Mustering the Muse Part One

A few days ago, a writer friend was experiencing some self-doubt (as we all do, whether we're writers, painters, carpenters, accountants, etc.). To cheer her, I sent her a couple of quotes I find motivating. (You can read them here) She replied, "I could use one of those quotes daily."

And it got me thinking. We all need daily affirmations, so why not create a space for that to happen? I probably won't be able to do it everyday, because LIFE (and I have a big one.) But I write most days, I read everyday, and I could certainly use a positive thought or two or a zillion everyday. So, here's my first affirmation:

Although criticism is often seen as necessary for improvement and might effectively point out what’s not working, it never represents our creative vision. And our vision is always our best guide. The remedy for The Inner Critic rests in a perspective of life that knows our goodness, whose interest is solely in the dynamism of the creative act, not in its evaluation. This outlook sees our endeavors as fun regardless of the result; it’s excited; it likes us and is always rooting for us. We find our voice in writing (and in life) when we listen for it. We listen for that which assures that there is never any threat in striving to create what we love; and we listen for that which appreciates us for all we have to give. 
Jennifer Paros
www.jenniferparos.com.

In addition to the positive thought, I though I would offer a space where friends can share either a link to their work or a favorite sentence. I'll admit my goal with this is selfish. I try to write fast. They call this "being in the flow." (You can read about that here) But sometimes, as I'm writing fast, I forget those sentences--the ones that sound and feel just right (writely.) And so, I think if, at the end of my writing day, I'm looking for that writerly sentence, maybe I'll create a few more. Here's my sentence for today:

“It’s a real place,” Grace told her. “In Oregon, near the Washington border,” she added as if that explained everything from the stupidity of the name to her grunge clothes.

ANYONE WANT TO SHARE A SENTENCE OR A THOUGHT?