The year I unlearned being busy
For thirty-four years my value was my speed. This is what happened when I stopped typing for other people.
Oct 27, 2026 · 7 min read
Second Drafts
One letter on Sunday, about beginning again.
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About
I was a court stenographer for thirty-four years.
At sixty I sold the house, bought a typewriter and started writing down the things I had been listening to all my life. Now I write one letter every Sunday, and a book when the letters add up to one.
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“I am fifty-eight and I read it every Sunday before anyone else in the house is awake.”
JoanVermont
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AdeManchester
Every Sunday · 28,400 readers
Second Drafts
One letter on Sunday, about beginning again.