Issue 20 - From Manuscripts to Mountains

Hello and welcome to my weekly email newsletter, Deep Life Reflections: Friday Five, where I share five things I’m enjoying, thinking about, and find interesting.

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1. What I’m Reading

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. By Stephen King.

“Write one of your own Stevie, I bet you could do better.” This gentle nudge from an encouraging mother set the wheels of imagination in motion for a seven-year-old Stephen King. His first tale, an adventure starring four magic animals led by a white bunny called Mr. Rabbit Trick, began the journey of one of the world’s most celebrated storytellers.

King’s memoir, On Writing, published in 1999, weaves biography with an introspective look into his writing practices and wisdom. His rituals—the quiet morning writing sessions, the restorative afternoon naps, and the dedication to penning 2,000 words a day—all embody a disciplined approach reflective of his commitment to craft.

King’s writing space is devoid of distractions, always writing with the door closed. His mantra of writing and reading for five to six hours a day highlights his belief that to truly master the craft, one must be relentless. “If you want to write, you must read. And you must write. Every day.” King celebrates the serendipity of good story ideas, emphasising a writer’s duty to recognise and nurture these creative seeds when they show up. He also talks about the importance of practice, and how this is a process that should be enjoyed.

But King’s journey to success wasn’t without challenges. Raised in a lower-middle-class American family by a single mother, King faced repeated rejections in his early career (he pinned each rejection letter in his writing room as a source of motivation). His wife, Tabitha, played an instrumental role in his journey. She was his cheerleader, his trusted reader, and an honest critic, unafraid to challenge him. She salvaged discarded manuscripts, manuscripts King doubted and deemed unworthy. Through her support and King’s talent and tenacity, he eventually rose to prominence.

On Writing serves not just as a great resource for aspiring writers, but also as a fascinating insight into the life of one of the world’s best storytellers, demonstrating how dedication to one’s craft, coupled with perseverance in the face of adversity, can lead to greatness.

In 2019, The Guardian ranked the best film adaptations of King’s tales. Do you agree with their Top 20?

2. What I’m Watching

Tour de France: Unchained. Directed by Jamie Batten.

Tour de France: Unchained hurls viewers into the ferocious battleground of one of the world’s most demanding endurance events. Regardless of your familiarity or enthusiasm for cycling, this series captures the sacrifices, sweat, and brutality, elevating it beyond mere sport to a testament of human will.

The series maps out an emotional landscape as varied as the physical one, charting terrains of fear, hope, exhaustion, injury, despair, and triumph, all set against the picturesque backdrop of France’s countryside and formidable mountain ranges. Over 170 riders from various nations take on approximately 3,500 kilometres across 21 stages within a grueling 23-day period in pursuit of the coveted yellow jersey, awarded to the rider who completes the race in the shortest amount of time.

Focusing on eight teams locked in fierce competition during the 2022 event, Tour de France: Unchained highlights select riders and their stories, revealing the raw human emotions that elite sport evokes. This includes the story of Fabio Jakobsen, who survived a horrific crash in 2020 while traveling at nearly 80 kilometres per hour.

The peloton, the main body of cyclists, emerges as a metaphorical theme, echoing the relentless rhythm of both the race and life itself: “The peloton keeps moving forward. It’s unyielding” we are told. Cyclists who crash or fall behind are left to confront their isolation as the peloton presses on, always moving forward.

Amid the apparent individualism of the sport, another key theme emerges: the vital role of teamwork. Each team member assumes a distinct role and shared responsibilities, often resulting in personal ambitions being sacrificed for the collective goals of the team. Dutch all-rounder Wout van Aert epitomises this dynamic; his brilliance often takes a backseat to the team’s objectives.

The universal themes of sacrifice, teamwork, and perseverance make Tour de France: Unchained a captivating watch for anyone fascinated in the human spirit and the pursuit of excellence.

3. What I’m Contemplating

Although we may not all be world-class storytellers or phenomenal cyclists defying human endurance limits, the essence of perseverance echoes in everyday life. We all have goals and ambitions that require belief in our potential, a dedication to honing our skills within our chosen domain, and a stubborn refusal to admit defeat.

Yet, it’s important to remember perseverance isn’t about being relentless to the point of self-destruction. It’s about balancing ambition with wellbeing, knowing when to push and when to pause, when to strive and when to step back. The word “quit” may project images of weakness, but its etymological roots paint a different picture, suggesting an origin from “quietare,” the Latin verb for “put to rest,” which conveys resolution and liberation.

Before we can move to the next task—be it a new novel or the next cycling race—we must make peace with the previous one. This means tying up loose ends, extracting valuable lessons, and relinquishing it gracefully.

Perseverance is a personal journey, and it is during times of adversity that our capacity for perseverance is both tested and formed.

4. A Quote to note

“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.”

- Walter Elliot, naturalist and archeologist

5. A Question for you

In what aspect of your life are you demonstrating perseverance right now?

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Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.

James