Superb article about criticism which applies to critics of all kinds, professional and personal, critics of books and movies, or of people and behavior. I’m taking it seriously as I move into different aspects of critiquing. You will not be surprised that I also see that the factors identified — passion, frankness, and specificity, mutual …
Category Archive: Writers and writing
Natalie Goldberg — One of Many Intelligent Women and Writers
The True Secret of Writing plus Zen. WOW. Here’s a brief article related to Goldberg’s new book that came from Eagle Harbor Book Store on Bainbridge Island WA — terrific bookstore plus one of the most famous, intelligent women and writers. “Writing for Your Life Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones (1986) started the obsession …
Engaging Readers — or Listeners
This article by Steve Pinker, below, was on Annie Murphy Pauls’s blog and she seems to be quoting Chuck Leddy in the Harvard Gazette. I liked it for writers particularly, but think it also applies to conversation. E.g. put the needs of listeners first, rather than showing off your smarts. Steven Pinker, On Writing Well …
Writer to Speaker — Part 2
Get Ready to Speak Publicly — Writer to Speaker
Overpreparation is the key for a writer to speaker shift according to Jane Bowman, former event coordinator at Eagle Harbor Books on Bainbridge Island, WA. Here’s a quick summary of my Field’s End presentation to writers preparing to do a reading. Annie Murphy Paul is a great example of “It’s never too …
Review of The Agile Mind by Wilma Koutstaal PhD
Here’s an article from sharpbrains.com about my favorite book these days, The Agile Mind. The author, Wilma Koutstaal just won an award for best book of the year from the American Psychological Association. BIG! She is truly a creative, original thinker. The book is encyclopedic and has answered most of my questions about the brain …
Neuroscience and the Vagina?
Total craziness. Vagina, a New Biography by Naomi Wolf. OK I haven’t read it. I don’t plan to read it. BUT I have read two reviews (The New Yorker and the NYTimes Book Review) both of which diminished any interest I might have had in what Wolf has to say. Here’s a recent quote from …
The Fall of Jonah Lehrer — Over-Positive Thinking?
If this seems like gobbledy-gook, please read last Wednesday’s post and it will make more sense. The picture is NOT Jonah Lehrer, but conveys the stress he might be feeling. It’s just a stock photo from fotolia. Here’s the concept …
Are You Lying to Yourself: Negative Thinking, Positive, or Real Thinking?
“The Case for Lying to Yourself” in the WSJ, 7/31/2012 hit me hard. I don’t like the phrase lying to yourself anyway. Most intelligent people can’t do it very effectively although they can do it to and about others, (Tangent: Jonah Lehrer author of poorly reviewed neuroscience …