This is a fascinating video. It combines old-fashioned oratory with great insight. This TVWriter™ minion admits that she doesn’t particular care for the oratory part – it reminds me way too much of the Southern Baptist preachers at the services my parents took the family to every Sunday – the ideas are almost shockingly powerful.
Live and learn, I suppose. And you can start learning here:
This article about one of LB’s Seattle area neighbors makes a very good case for starting and actually finishing your dream writing project – without ever talking about its subject, author Rachel Fordham, in those terms.
NORDLAND — Meet the author who celebrated the release of her debut 
novel at Chuck E. Cheese’s, with a side trip to a particular store.
Between the writing, the agent-shopping, the editing and the publication, Rachel Fordham spent better than three years bringing her first book into the world.
Advice we all need…because we’re writers, dammit, not salespeople, and yet sell we must. Ourselves, our work…but not, of course, our souls:
Networking is an anxiety-provoking, but necessary activity for anyone aspiring to Hollywood jobs (or any job). It’s especially difficult for writers, who aren’t known for being outgoing and comfortable around large groups.
Knowing what to expect from the experience will, in itself, reduce the stress involved. As stressful as making new friends in large gatherings (in a not-so-friendly town) can be, I hope considering the following advice will help reduce your anxiety.
Pan Metron Ariston
The Ancient Greek expression above has been ingrained into my brain by my Greek Father throughout my life. It means, “Moderation in all things,” and my father, like the ancient Greeks before him, believed that moderation was a principle of life, and anything done in excess led to harmful effects on one’s life.
I work as a Physician Assistant, smack in the middle of the opiate epidemic, which demonstrates lifestyled far from moderate. As I notice how addiction affects my patients, I contemplate my own addictions.
Are you a Hollywood woman, as in aspiring writer, director, actor, cinematographer, et al who happens to be, you know, female? Do you aspire to be such an, erm, aspirant? If so, Naomi McDougall Jones has 17 minutes of advice for you.
(Actually, she has ’em even if you aren’t interested in going Hollywood, but we’ll brush that aside for now.)
Yeppers, this is another TED Talks talk. Learn more about these gems HERE