The Notebook Never Sleeps

A Letter From The Writer

The Author's Note

I've compiled The Notebook Sleeps in hopes of moving on to the next period of my writing métier, and the next period of individuality. All of these seventeen selected pieces were written in the years of 2014 to 2016, much of my late middle school years and early high school. Many of these works I have shown to a handful of people I know, and many of these works are rather unfinished - and for some reason, I'm okay with that. All of these pieces have been among the work that has filled a notebook and have been there for months if not years. And, (hence this book's title), the pieces will stay in that notebook. Many feel incomplete, fragmentary, unfinished, but since I've been moving on from this notebook, I have accepted the fragmentary nature of the work in this anthology. The incomplete nature of the pieces reminds me of something. Nothing is ever finished. So why do we drive ourselves to brink of madness about the concept of perfection and completion? I don't know. All I know is that I rather allow myself to create and share a collection of works as a product of the end of my early adolescence than let it waste away in a notebook somewhere, retained and forgotten.

As a writer, looking back that far at a collection of works can elicit a few cringes and moments of embarrassment - so why, (one may wonder), in the world would I decide to create an anthology of this all? While ending this project, I frequently asked myself the same question. I thought I would only cause myself to want to take a hiatus from writing and start thinking that I suck at writing or something of that sort. But I have now realized that those two actions are not my purpose for doing this. I am doing this not because I have been wholly impressed with my progress, and I want to show the world how my writing style is growing, (which are both not true statements - I've come to realize that there is essentially no such thing as a good writer), but because publishing a whole anthology feels like I've had a weight taken off of my shoulders. In order to expand... in order to make room for more work - I need there not be any weight. This anthology begins with a fictional dialogue I wrote recently, expressing a heartbreak. The work amidst that theme are short poems, pieces of prose, and proclamations of love - proclamation of love that are staying afloat and never reaching the ground. At this note, I'd like to thank you. Thank you for getting your hands, (and/or eyes), on a copy of this. And if you've read my work before, thank you for bearing with my words. Without you, I'd feel like this is all nonsense.

A.B. Coronado