"It is important to remember we are not the poem.... The power is always in the act of writing.... Write good poems and let go of them. Publish them, read them, go on writing."
American Writer, Artist
1948 -
Message to followers
Two years ago tomorrow, I began this blog. I have spent between 5 - 7 hours a week producing it. This amounts to over 25o hours a year. There are now over 700 quotes on this site that are designed to inspired creative leaders, including writers, artists, musicians and actors. When I started, my goal was to write the blog daily for a year. Unfortunately, the time I have spent on this blog has taken time away from my personal writing. One option would be to close the blog down, but I believe the messages I have been sharing are important to others. I have decided instead to change it from a daily blog to a weekly blog. So beginning with this entry, I will be publishing the blog every Monday morning. And I have changed the name to Monday Morning Motivation. Please come back every Monday for your dose of inspiration and motivation.
Commentary
Natalie Goldberg has had a powerful influence on my writing. I have read all of her books on writing and continue to reread them. I highly recommend that every new writer read her books.
We are not our writing or our painting. Don't get caught up in confusing your identity as a person with the identity of the people in your writing. The power is always in the act of creation, not in the final product. Enjoy and appreciate the creative process. That is where you will learn the most about yourself.
About the Author
Natalie Goldberg is an American poet, painter, teacher and author. She has written 12 books including Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within which has been translated into 14 languages. She has written several memoirs including The Great Failure and Long Quiet Highway. She currently lives in northern New Mexico.
Quote Source: Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, p. 32 - 32.
