I taught in one of those programs for 14 years...and ran away last spring! How I LOATHE the word "gritty"--so so tired of it. And the "guy up a tree." But work within one of those places, and you are expected to climb a tree yourself.

But when I was a kid--and a first-class tree-climber, I will readily say--it was to see the view to the ocean, the ferries, the sunset. I was too busy enjoying that to notice the stuff thrown at me.

Since leaving, I've started a substack newsletter called... The Unschool for Writers. And it is.

Happy writing! Thank you for posting this! Mostly, thank you for the reminder to Enjoy.