Tag Archives: priorities

The Shame I Feel

Posted on March 15, 2017 by Nancy

I’m stupid. I’m inadequate. I am a failure. This is what I grew up believing about myself, and there was no place that proved these points more often, more relentlessly, and more consistently than school. All day long, five days … Continue reading →

Posted in Book tour, Completing a novel, creativity, Day by day, Decisions, depression, economics, education, emotion, Energy, failure, fiction, History, Listening, Magic, Maintenance, marketing, Pain, Play, privacy, Process, Public appearances, Publishing, research, silence, Society, spaciousness, spirit, Starting a new work, Stillness, Story, Strength, success, survival, The market, the world, Uncategorized, Visibilty, what artists need | Tagged art and profits, character, creative life, life of a writer, literary world, priorities, process, productivity, promotion, public, research, sacred space; writing space; the writer's des, Starting a new work, storytelling, The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson, writing life | 6 Comments

Making Art in the Age of Trump

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Nancy

Writing takes spaciousness. It requires managing time and psychic space. It requires holding part of yourself away from things: reality, jobs, bills, money, even marriage and partnership and family. It requires keeping a large part of your heart and mind … Continue reading →

Posted in Book tour, comfort, Community; Genorosity, Completing a novel, creativity, Day by day, Decisions, depression, economics, emotion, Energy, failure, fiction, Grief, Listening, marketing, privacy, Process, Public appearances, Publishing, research, silence, Society, spaciousness, Starting a new work, Stillness, Story, Strength, survival, Uncategorized, Visibilty, what artists need | Tagged advice, character, creative life, fear, giving up, life of a writer, priorities, process, productivity, promotion, public, renewal, research, spaciousness, Starting a new work, working, writing life | 2 Comments

Relearning Stillness

Posted on January 2, 2017 by Nancy

For two months I have been on the move within a twelve mile radius. I was forced to leave my beloved studio (dubbed the treehouse) where I have worked and taught my classes for ten years. There was a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in comfort, Day by day, emotion, Energy, fiction, Listening, Maintenance, Process, procrastination, silence, Starting Again, Stillness, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized | Tagged busyness, character, dread, fear, life of a writer, not writing, priorities, process, productivity, spaciousness, starting again, stillness, storytelling, Voices | Leave a comment

Soothing the Reader

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Nancy

There is something important to remember and that is that the reader wants you to succeed. The reader of a novel wants nothing more than to forget she is reading. She wants to fall into your fictional world so deeply … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, comfort, Completing a novel, creativity, critique, Decisions, Drafts, emotion, failure, fiction, Uncategorized | Tagged advice, character, details, priorities, process, reader's trance, storytelling | 2 Comments

Walls, Doors and Windows

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Nancy

I am thinking about walls, doors and windows, and the rooms that many writers feel they are kept out of. The feeling is real. I have a lot of experience with walls, doors and windows. Besides the fact that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, class, Community; Genorosity, Comparison, Competition, creativity, economics, Elitism, emotion, Energy, failure, Gratitude, happiness, Magic, Maintenance, privacy, Process, Public appearances, research, Self-worth, silence, soul, spaciousness, spirit, success, survival, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Visibilty, work, Writing career | Tagged accolades, art and profits, character, fear, giving up, life of a writer, magic, praise; accolades; worth; words and value, priorities, promotion, public, renewal, self esteem, self-worth, spaciousness, working, writing life | 6 Comments

Letter to Self

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Nancy

Dear Nancy, What can I tell you that, deep inside, you already know? The world is a rough place. Find the beauty. It is what will save you. The fear you feel at the publication of a new book is … Continue reading →

Posted in comfort, Community; Genorosity, Day by day, Decisions, depression, emotion, Energy, Gratitude, Grief, Journaling, Magic, Pain, positivity; grace; light, privacy, Publishing, silence, Society, soul, spaciousness, spirit, Strength, survival, the world, Uncategorized, Wildness, women, work | Tagged dread, fear, giving up, grief, magic, priorities, process, promotion, public, renewal, spaciousness, support, working | Leave a comment

Resisting the Bullshit

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Nancy

When they say upgrade, go outside and chop some wood. When they say new and improved, tell them you like the old ways better. When they say get fit and fabulous, tell them you’re misfit and fabulous. When they say … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparison, Competition, Consumerism, Decisions, economics, failure, Society, the world, Uncategorized, Wildness | Tagged advice, art and profits, creative life, priorities, public, self-worth | 2 Comments

Timidity and Standing Fierce

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Nancy

As a child I was timid. I learned early on that my opinions did not matter. If they were heard at all, they were argued with or denied. I did not excel in school. I kept to myself mostly. I … Continue reading →

Posted in creativity, Day by day, editors, Energy, fiction, Gratitude, Journaling, Self-worth, silence, Strength, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized | Tagged autonomy, Fierceness, life of a writer, priorities, process, self-worth, success, Timidity, writing life | 1 Comment

The Path

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Nancy

I am often asked how I got to where I am now. I honestly don’t know how to answer this question. I didn’t take a conventional route. I didn’t go to college. I didn’t enter an MFA program. I’m not … Continue reading →

Posted in class, comfort, Comparison, creativity, Day by day, economics, failure, fiction, Process, Uncategorized | Tagged art and profits, creative life, day job, physical world, priorities, process, work | 4 Comments

Take Heart, Creators

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Nancy

I imagine that we all have a lot spinning in our hearts right now. It’s an election year here in the United States, and a contentious one and the energy is painful and distracting and punishing. Political views aside, how … Continue reading →