Mark David Gerson's Blog, page 31

The Art of Surrender

I didn't know anything about a book called The MoonQuest when its words began to flow through me.

I didn't know The Voice of the Muse was a book when its words began pouring from me.

All I knew in both instances was that my Muse was calling me and that the only way to answer its call was to write.

As I wrote, the books took care of themselves.

One day's writing led to the next. One draft led to the next. One book led to the next.

Each day, draft and book drove my pen. My pen, in turn, drove me....

The Birth of a Book

A version of this piece about the genesis of The MoonQuest first appeared in my now-discontinued New Earth Chronicles blog. I share it again here to remind that you don't have to know how your story will end before you begin. You don't even have to know how it will start. All you need to do is begin. All you need to do is place one word after the other...and trust...


It's March 1994. I see The Celtic Tarot in Toronto's Omega Centre bookstore and it so seduces me that I can't not buy it. Days l...

The Muse & You with Mark David Gerson (#6): Radio for Writers and Readers

Episode Six:
Thursday, Dec 17, 1pm ET
(listen live or to the archived version any time after the show airs)

• Ask the Writing Coach (your questions for me about writing and creativity) and a feature interview with Karen Walker author of Following the Whispers

I first met Karen Walker at a meeting of a writers' group here in Albuquerque, and I was immediately struck by her warmth, her genuineness and her open heart. All those are eloquently evident in her memoir, Following the Whispers, which is a...

The Muse & You #6: Radio for Writers and Readers...with Mark David Gerson

Episode Six:
Thursday, Dec 17, 1pm ET
(listen live or to the archived version any time after the show airs)

• Ask the Writing Coach (your questions for me about writing and creativity) and a feature interview with Karen Walker author of Following the Whispers

I first met Karen Walker at a meeting of a writers' group here in Albuquerque, and I was immediately struck by her warmth, her genuineness and her open heart. All those are eloquently evident in her memoir, Following the Whispers, which is a...

A Light on the Creative Journey

"There are no rules."
~ Mark David's first rule for writing (and most everything else)

On Saturday, November 28, I was privileged to be part of Steve and Barbara Rother's Virtual Light Broadcast. In a 26-minute interview with author/editor Sandie Sedgbeer, recorded live before a studio audience in Las Vegas, we talked about writing, spirituality and the creative process.

"The universe is made up of stories, not atoms," I told Sandie, quoting poet Muriel Rukeyser. We all have stories to tell and ...

"The Voice of the Muse" Wins 2009 New Mexico Book Award

Mark David Gerson's Medal-Winning Writing Book Honored in Statewide Competition

Mark David Gerson's The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write was named a winner in the 2009 edition of New Mexico's premier literary contest, the New Mexico Book Awards.

The top prize in the competition's self-help category was announced at an awards banquet in Albuquerque earlier this evening. Some two dozen books were honored at the event.

This is Gerson's second honor for The Voice of the Muse. Earlie...

All About Balance

In honor of Pat Bertram's blog tour, I'm featuring her post about balance here. Today on her blog, you'll a find a post by me -- "Creating Perfection"

A Guest Post by Pat Bertram

Someone asked me where they should insert dialogue into the novel they were writing. I went blank for a moment, unable to comprehend the question. Insert dialogue? To a great extent, dialogue is the story. The most personal way people interact is by dialogue, and a story is or should be about people interacting, about ...

The Muse & You #5: Radio for Writers and Readers...with Mark David Gerson

Episode Five:
Thursday, Nov 19, 1pm ET
(listen live or to the archived version any time after the show airs)

• Ask the Writing Coach (your questions for me about writing and creativity) and a feature interview with Dan Stone author of The Rest of Our Lives

Some months back, I got a call from a friend here in Albuquerque. "You've got to meet this guy, Dan," he said. "He writes fantasy, like you. I know you'll have a lot to talk about."
He does (write fantasy) and we did (find a lot to talk about)...

Changes

Wander in my words
Dream about the pictures
That I play of changes
~ Phil Ochs

If you're particularly observant, you'll notice that the header of this blog has changed. No longer titled The Voice of Your Muse, it's now titled simply with my name. Why? To reflect the blog's new, slightly broader scope and to reflect, as well, my philosophy that life, creativity and spirituality are all intrinsically linked.

In effect, I've suspended posts to my New Earth Chronicles blog (still filled with all kinds...

Larger Than Life

A version of this article first appeared in the June 3, 2007 issue of my inspirational newsletter.

Watching the DVD recording of that 2006 concert this evening prompted me to revisit the original piece and share it again with you here.

Back in October 2006 when I was visiting Toronto, a friend treated me to a ticket to Barbra Streisand's first-ever concert performance in that city. Although we were sitting high in the rafters in a hockey arena that was anything but intimate, I was startled by ...