Write of Passage Weekly

Hello writers,

Welcome back to Write of Passage Weekly, where we help you unlock the serendipity of the Internet. 

Last week, we discussed sharing your draft and how feedback can help you overcome blockers and insecurities around publishing. Today, you’ll learn how inspiration can come from the mundane and ordinary.

Publish in a Day

Do you struggle to get ideas onto the page? Does perfectionism prevent you from hitting “Publish?” In these one-day workshops, students write, edit, and publish something they are proud of. Here’s a selection of articles from alumni of Publish in a Day.

If you’re looking for a deadline, feedback, and accountability, join us on Friday, January 19, to publish your idea in a day.

Open Your Eyes

Marcel Proust once told a story about a young man who spent much of his waking hours feeling dissatisfied with the lack of beauty in his life. He compared the ordinariness of his parents’ flat to the glitzy houses of bankers who had enough money for proper decoration. And so, to escape his seemingly lackluster reality, he would visit the Louvre to satisfy his appetite for beauty, perusing Monet’s lily ponds and Veronese’s grand palaces.

Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies – Claude Monet, 1899

One day, Proust suggested that the young man take his Louvre tour in a different direction. Instead of Veronese and Monet, Proust pointed him towards Jean Siméon Chardin.

Chardin wasn’t concerned with palaces or displays of gold. He painted ordinary things. Even when he painted people, he depicted normal folks going about their days, playing cards or scrubbing dishes in a kitchen barrel.

Yet, deep within the ordinary, there is something extraordinarily charming about Chardin’s paintings. His work shows us that a normal situation can be captivating if you just pay it enough attention and pause to observe. What Proust tried to tell the young man was, “Open your eyes.” What the young man called “mediocre” could also be depicted with splendor. Beauty can be found everywhere, not just in the details of embellished robes or crystal lights or water lilies.

Glass of Water and Coffeepot – Jean Siméon Chardin, 1760

We all have ears, but not everyone hears; we all have eyes, but not everyone sees. The mundane, when closely observed, reveals a wealth of texture and color, ripe for expression. It whispers the secrets of compelling storytelling. All it asks is simply that you watch and listen. When you observe, you find that what you’re looking for is right there in your living room. Like the young man, you don’t have to hunt for grand sources of inspiration in order to write. 

Writing lets you freeze subtle, poignant ordinariness into journals and blogs and essays, capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life. Write down what you see. Preserve the fine details of your life by putting them into words.

Observe what you’d typically see as boring or ordinary — the sound of wheels on a shopping cart, the way a stranger adjusts her hat, or the look of glee on a child’s face upon being handed a popsicle. There are threads of the extraordinary woven into the fabric of the everyday. By being keenly aware of your environment and its happenings, you allow the rise and fall of mundane moments to fuel your creativity.

How I Write Podcast

How Sahil Bloom Gained 1 Million Twitter Followers

Sahil Bloom once believed working in finance was the only way to make money. Then, he started writing online and proved himself wrong. 

Sure, Sahil is an excellent content creator, but he's also The Founding Partner of a $10M venture fund that uses his social media to invest in startups. He’s meticulous about combining good content with good strategy. I once nudged him to launch a newsletter; and in true Sahil fashion, he became obsessed. 600,000 newsletter subscribers later, he has a raving audience and a robust understanding of how the combination of professional expertise and personal experiences can help you grow an audience. 

His mission? Positively impact a billion people in the next 50 years. His approach? Write with soul. 

In this episode, you’ll learn how Sahil writes with soul while making money and having an impact. You’ll learn how to breathe new life into already-existing ideas. Most importantly, you’ll learn Sahil’s most-used frameworks for writing something only you can write. 

Listen Now: YouTube | Apple | Spotify

From Our Alumni

“Are You Willing to Pay the Hidden Cost of Success?”

Corey Wilks examines the opportunity costs of achievement in an article recently featured by Psychology Today:

“Many people who achieve success feel empty or overwhelmed—because they don’t actually want everything that comes with success. Sometimes becoming a bestselling author, world-renowned entrepreneur, or beloved celebrity isn’t a dream, but a nightmare.”

Thank you for reading Write of Passage Weekly. This week, try to find some beauty in the mundane. And when you find it, write about it.

Happy writing,

The Write of Passage Team