Why Aren’t You Writing VI: What If You Don’t Think You Deserve It (Whatever “It” Is)

In my previous post I talked about physical obstacle and in particular dealing with illness and disability while writing. In this one I’ll talk about an especially insidious mental block–thinking you don’t deserve to do the things that would make you successful. I’m sure I’m committed to my writing. I’m so sure I’m committed to […]

“Become a Successful Indie Author: Work Toward Your Writing Dream” by Craig Martelle

Become a Successful Indie Author Craig Martelle In the quest for success in the writing business, we all rush anxiously from guru to guru, oracle to oracle, hoping that someone will reveal the magical formula to make the gods more propitious and cause the bestseller deities to smile down on us. Unfortunately, the magic formula […]

“Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life” by Natalie Goldberg

Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life Natalie Goldberg After the (somewhat unexpected) success of “Writing Down the Bones,” Natalie Goldberg was called, perhaps by her inner muse, perhaps by her publishing company, to write another book on writing. The result is “Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life.” In many ways “Wild Mind” is quite similar […]

“Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie Goldberg

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within Natalie Goldberg Lots of writing manuals will give you a 1-2-3 formula for being productive and successful. “Writing Down the Bones” goes in completely the opposite direction. As Natalie Goldberg tells us in the Introduction: “Learning to write is not a linear process. There is no logical […]

“The Mindful Writer” by Dinty Moore

The Mindful Writer Dinty W. Moore In “The Mindful Writer,” Dinty Moore focuses not on the nuts and bolts of writing, and not on how to write popular prose–aspiring romance and thriller writers hoping to churn out the next cookie-cutter midlist book may find these words helpful, but it’s not aimed at them–but on how […]

“How to Make a Living From Your Writing” by Joanna Penn

How to Make a Living From Your Writing Joanna Penn Everybody wants to be a writer. Until they try to become one. In short, writing itself is a lot of work, and trying to make any money off of it can be like shouting into a void. But that doesn’t stop many of us from […]

“My True Type” by Dr. A.J. Drenth

My True Type Dr. A.J. Drenth Some people collect kitschy religious objects and use them to connect to a spiritual realm. Some people read self-help books and use them to convince themselves that they’re going to turn their lives around. I read about personality type. What can I say: it’s a sickness. But in all […]

“When Things Fall Apart” by Pema Chödrön

When Things Fall Apart Pema Chödrön “When Things Fall Apart” is a short, pithy collection of essays by esteemed Buddhist nun and spiritual guide Pema Chodron about facing the difficult things in life, whatever they may be. Although Chodron sometimes discusses specific situations, and occasionally gives specific examples, sometimes rather amusing ones of her inability […]

“Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalitis” by Dr. Sarah Myhill

Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalitis Second Edition: it’s mitochondria, not hypochondria Anyone who has every had a mysterious or chronic illness probably knows that there are some things that modern Western medicine doesn’t handle very well. If you have the misfortune to suffer from some aspect of the FM/CFS/ME family, […]

E. P. Clark: Author, Book Reviewer, and All-Around Literary Handiwoman

Self-Help