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Archive for April 2007

Lavina Goodell puts critics in their place

“Critics are by no means the end of the law. Do not think all is over with you because your articles are rejected. It may be that the editor has his drawer full, or that he does not know enough to appreciate you, or you have not gained a reputation, or he is not in a mood to be pleased. A critic’s judgment is like that of any intelligent person. If he has experience, he is capable of judging whether a book will sell. That is all.”

-Lavina Goodell

Re-write your “Writer Mystique” tendencies

You know that “Reality Re-write” exercise I mentioned in a previous post? Let’s direct it toward “The Writer Mystique,” shall we?

THE DIRECTIONS:

RIP IT. Write a firm, blazing monologue about all the reasons you are most certainly NOT a real “Writer.” (Are you an Apologist? Hobbyist? Modicum-of-Success Writer?) List all your reasons in glorious detail. Flash your shame. Put yourself down and bury your hope until your toes hit Hades.

Now…

FLIP IT, baby! See what the confident, egomaniacal version looks like. Does it list all of your countless accomplishments? Are you stunned by your prolific work? Would you kill for your own autograph? Right on. THAT’S your golden ring. Lock your sights on it, and LUNGE for it!

From skeptical belief to simple enjoyment

simpleabundance.jpgSimple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy
by Sarah Ban Breathnach

I’ll admit, I was skeptical when I first came across this book in 1997. I was working at a bookstore in Los Angeles, and it was flying off the shelves. Female customers were buying it in bulk to give to their mothers, sisters, and girlfriends for the upcoming holiday season. I judged its pink cover, saw the word “Victorian” somewhere, and promptly determined it was far too frou-frou for me, or as the Amazon.com review suggests, something akin to “Martha Stewart on Prozac.”

Fast forward eight years later. It catches my eye at a second-hand store, and I decide to pick it up for $1.95. This was one of the best decisions I made all year. Although the book is comprised of 366 short essays – one for each day of the year – and I didn’t start reading it until May last year, it’s been wildly useful and on target more days than I can count. Sure, there are some domestic ideals that have had me laughing out loud at their incongruence with MY life and tastes, but for the most part the author speaks about how to infuse creativity and authenticity (and ultimately JOY!) in our overwrought lives, and the essays have inspired many a well-timed breakthrough…or at least a sense of connection.

If a gentle nudge into a more serene, genuine, and manageable life is something that interests you, get this for your bedside (or “powder room,” eh-em). Give Ms. Breathnach a week, and she’ll have your grateful audience for the rest of the year.

To find out more about Simple Abundance and the author’s other works, visit SimpleAbundance.com.

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