15 Comments
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Irena Smith's avatar

Thank you so much for having me on—I had so much fun answering the questions!

Panio Gianopoulos's avatar

It was such a treat - thanks!

Elizabeth Bobrick's avatar

Irena, you gave me a pre-heart attack with that first description of your day, followed by rage and wait-do-I - still-like -her? Phew! I can breathe again 😂

Irena Smith's avatar

Ha ha, I’m a kidder! I’m glad you kept reading. :-)

Brett Lev's avatar

Panic is the mother of productivity!! I relate. I need an approaching deadline to get the job done.

Irena Smith's avatar

The worst thing anyone can say to me is "I need this whenever"

Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

🤜 🤛 And I also love Ann Patchett!

Jill Daniel's avatar

I love that you hate the instruction of writing everyday. That has always felt oppressive to me.

Irena Smith's avatar

THANK YOU!! I love what Maggie Smith says about daily writing—it doesn't actually have to be writing. It can be thinking, or noticing, or reading, or researching. It all counts.

Jill Daniel's avatar

Yes! I love that. Does commenting on a post on Substack about writing count? I think it does.

Irena Smith's avatar

1000 percent.

Nan Tepper's avatar

I loved this, IRENA! We have so much in common. The ones that made me laugh out loud? 18 and 19. Most of the piece made me laugh, of course, because you're one funny female. But 18 and 19? Mwah!

xo

Irena Smith's avatar

Thank you! And you will be amused to know that another Substack friend read 18, thought I was being serious, and almost decided to stop being friends with me before she continued on to 19. Friendship saved! (But also, I was like, “Do you even know me if you believed 18 to be true?”)

Nan Tepper's avatar

Love that. I know, when I read 18, I thought, wow, I didn't see that coming about you. Okay, I don't know you that well, yet, but it just didn't feel right...And then, huzzah! The truth was revealed. I felt restored. xo

Elizabeth Beggins's avatar

Thanks for sharing. Great questions, and it was delightful to read Irena's responses.