As a paid subscriber of yours, I’m here because I love your writing. Period. I don’t need any extra service - you just happen to be a voice here on the Stack that makes me laugh and you are so unique in your delivery. Consistently.
That twerp of a reader could never write a book. He/she probably just wanted to read more of the bottom side of drinking to make him/her feel better -the old “oh I wasn’t that bad” pass. Your book told the story of how we wake up in sobriety and face all of ourselves head on. Anyone who’s done this work of getting sober knows that’s the magic - facing ourselves fully unarmored.
You are more than ok. You are f’n wonderful. And you’re a f’n author.
You’re wonderful, Julie - and so is your book and your writing on substack. Fuck that person! I’m pretty confident that whatever led them to send that text that is about them, not you. And no one needs to put anything in a book they don’t feel like putting in a book!
Also, in case it’s helpful to hear another perspective on substack subscriptions, I pay for writing here. I don’t pay for or consume "services" (whether in the form of videos, podcasts, classes, memberships, etc.).
Let me just say that from what I have heard (in song form no less) is that if you are a lumberjack you get an autopass to 'okay'.
Whatever that means to you.
There were parts of 'Normal Person' that were unputdownable (Hmmm..autocorrect says that is a word-who knew?). After I started reading it took me some time to get comfortable in your literary skull. I am not one to pick up a quit-lit book and I generally tuck and roll past the self help section of any bookstore before popping up in a Belushi-esqe version of a ninja/stealth move to make sure I wasn't seen. If I don't wind up knocking over at least a display table I am usually in the clear.
By the time I was halfway through your book I figured out 'how' to read it, meaning the mindset I needed to get into to get the most out of it.
All I can say about what I liked in your writing I have.
Are you okay? I dunno, that is for you to decide.
Are you someone whose adventures are just starting as a writer. I fucking hope so.
Whoever wrote you ill intentioned message had salacious expectations and was disappointed.
That is on them.
I saw nothing on the cover of Normal Person that promised details of regrets and debauchery (not the usual order of occurrence I know but if you're disappointed by that it's not my problem 🤣🤣).
You move to your own rhythm and you tell the tale you meant to tell.
Self doubt is 'normal'-especially in the creative fields- but there's so many more people who dig you and your work...don't let that jackass project their frustration over the praise of those folks.
What a piece. I don't comment often enough on pieces that I love, even sometimes ones that I think about afterwards for a long time. So, in a way, this random person who very unfortunately reached out to you (with a completely ignorable review) has reminded me to pipe up and say hey, this is so good, and moving, and honest, and I'm very glad that your work exists in the world.
As someone who does not write on Substack but who does pay for subscriptions I want to tell you that once I’ve subscribed I don’t care what other people are getting for what price. I’m paying for what I want to read and who I want to support bc I love their writing and the content. When I unsubscribe to a paid subscription it’s bc I can only spend so much per month on subscriptions and I want to try something new or a particular author has been speaking to me and I feel like I should pay them for their work and support them. There are several right now that I should probably become a paid subscriber but that would mean getting on the actual computer.
As for the review- not very thoughtful or helpful. Doesn’t really tell me why they liked the book or not. If I was reading reviews of books and trying to decide if I was going to buy it I wouldn’t place any stock in that one. Just sounds mean and petty and like they wish they had the courage to jump off the cliff too. Haters gonna hate.
Also i don’t read book reviews when I’m deciding to read a book. I can’t tell you how many books I’ve quit reading that soooo many people claim changed their lives. Art is subjective. I also love talking to someone about a book, movie or show who doesn’t share the same perspective of it as I do. That is fun to me.
All that to say that I can’t say I would be feeling the exact same was as you are.
Thank you for sharing your writing here, sharing your humanness, making us all feel like a normal person 😉🥰
I love reading your writing. I love how honest and vulnerable you are. You don’t need to go on and on about your rock bottom to be interesting. Keep doing you.
As a paid subscriber of yours, I’m here because I love your writing. Period. I don’t need any extra service - you just happen to be a voice here on the Stack that makes me laugh and you are so unique in your delivery. Consistently.
