Ah, the holidays. A chance to let go, unwind and too often fall into a lazy comfort that can be hard to arouse oneself from. I started the holidays busy, busy, busy… and by the end it was trashy novels and Christmas cookies. Sigh. There’s nothing wrong with this – I need that mindless downtime as much as the next person. ... continue reading
Who Have You Had to Become?
Why do we write? It’s an age-old question, but I found a good answer recently. “The purpose of being a serious writer is to keep people from despair,” says Sarah Manguso. “If people read your work and, as a result, choose life, then you are doing your job.” When you think of it, whether reading for entertainment or ... continue reading
How NOT to do a Creative Sabbatical
I had been looking forward to a week-long creative sabbatical for quite a while. It was time to begin my vision for the upcoming year. I saw myself slipping into the silence, doing some inspirational reading and writing, and listening as insights from my muse poured in. It seemed so simple. I began the first day, lit a ... continue reading
Do We Need a Big Dream?
You see it all over: Find your passion! Live your dreams! Create the BIG life you’ve always wanted! Arg! It seems we are all about “living our dream” nowadays, but there’s something about that wording that puts many of us on edge. We feel there is something wrong with us if we haven’t crystallized some big vision for ... continue reading
Creative Reluctance
Creative projects are messy. They ooze and flow outside the lines, bubble out of the pot and get sticky goo all over everything. They do not respect boundaries. They do not stay in the lines of linear thinking or time. They are sooooo inconvenient. Let’s face it, there’s a part of us, maybe the biggest part, that ... continue reading