog, much less climb the heights and plumb the depths that yours does (and always done with humor, even when you’re having a really tough time). You always make me think, and laugh, and feel.
Thank you, Milli! Occasionally, I come back and revise the list. It’s evolving. Like me. ;-)
So I decided to read about j, and saw your j list. Your item #6 got me thinking, both about the perfect cup of coffee, and my lack of coffee over the years. I then began to wonder if you have ever had Kopi Luwak. It sounds absolutely disgusting how it’s made, yet it is the most expensive (like $40 per cup) and according to two people I know, is the best cup of coffee in the world.
So, if you are up for adventure, and haven’t already tried it, it might be blog worthy… or it might just be another expensive cup of coffee…
I, of course, will never know, and will have to sip coffee vicariously through others I know.
Hello.
Just dropped by to say ‘hello’. Heard about you through Michael (@tolthinkfree). Will be back later for some serious reading. :-)
Hello back. I’ll come visit you too. (And such is the power of @tolthinkfree.)
Your number 15: I go on larks and do inadvisable things.
This sentence shall take its place forevermore in my Top Ten List of Favorite Sentences.
I’ve been reading your blog for a while and enjoy it so much.
Michele, this is like a Universe-dancing thing. I was just over at your blog a couple of days ago reading about you and your brother, and I made myself a note to follow you Twitter. Which I just did. And then as I was logging off to walk the beasts, I saw your comment here. C’mon, cool, right?
Thank you for the note. I’m smiling big!
Judy you Cutie.
I finally decided to distract myself from writing by reading your delicious blog and everyone’s tasty comments. I feel a cheesecake coming on now. Must go.
Love, ME :)
Am subscribing to your site to show my undying devotion.
All my blogging dreams have come true! Now what will I do? xo
You can tell me how to add your blog to mine so when people see me they think of you. And cheesecake.
Hello there j,
I am writing in regards to the question of the particular sounds
a zebra makes. Let me state for the record, I am not a Zebra keeper.
Now, that said, I am a sound oriented person, and so you might imagine
my surprise when such an interesting question jumped out at my eyes!
I believe your question is important, not to bring to an answer, but perhaps
to lob answers at. Therefore, I came up with a few concepts
while brainstorming on your situation.
(I got the brain before closing, mid-week; it was a reduced price rental. I think the batteries are low.)
Regarding the speech oriented sounds of zebra,
I found this interesting Wiki article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houyhnhnm
Also, sonically speaking, shibboleth is a great word for making zebra faced sounds.
To demonstrate, say “shibboleth” over and over while shaking your head quickly, side to side keeping your
cheeks nice and relaxed. I find that the SH – B – SH – B dynamic is very effective. Have ice close at hand.
(Confetti can also be thrown, upon satisfaction, but I can’t say what effect this will have for you.)
(Use caution with confetti at all times.)
I hope this helps you in your quest!
I actually, in a 10 Things list, published the sound a zebra makes. But like you, I think there’s a more important, beautiful question that we’re all answering. Around here, we call it the sound that a zebra makes, but that is shorthand… it has more to do with heart and soul and… yeah. Maybe confetti too.
loved your story Zebra Sounds – and wish you the best in writing and publishing!
Thank you! Just back from vacation and feeling like it’s time to put on my big girl writing pants. (Or something like that.) ;-)