25 Comments
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Peter Jenkins's avatar

So what did you think of this year’s RA Summer Show?

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Loved it Peter. I managed to squeeze a day in London into the diary and spent a lovely time at the RA - I wanted to catch the Kiefer Van Gogh show, and the Summer Exhibition of course.

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Melissa Clements's avatar

I noticed this too! The big balloon piece in the entrance is so iconic. It was my first time attending and I was blown away by the breadth of work. How was the Kiefer Van Gogh show? I missed that one

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

I really thought the two pieces married well together. I hadn't realised, until afterwards, that they were two separate art works, they looked as though they were meant to be together!

I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the Kiefer Van Gogh... I love the work of both artists, but I'd hoped to see more connection in this exhibition. I felt it was a little contrived, and it was a relatively small display of Van Gogh's work.

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Julia Webb-Harvey's avatar

Lovely reflections, Yasmin. Thank you for sharing them. I hope Substack continues to be a place to thrive, to connect and find moments of joy! You seem to have found a lovely balance.

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Thanks Julia. It works for me and opens up new possibilities for my writing.

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Julie Snider's avatar

I love your reflections, Yasmin. Patience and persistence are certainly key elements we must embody here on Substack. I like your emphasis on quality over quantity, and am adjusting the frequency of my own posts to come about every ten days rather than weekly. Good post!

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

I'm pleased there are some things in my post that resonate with you Julie. We have to make the platform work for us... not the other way around.

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Julie Snider's avatar

Absolutely

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Robert Ashton's avatar

I too have become tired of the shallowness of X, Facebook and lately LinkedIn and I’m enjoying the self-imposed discipline of writing here almost every day. I’m struggling to pin down my creative writing PhD question, and right now am sore because I was published by Unbound, so now seeking a new publishing home. Next week I’ll also leave my sixties behind, and that’s a little scary as I move into my penultimate decade. Keep writing; keep inspiring and keep being different from all those who value money more than the joy of helping others.

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Thank you for your comment and encouragement, Robert. I hope you'll tell us more about your PhD in due course, and that you'll find a more worthy replacement for Unbound.

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Jill Hart's avatar

glad you're here and sharing!

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Thank you Jill.

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Dru Jaeger's avatar

Thank you for your reflections, Yasmin. I especially hear you about keeping writing when life gets in the way, and the importance of consistency and authenticity. It's an antidote to the manicured reality of influencing, and it's a tonic for the soul. Thank you too, for your consistent encouragement to me in my writing. You're a force for good in the world.

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Thank you for your kind words, Dru. I'm pleased this post has touched a chord with you, as it has for others here. I feel privileged to be amongst such a wonderful community of thinkers and writers!

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Melissa Clements's avatar

As a Substack newbie I loved reading this and understanding the nature of your experience on Thi platform since you started. Ultimately it seems like such a friendly and rewarding community to be involved in, thank you for welcoming me into the fold too - I love what you are doing and the outlook you have, it's so refreshing and uplifting.

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Thank you for your kind words, Melissa. I find this a very happy place if you connect with people who have similar interests and values.

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Tammi Kaeberlein's avatar

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I'm new to Substack and truly appreciate your reflections so far. Clearly I have a lot to learn here. For instance, I saved this post for future reference but have no idea where to look for saved posts. : )

I didn't know that you could get a PhD in Place Writing and am curious to know what university offers such specific degrees, because I'm sure they also offer a variety of other interesting ones as well.

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Hi Tammi, thanks for your comment and I hope your Substack journey is a good one. When I save posts I copy their url into my iPhone Notes.

My PhD qualification is in Creative Writing but my thesis focussed on Place Writing. I worked with the Centre for Place Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK.

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Amanda C. Sandos's avatar

Thanks for giving me an overview of your experience here. It’s so helpful to hear this and know what to expect for my future here.

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Amanda, I think we all have different experiences here, and yours might go in quite another direction. But there are so many Substackers relaying their successes, which for most of us are unattainable and unrealistic, I thought it would be useful to reflect and share the trajectory of an everyday Substacker!

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Lynne Wyness's avatar

Well done Yasmin, I admire your commitment to daily notes and to your overall strategy. Seems to be working! Good luck with your move.

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Thanks so much, Lynne. I'm enjoying Substack... I just have to make sure it doesn't suck all my time and energy, that I have enough of everything left for my book-length WIP!

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David Gemeinhardt's avatar

Congratulations on your growth so far. I've reached many of the same conclusions that you have. Onward!

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Yasmin Chopin's avatar

Onward and upward David!

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