Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Find Your (Inner) Voice.

Feeling burdened?  Creatively stuck? 

Proprioceptive writing is a method that synthesizes emotion and imagaintion, heightening perception through inner listening.

Prioprioceptive comes from the latin "proprius" meaning one's own.

With daily practice, you can quiet the mind, focus thoughts, clarify feelings and ignite imagination. 

Learn more at http://www.pwriting.org/.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Bad Writing Advice?

"Write what you know" as been oft-repeated,iron-clad advice to would-be writers.

But is it necessary?

See what blogger Nathan Englander has to say on the subject.

http://bigthink.com/think-tank/write-what-you-know-nil-the-most-misunderstood-piece-of-good-advice-ever

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Books Open Worlds & Heal Wounds.

It's not even been released yet, but author Cheryl Strayed's new book, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, about her year-long personnel odyssey--and the healing it provided--had me hooked with this paragraph:

"But later I returned and bought the book. I couldn't explain it. Something bloomed inside me as I traced the jagged line of the trail with my finger."

What a wonderful description of the the worlds we can travel by reading.

Since I was a small girl, books have stirred my dreams, dreams that inspired action.

They still do.   

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Five Words for Wednesday.

Taut
Galvanizing
Rigorous
Audacity
Measured

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Soulful Agitation.

I am lucky to call Marcia Reynolds a colleague and luckier still that she is a new friend.

Her book, Wander Woman: How High Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction, is resonating with me.

I just celebrated a birthday, I've moved to the Southwest and I am re-evaluating my career direction.

New chapters, all.  Plenty of agitation--soulful and otherwise.

Reading Marcia's introduction about how "soulful agitation" leads us to accomplish great things but ache for what's missing, captures what many of us--and not just women--feel.

I look forward to an insightful, inspiring read.   

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Did you know that vocation is Latin for "voice?"

A vocation means a calling that one can hear. 

But before any of us can respond to our inner voice--whether its writing or preaching or selling or cooking or woodworking--we must listen. 

In the listening, we become wise.

And that wisdom, in turn, allows us to listen to others.  Actively listening is a gift we can give our family, friends, colleagues and clients. 

As writers, we try to ferret out a client's voice with word choices that reflect a company's unique character. 

That's why the most succeessful writers are superb listeners.