Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Writer?

“Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.” – Letters to a Young Poet, Rilke 

John Sowers is ready to deem you a writer. You might ask: is there some long ceremony? Is there a test one must pass or certificates to acquire? No. You simply must live to write or as Rilke would say, die if it was stripped from you. Sowers qualifies what it takes to be a writer.  “If you can write, if you can put words to paper, you are a writer. You never need anyone else to tell you that you are.” So there. Now you are a writer. Ready to conquer with simply a pencil. Ready to bring down governments or build up communities. Ready to verbally slice an institution to shreds or mend festering wounds. Ask yourself this question: “Must I write?” If the answer is a deep seated, resounding YES, then you must write. And it must start today. 

LINK HERE to storylineblog.com

Are You Preparing for the Unexpected?

“Let’s stop putting off our work and instead start preparing for greatness.” 

Dean Nelson quips about preparedness and the work that we love to put off.  For him, a trip to the bottom of the Grand Canyon was made easier by his weekly running routine. He equates this to his weekly writing routine and how being well prepared for something is to be well equipped. If you want to be a great writer, what did you do today to achieve that end? Did you write a poem? A song? A measly email? Or worse did you sit around in your underwear and watch adventure time with your breakfast still caked on your undershirt? 

I want to be great at many things. I want to write songs, I want to write poems, I want to write books and Nelson is saying that doing great things is made easier by practicing and honing your skills; keeping your body and mind conditioned, so when opportunity is thrust into your lap you don’t have to say, “Man, I wish I would have done (x) or (y) more.”

LINK HERE from stroylineblog.com

 

Why It Doesn’t Matter How You Feel About Your Friends

“It doesn’t matter how much you love someone. What matters is that they know it.” 

Shauna Niequist, in a recent blog post for stroylineblog.com, writes about friendship. She explains that some of the people she loves most dearly are not good at being friends. She also confesses that she is often not a good example of a friend. Her advice is to put strong feelings of endearment into words or actions. Tell that significant person in your life what they mean to you, make plans to see them, get coffee, go for a walk or send an old fashioned letter and do it this instant. One of my favorite lines from the post is quoted above. Enjoy. 

LINK HERE