Category: About Me
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M is for…
Last week we talked about the upward swing of Ns, even when they stand for NOs. What about a Maybe? In the publishing world, a very crowded pool is filled with debut authors who splash and scream, asking the lifeguard to notice them, see them, respect them, choose them to be pulled from the churning…
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N is for No…
It can be tough to stay golden when you’re told no in a thousand different ways. “It’s not the right fit,” “high volumes of submissions,” “We must pass on fine work.” Even personal rejections can sting: “This is not a reflection of your work.” “There was much to admire…” “Please submit again.” “Don’t give up.”…
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So You Wrote a Book…
Now what? Years ago, I boldly and cluelessly set out to write a novel. Despite frustrations and rejections along the marathon-like training, it was a good decision. The writing has gotten easier. The writing is better. Plodding through to an end is the easy part. I work to transform bulging computer files into the best…
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The WHYs Have It…
On Monday we recognized those who make our world a better place. Why do they do it? Maybe they wouldn’t answer with “It’s what I do!” A more likely answer might be to pay the bills, put food on the table, or it’s what I could find. I have a problem answering the question “What…
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Welcome to the Improv…
I am thankful for the smiling faces that fill my screen for morning writing times and evening class times. Unlike most people, I am not so over zoom. Virtual meeting spaces are where I hang with like-minded folks. Last week, a handful of us listened, wrote and shared words in a generative writing class. Below…
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Write One Line…
In my morning writing group, one writer encouraged another who was slogging through a dry patch by suggesting she just write one line. That’s all. One line. It loosens things, gets the gears going and sets more lines in motion. I don’t often get blocked when writing (too many words is more often the issue…
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Ranting ANTs…
ANTs…Automatic Negative Thoughts. You have them, right? No? Are you sure? They are automatic, after all. In “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life,” Dr. Daniel Amen illustrates how thoughts change our brain chemistry. Our emotional state responds with feelings of tension or relaxation*. This system can get out of whack when we listen to ANTs.…
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The Rhythm of Rest…
I hope you are deeply involved in a project that floats your boat, with excitement coursing through your veins as you anticipate the unknown steps on your chosen path. I am fortunate to have writing friends virtually join me in the ongoing quest to release written words into the reading world. We share encouragement, helpful…
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Temporary Tempo…
Consider ebbs and flows, waxing and waning, growth and fallow times. I know they are necessary phases. Yet when slow times come, I need reminding that my lento tempo will soon return to moderato or even presto. Can you tell I’m listening to Chopin as I write this? Music employs lilts and pick-ups to make…
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Play/Money…
Creatives live to play but there is a flipside: money. It may be sharp edges rubbing against the roundness, but commerce is necessary to share our gifts with the wider world. Otherwise, what’s the point? Picture toppling towers of handmade and thrown pots, each one a thing of sacred beauty, closed to the world for…
Patty Mayeux Blog 