ITW of Clémentine Monperrus
Depuis la création de Yodi, Hélène Azancot aime tisser des liens avec des expert.es bien-être qui partagent les mêmes valeurs de transparence, clean, naturelle et durabilité. Afin de faire partager ces échanges au plus grand nombre, elle a souhaité organiser des événements dans la boutique Yodi du 27 avenue Victor Hugo dans le 16e et mettre en lumière ces personnes inspirantes.
These experts come from different backgrounds: naturopath, author, designer, interior decorator... but they all have one thing in common: they want to make things evolve towards a healthier future.
Today, Hélène met Clémentine Monperrus.
Can you introduce yourself?
Je suis Clémentine, j'ai 39 ans et lorsque j'étais enfant je répétais à qui voulait l'entendre "quand je serais grande, je serais écrivain" (d’ailleurs aujourd’hui je dirais écrivaine, ou autrice). Je suis désormais grande et je ne suis pas écrivaine. Ou pas encore. Ou pas tout à fait. En tout cas, je n'ai jamais été publiée. Mais je ne perds pas ce rêve de vue, je crois que l'âge moyen d'un premier roman édité est 35 ans. J'ai 4 ans de retard, c'est acceptable non ? Et je travaille en ce moment même sur un projet de roman. Par ailleurs, je ne suis pas comptable ou prof de maths non plus, toute ma vie professionnelle tourne autour de l’écriture.
How many years have you been writing?
I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I've been writing since childhood. Most of all, I've been writing since the moment when I realized that writing helped me to free myself, to soothe myself. I've written whole pages about my life, my moods, my anxieties as a little girl, then as a teenager and young woman, and a little less as an adult. I write because I often feel it's the only thing I know how to do.
What's your earliest memory of writing?
It's difficult. I remember that blue notebook I used to write in when I was a teenager. I used to isolate myself, often at the bottom of the garden, to write down my emotions. Often dark, it has to be said. What's surprising is that my first writing actions were linked to difficult, sad periods in my life, whereas writing is fundamentally synonymous with joy for me.
How does it make you feel?
For me, there are two ways of writing. The one I've just described. Cathartic writing, which liberates and soothes. And then the one I've been exploring more in recent years, that of the novel project, of fiction, which is more difficult, more tortuous and which gives me both great feelings of pleasure and clarity, but also the impression of being at the foot of the greatest mountain to climb.
Do you have a writing ritual?
It's a subject I'm very interested in, even passionate about: the ritual of writing, the hygiene of the author. I've read and listened to many interviews with writers on this subject. I've also fantasized a lot about the act of writing. As I've gotten older, I've come to realize that none of this is worth much. Writing is a need, an urgency, and the form of the action is of little importance. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I often write sitting at a desk, a table, at home or in a café, and almost systematically with classical music in my ears, to cut myself off from the world.
What are your obstacles?
The main thing is the effort it takes. For me, it's not a question of rendering, of fear of not succeeding. It's a form of laziness.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing?
Oser. Il y a quelques mois, je lançais un projet de podcast lié à l'exercice d'écriture. Le projet était simple : recueillir des lettres. Celles d’anonymes ou de personnalités plus connues. Ces lettres qu’ils et elles auraient rêvé d’écrire, auraient rêvé d’envoyer, sans jamais oser le faire. Recueillir ces lettres pour les mettre en voix.
I received many e-mails from potential participants, showing their interest in the project and their desire to embark on the journey that it implied, but also mentioning the obstacle that writing represented, sometimes with the impression of an insurmountable difficulty. I realized that even if the desire to write and put down words is there, the transition to action is often more complicated. So I decided to offer writing workshops to give birth to these letters. This first workshop will take place on Wednesday, February 1. So, my advice couldn't be simpler: if you want to write, dare, and if you need someone to hold your hand, sign up for this writing workshop by sending an e-mail to: lalettre.jauraisvoulutedire@gmail.com
Do you have anything to add?
I believe deeply in the virtues of writing, I believe deeply in the impact of the words we use, the ideas we express, on who we are, what we convey, what we transmit.
Thank you very much