An Open Letter To All Of You
A Sense Of Summer Break & A Questionnaire
My Dear Reader…
You might have noticed that you have heard little from me for this past June.
(Except if you are a member in which case you should have received the prologue for my newest book project: Home by the Beech Trees - Our Second Year at Baggebo Homestead. If you haven’t yet read it, you can find it here.)
I pride myself of always writing from the heart, so for this weeks newsletter, I thought I would explain to you what has been shifting inside of me for this past month.
In the end there are some questions I have for you all, as I would love to know more about your reading habits, and especially why you have chosen to subscribe to this small newsletter of mine.
Come along now!
Let’s begin in the beginning.
In the end of May and the beginning of June we had a lot of shifts and social arrangements. The weather was kind and sunny, as we went away on a trip as a family of 4 for the first time, we celebrated our daughter’s 3 year old birthday in our own back garden, and she began the exciting journey of preschool (kindergarten).
Her beginning in preschool also marks the ending of me taking care of her full-time at home. Now my work in the home has shifted once more, and I now take care of the little one (who sleeps a lot, thank you!) and pick up a tired, but excited kid by mid-day.
I feel in my heart that this arrangement is the right choice for all of us, but it has left me with a sense of - dare I say - summer break.
Especially in these early hours of the day where my baby is down for his naps, and I am free to do what I want. I have been craving this daily time for my self, since my daughter starting skipping all naps a year ago.
And what have I done with this precious time?
Absolutely nothing.
That’s right. I have not been doing anything, but relaxing, and taking time just for me. Without being productive or even creative. I’ve been going on long walks, I have been looking at the blue sky and picking a few daisies on the way, nothing fancy. I’ve been making some elderflower concentrate and enjoying it immediately for a cool drink in the evenings.
But now, that the summer storms have started to roll in, I feel something shifting in me again. I put up another batch of elderflower concentrate and I try a new recipe for elderflower champagne as well. This time it is for storing, in preparation for the long winter to come.
I feel myself returning to creativeness, to production, and to you, my readers, who I have missed dearly whilst being on my little summer break.
To tell you the complete truth, I have been scared.
You see, even though I have been in need of some empty space in my days, I have also been frightened. Saying out loud that I want to be a published author was a scary thing in it self, but I was not prepared for how scary it would be to actually follow up on this statement.
Suddenly I was flodded with doubt in my writing. What if it’s not good enough? What if I think it’s good enough, but actually it isn’t? What if I and a potential publishing house think it is good enough, but everybody else hates it? What if somebody, anybody, hates it? (and anybody will likely hate it, as I cannot please everyone, though I most sincerely wish I could)
All in all, it comes down to me being quite the people pleaser.
That’s why these small newsletters are so important to me. They keep me grounded in reality, and the reality is: not everybody hates what I write. As a matter of fact, I haven’t come across one single disappointed reader so far, and I’m almost a year into sending out these letters.
That is why I thought now would be a good time to get to now you all a bit better. Specifically, I would love to know, why you decided to subscribe to me. What makes you want to read what I write?
In advance, thank you for taking the time to answer this little questionnaire. I will direly need it the next time I am overcome with doubt in myself and my writing. If you feel like adding your own answer as to why you keep reading, please do so in the comments ❤️
Thank you for your response ❤️
Members, be on the look-out in your inboxes next Sunday, the first chapter of the second book is coming your way soon!
Much love from me,
Anne of Baggebo
I subscribed because I had finally found someone who was sharing their personal experience living in the Danish countryside and I wanted to live vicariously through them. I stayed because I enjoy your voice and point of view.
I love reading about your life, the different stages and things you go through, as motherhood and homesteading is often changing as the children grow and the seasons change. I also love to watch your writing journey unfold ❤️