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Writer's block, volunteers' legacy...

-- Quote of the Day --

“…The real strength of the network is really the volunteers. …These people devote a lot of time to the success of this network – and they have done so for the past 30 years - we counted recently and found that volunteers give about 4,500 hours of their time every year to the organization. We cannot express the value of this time that they give to us, and it has had a great impact on the network. …Working together in collaboration is the key (to change) - numbers mean a lot to government and corporation.”

~ Robert Henri 07/29/08

This quote was taken from an interview on the Conscious Discussions talk radio show that aired on July 29, 2008 - Our guest, Robert Henri was in to represent the Canadian Environment Network and this informative interview can be found by clicking on the hyper-linked show title here, or look to the right on this page to find the link to the Conscious Discussions radio show.

-- Experiencing Writer's Block? --

Here are some techniques that Dave and I have used for dealing with writer's block or creativity fatigue:

- Walk the dogs, or just go for a walk, in nature where you can relax and enjoy the sounds of silence... and keep walking until you feel mentally refreshed. Come back and try again.


- Sometimes simply talking about the issue can bring a solution to your mind so wait until you can speak with another individual that you can communicate with in this way, discuss the issue and see what happens.

- Skip that section and write the next paragraph, chapter or ending to the book.

- Glance at your tentative marketing plan for this project and review who the audience is and what the focus is - this can sometimes reconfigure a writer's ideas into a more organized and achievable level.

- Make a list. Try not to keep everything in your mind at once or you may experience burn-out mentally. Simply make a list (or several lists) of what you plan to do and where you want this piece to take the reader.

- And sometimes - the writer just needs to grow into the piece; writers must learn that there are times when it is appropriate to just set it aside until we have the experience or skills in place to continue with it.

- Try just writing... Don't try to make sense, don't correct yourself as you are writing - just write. This can break a lot of barriers and open new aspects to the project that were not there before.


-- Authors Read --

Today's featured guest on Authors Read radio (9 Am Pacific... *archive will be available soon after the live broadcast): Patricia Harman helps women every day face tough situations in West Virginia; gives them hugs, tells them stories about herself that most medical professionals wouldn't, -but most of all she wants them to know they aren't alone. Today, Patricia will be reading from The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife's Memoir, which has been on the best-seller medical memoir list since it came out in October. The book details the lives of women patients that the author, Patricia Harman, sees in the Women's Clinic she shares with her husband, OB/Gyn, Tom Harman.

The reading begins with the office receptionist reporting that the boyfriend of Aran, Patricia's seventeen year old pregnant patient, has been hospitalized for a drug overdose. Aran's mother is the author's friend, Trish, a nursing assistant in another department of the Health Care Center.

To access this author's reading simply click on the hyper-linked show title here or look to the right for the Authors Read radio show.


-- How you can support the Brummets --

… if you feel you have enjoyed our radio shows (Conscious Discussions & Authors Read) our blog, monthly opt-in newsletter (sign up via sending an email request our way) or articles - please consider our books as a gift whenever gift giving holidays arise. By doing so, you are not only supporting the work we do - you are also helping us support some amazing charities. Check out our site for more information: www.brummet.ca

And on that same site we have several articles on green living including one that lists more than a dozen gift ideas to consider. Look for these articles on the Writing page – via the Media link where new articles and press releases are made available. Alternatively look to the right side of this blog page for links to our free articles. Those of you with publications may find these articles of interest for your readers, and we welcome you to share these articles with them.


Find Dave & Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio shows & free resources & articles at www.brummet.ca

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