Michele Tracy Berger's Blog, page 47

Affirmations-366Days#130

Affirmations-366Days#130: I don’t let a writing crisis become a catastrophe.  If I haven’t been writing, I find new ways to get unstuck and begin again.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

Affirmations-366Days#129

Affirmations-366Days#129: Rejection is not a state of being. I learn from my rejections, but keep submitting my writing with enthusiasm.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

Affirmations-366Days#128

Affirmations-366Days#128: The publishing industry continues to evolve. I navigate my publishing options with calmness and strategy.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

Affirmations-366Days#127

Affirmations-366Days#127: Gratitude is rocket fuel for creativity. I practice giving thanks for everything good about my writing life.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

Affirmations-366Days#126

Affirmations-366Days#126: Tomorrow is never a good day to start writing. Today matters. Today, I entice the words to come.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

Affirmations-366Days#125

Affirmations-366Days#125: Revision requires skill and strategy. I am patient when revising my work. I know the best is yet to come.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

Affirmations-366Days#124

Affirmations-366Days#124: Meeting deadlines can bring great rewards. I challenge myself to excel at meeting writing deadlines, both internal and external.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

Affirmations-366Days#123

Affirmations-366Days#123: Sometimes we just have to outlast that self-doubting voice. My ability to persist supports my writing life.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

Affirmations-366Days#122

Affirmations-366Days#122: Success is a multi-layered experience for writers. Its meaning changes over time. I affirm that my definition of success is fluid and marked by joy.

For new readers, here’s why I’m committing to writing affirmations, about the creative process, during the next 366 days.

A Letter to My Mom: Honoring Mother’s Day and Finding One’s Writing Territory

Around this time last year, I was published in the beautiful book A Letter to My Mom! It is a tribute to the women who shape us into the people we become.

My love letter to my courageous mother is next to letters from Suze Orman, Dr. Phil McGraw, Melissa Rivers, Lisa Ling, Dr. Jennifer Arnold and many other amazing sons and daughters. In this third installment of the A Letter to My series…(following A Letter to My Dog and A Letter to My Cat), over sixty contributors share letters that chronicle the love, gratitude, silliness, fun and even conflict that define mother and child relationships. I am so honored to be part of this collection.

My writing teacher, Marjorie Hudson (author of Accidental Birds of the Carolinas) encourages students to ‘find their territory’, to explore the kinds of unique themes and challenges that only they can write about.

The relationship with my mother is definitely my territory. In 2013, I started exploring a snippet of my mother’s life which involved a great act of courage that changed the course of our lives. Since that time, I have continued thinking about the intersection of my life and hers. I am constantly surveying that rich and fertile ground. My mother is no longer living, so writing about her is one way that I can keep her memory alive.

When I saw the call for ‘A Letter to My Mom’, I decided to submit my very personal story. The editor and creator of the A Letter to My series, Lisa Erspamer and her team were amazing. They treated my narrative (and I assume all the others), with great care, respect and unabashed enthusiasm.

A Letter to My Mom is so inspiring and the layout of the book is beautiful. Each entry is accompanied by photos. If you’re looking for a great gift for Mother’s Day, this is it. You and your mom will laugh and cry while reading it.

Find out more about the book here.