My previous posts established the fact that I was frustrated with my writing and needed a new approach. Guilt over breaking writing rules and procedures threatened to kill my passion. Desperate for a change, I sought help from Heather Sellers’ book, Page After Page.

At this point, I should confess that I usually don’t read books on writing; they are boring. Page After Page is the first writing book that didn’t lecture me. Rather, the book engages the reader as if providing one-on-one instruction.

But enough gushing. The book also makes promises in the introduction, and I am a stickler for making authors fulfill their promises. By the end of the book, I am promised the ability to develop and sharpen writing tricks that will help me stay in my writing chair and get me there in the first place.

Heather Sellers included a quote from Natalie Goldberg’s book, Writing Down the Bones, which states “to do writing practice means to deal ultimately with your whole life.” I like this advice because 1.) I didn’t realize that an unbalanced life would negatively affect my writings, and 2.) This is exactly my request.

The first step in dealing with my life as a whole involves the process of learning how to learn from any class, any teacher, and any situation. It sounds simple enough until I step back and address, “Why am I not learning?”

Ask yourself this question, be honest, and see what you come up with. My own answers, while obviously detrimental, weren’t all that surprising.

Until next time, Write Happy!