Craig Mod, a writer and photographer, discusses his experiences with long walks in Japan and how it has influenced his writing. He also talks about the contemplative nature of his work and the process of writing his book. The guest reflects on friendship and the balance between themes in a book. Lastly, he explores the role of therapy in writing and emphasizes the importance of self-introspection.
Walking serves as a transformative and ascetic practice, allowing for moments of transcendence and deep reflection.
The forthcoming book, 'Things Become Other Things,' explores the author's friendship with the late Brian, capturing the essence of their experiences and reflections with kindness and patience.
The author's commitment to their vision and resistance to compromise led them to create their own membership program, providing a platform to share their experiences and ideas with readers.
Deep dives
The Importance of Walking as an Aesthetic Practice
Walking serves as a transformative and ascetic practice for the author, allowing for moments of transcendence and deep reflection. Each day, even while moving continuously, there are encounters and experiences that captivate the author, compelling them to pay closer attention to their surroundings. The practice of walking, devoid of distractions like music or social media, enables the author to truly be present and delve into meaningful interactions with people and places. These experiences shape the author's writing and provide them with a wealth of material to distill into books. Through the membership program and the forthcoming book, the author is able to connect with a wider audience and deepen their exploration of walking and its transformative power.
The Intersection of Personal History and Writing
The author reflects on how personal history and life experiences have shaped their writing. The forthcoming book, 'Things Become Other Things,' focuses on the author's friendship with Brian, who was tragically murdered after they graduated. While this topic held significance for the author for many years, it was only after undergoing therapy and achieving a deeper sense of self-awareness that they felt ready to explore and write about it. The book is an exploration of their friendship and serves as a means of elevating the memory of Brian rather than dwelling on sadness. The author's therapeutic journey and commitment to radical honesty have allowed them to approach this subject matter with kindness and patience, capturing the essence of their experiences and reflections.
Navigating the Publishing Industry
The author shares their experiences in navigating the publishing industry and finding their unique path. While facing multiple rejections and comments about conforming to expected narratives, the author remained committed to their vision and resisted compromise. They found solace in creating their own membership program, which provided a sense of permission and elevated their work. This platform allowed them to focus on writing in-depth articles, merging autobiographical elements with pop-up newsletters. The author's commitment to producing high-quality books is reaffirmed, emphasizing that the purpose of their work is to share their experiences and ideas with readers.
Finding Contentment in Walking and Writing
The author's passion for walking and writing remains strong, and they are eager to continue both practices. While reflecting on the past experiences and their impact on their work, the author expresses gratitude for the friendships formed during walks and the environments they have explored. The transformative power of walking and the willingness to pay attention to even the smallest interactions contribute to the author's growth as a writer. The author's commitment to their craft and the meaningful experiences encountered through walking serve as a driving force, motivating them to continue their literary journey.
The process of Writing and Self-Reflection
The author discusses the process of writing and the significance of self-reflection in their work. They attribute their growth and the development of their writing skills to therapy and the rigorous self-introspection it entails. Engaging in therapy alongside their walking practice has allowed the author to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their experiences, making them better equipped to write about personal and impactful topics. This newfound sense of kindness, patience, and peace has enabled the author to approach writing about their friendship with Brian with empathy and compassion, ultimately doing justice to their shared journey through life.
“There'll be days where … I’m doing a walk and I'll just be like, I don't know what is going to move me today. And then out of the blue, there'll be this small interaction that when you really pay attention to it, it contains kind of this universe of kindness and patience that you otherwise pass by or ignore. If you're in the general mode of looking at things and then being able to take that experience and try to transmute it into an essay for the evening and send it out, it just develops your eye. You just start being able to look more and more and more closely.”