That twerp of a reader could never write a book. He/she probably just wanted to read more of the bottom side of drinking to make him/her feel better -the old “oh I wasn’t that bad” pass. Your book told the story of how we wake up in sobriety and face all of ourselves head on. Anyone who’s done this work of getting sober knows that’s the magic - facing ourselves fully unarmored.
You are more than ok. You are f’n wonderful. And you’re a f’n author.
Thank you, Allison.
You’re wonderful, Julie - and so is your book and your writing on substack. Fuck that person! I’m pretty confident that whatever led them to send that text that is about them, not you. And no one needs to put anything in a book they don’t feel like putting in a book!
Also, in case it’s helpful to hear another perspective on substack subscriptions, I pay for writing here. I don’t pay for or consume "services" (whether in the form of videos, podcasts, classes, memberships, etc.).
Sending xoxoxoxo’s.
Thank God for good Grandma's.
Let me just say that from what I have heard (in song form no less) is that if you are a lumberjack you get an autopass to 'okay'.
Whatever that means to you.
There were parts of 'Normal Person' that were unputdownable (Hmmm..autocorrect says that is a word-who knew?). After I started reading it took me some time to get comfortable in your literary skull. I am not one to pick up a quit-lit book and I generally tuck and roll past the self help section of any bookstore before popping up in a Belushi-esqe version of a ninja/stealth move to make sure I wasn't seen. If I don't wind up knocking over at least a display table I am usually in the clear.
By the time I was halfway through your book I figured out 'how' to read it, meaning the mindset I needed to get into to get the most out of it.
All I can say about what I liked in your writing I have.
Are you okay? I dunno, that is for you to decide.
Are you someone whose adventures are just starting as a writer. I fucking hope so.
Whoever wrote you ill intentioned message had salacious expectations and was disappointed.
That is on them.
I saw nothing on the cover of Normal Person that promised details of regrets and debauchery (not the usual order of occurrence I know but if you're disappointed by that it's not my problem 🤣🤣).
You move to your own rhythm and you tell the tale you meant to tell.
Self doubt is 'normal'-especially in the creative fields- but there's so many more people who dig you and your work...don't let that jackass project their frustration over the praise of those folks.
I don't quite have 2¢ so take that for fitw.
G'night.
😎
What a piece. I don't comment often enough on pieces that I love, even sometimes ones that I think about afterwards for a long time. So, in a way, this random person who very unfortunately reached out to you (with a completely ignorable review) has reminded me to pipe up and say hey, this is so good, and moving, and honest, and I'm very glad that your work exists in the world.
Thank you for piping up. I appreciate you.
As someone who does not write on Substack but who does pay for subscriptions I want to tell you that once I’ve subscribed I don’t care what other people are getting for what price. I’m paying for what I want to read and who I want to support bc I love their writing and the content. When I unsubscribe to a paid subscription it’s bc I can only spend so much per month on subscriptions and I want to try something new or a particular author has been speaking to me and I feel like I should pay them for their work and support them. There are several right now that I should probably become a paid subscriber but that would mean getting on the actual computer.
As for the review- not very thoughtful or helpful. Doesn’t really tell me why they liked the book or not. If I was reading reviews of books and trying to decide if I was going to buy it I wouldn’t place any stock in that one. Just sounds mean and petty and like they wish they had the courage to jump off the cliff too. Haters gonna hate.
Also i don’t read book reviews when I’m deciding to read a book. I can’t tell you how many books I’ve quit reading that soooo many people claim changed their lives. Art is subjective. I also love talking to someone about a book, movie or show who doesn’t share the same perspective of it as I do. That is fun to me.
All that to say that I can’t say I would be feeling the exact same was as you are.
Thank you for sharing your writing here, sharing your humanness, making us all feel like a normal person 😉🥰
This whole thing is so damn real <3
I love reading your writing. I love how honest and vulnerable you are. You don’t need to go on and on about your rock bottom to be interesting. Keep doing you.