May 12, 2011 In business, social media, words and language, writing By Patricia Saxton

To Blog or Not To Blog?

A playground for some, good business for others, there are literally hundreds of millions of blogs out here in the blogosphere. So many that I think the counters have probably stopped counting. And with those kinds of odds, one may wonder, should I bother?

For the uninitiated, no doubt these questions (and more) have crossed your mind. But only two of these carry any weight: “What would I write about?” and “Can I keep it up?”. Toss the rest in a pile labeled “ways to hold myself back.”

As for the two that matter, definitely ask them … unless of course you have zero interest in blogging about anything, ever, in which case you can skip this entire essay (or share it with someone who might be interested!).

So ask, “What will I write about?”  Think it over. Most people have something they feel passionate about, are experienced with or excel at…. and most people have a voice, an opinion, a thought process. Those with a business have material in the palm of their hands. The key is that your voice or topic be authentic.

So then the task is twofold: 1.) decide on the gist, or theme/subject matter of the blog, and 2.) share that voice!  If you’re really stumped, ask friends or colleagues for ideas. Sometimes others see things about you that you may not realize people would value.

The second question, “Can I keep up with it?”, is sheer practicality. My feeling is that if you write about something you’re interested in, you’ll enjoy the process. You’ll make the time ~ whether it’s once a month, once a week, once a day. The number of folks blogging suggests that the time invested is worthwhile, but it’s certainly a question you should ask.

And remember, if you’re in business, especially you entrepreneurs, it’s almost a “must”. Just know that that “must” doesn’t have to be a drag, and there’s hardly a better marketing tool these days.

Maybe you have services to promote. Maybe you have a book in the works. Maybe you have a thing for animated films or sinister pets.

(Which reminds me, I should mention that you don’t have to be a writer ~ though, granted, it makes it easier to consider a blog ~ some “blog authors” post historical information, funny quotes or pictures of spaceships. Of course another option, if you have a budget, is to hire a writer to maintain your blog.)

The possibilities are endless, and there’s bound to be someone who was glad you shared what you did. And besides (for those afraid of commitment!), it’s not binding… so why not?

Should you bother? Yes. Because you have something to share. Because you can, and because you’ll benefit from the visibility.

If you want the chance to be heard ~ yes, even amongst the millions of blogs out there ~ I encourage you to jump in.

No budget?  No worries. Free blog formats abound (I happen to be a huge fan of WordPress) with all kinds of cool built-in features. If you want to dress it up, you can hire someone like me. Just keep in mind that blogging has become a powerful and bona fide communications tool allowing people, businesses and organizations to broadly connect with each other in “the world out there” .

One of the things I like best about all this blogging business is that you choose, and you make the rules. And once you get the hang of it and find your groove, you’ll also discover how to make it work for you.

But first things first… ask the questions, and have at it!

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April 27, 2011 In creativity, drawing, illustration, inspiration, painting, poetry, writing By Patricia Saxton

Creative Duet: Kahlil Gibran

“All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind.”  ~ Kahlil Gibran

the-prophetAnd what an incredibly rich feast lay in the mind of this poet/philosopher/artist!

Best loved for The Prophet ~ (considered his greatest achievement, translated in more than 20 languages, and of real note, has never been out of print since its first publication in 1923) ~ Kahlil Gibran’s essays, parables and poems are some of the most inspirational and cherished works ever written.

Rarely has one individual written consistently with the depth, sensitivity, and mysticism of Gibran. He has literally touched millions of hearts with extraordinarily beautiful – yet very accessible – prose. His words rise from the soul, easily intermingling divinity and humanity. His wisdom is truly timeless.

Gibran’s path started early; his gifts publicly recognized while still in his teens. But that recognition was not for his writings. First, he was an artist …

Around the age of 15 his drawings were published on book covers, and by 21 his works were being exhibited in Boston galleries. A few years later, he was in Paris, studying with Auguste Rodin.

gibran_art2

I find this really fascinating in light of the fact that Gibran’s youth (in Lebanon) was one of poverty, with no formal education – and that after emigrating to the U.S. in 1895, his mother raised the family alone by peddling lace and linens.

So how did his opportunity change so profoundly?  He went to public school ~ nothing special there. The key seems to be that at the same time he also went to a local art school, where his artwork caught the eye of his teachers. A couple of those teachers had significant associations within the Boston community, and were compelled to open some fateful, well-connected doors for the young Gibran that inevitably lead to his success.

The simple fact that he arrived in this country at the age of 12 and was already making an artistic imprint during his teen years, speaks volumes about his remarkable abilities. And I’m one of countless who are no doubt grateful for the teachers who perceived greatness in their midst and opened those doors.

Gibran was one of the world’s most brilliant minds. Though known today for his writings, his talents manifested with equal eloquence and exquisiteness in both the visual and verbal realms ~ with expressions that will continue, indefinitely, to uplift, guide and reach the innermost spaces of people’s hearts.

gibran_art1

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“His power came from some great reservoir of spiritual life else it could not have been so universal and so potent, but the majesty and beauty of the language with which he clothed it were all his own.”  ~ Claude Bragdon

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Kahlil Gibran was born on January 6, 1883 in Lebanon (then a Turkish province of Syria). He died on April 10, 1931, in New York City. If you’re interested in learning more, resources about his life abound – and if by chance you haven’t read his works, particularly “The Prophet”, I urge you to do so!

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April 20, 2011 In creativity, drawing, inspiration, poetry, writing By Patricia Saxton

Creative Duet: E.E. Cummings

© e.e.cummings / self-portrait

“Art is a mystery. A mystery is something immeasurable. In so far as every child and woman and man may be immeasurable, art is the mystery of every man and woman and child. In so far as a human being is an artist, skies and mountains and oceans and thunderbolts and butterflies are immeasurable; and art is every mystery of nature.”

from E. E. Cummings, A Miscellany Revised Edited by George Firmage. New York: October House, 1965.

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While I’d never been a huge fan of E.E. Cummings, I adore the above quote. And he certainly earned a great deal of respect and recognition for his inventive poetry. He became, and remains, a household name in literature.

My admiration for his work has grown though, as I recently studied him a little more ~ and learned that he was also a painter. Judging by this self-portrait (and the two at the bottom of this essay), quite a good one, too.

Suddenly my view was broadened. He was no longer the writer of oddly punctuated poetic snippets we were relentlessly fed in school. He was more. He had true depth, and multiple means of expression. I’m newly impressed.

In this great little piece below, E.E. Cummings connects his painting with his poetry. An imaginary interview, it’s part wisdom, part amusement. Enjoy ~

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Why do you paint?

For exactly the same reason I breathe.

That’s not an answer.

There isn’t any answer.

How long hasn’t there been any answer?

As long as I can remember.

And how long have you written?

As long as I can remember.
I mean poetry.

So do I.

Tell me, doesn’t your painting interfere with your writing?

Quite the contrary: they love each other dearly.

They’re very different.

Very: one is painting and one is writing.

But your poems are rather hard to understand, whereas your paintings are so easy.

Easy?

Of course–you paint flowers and girls and sunsets; things that everybody understands.

I never met him.

Who?

Everybody.

Did you ever hear of nonrepresentational painting?

I am.

Pardon me?

I am a painter, and painting is nonrepresentational.

Not all painting.

No: housepainting is representational.

And what does a housepainter represent?

Ten dollars an hour.

In other words, you don’t want to be serious–

It takes two to be serious.

Well let me see…oh yes, one more question: where will you live after this war is over?

In China; as usual.

China?
 Of course.

Wherabouts in China?

Where a painter is a poet.

from E. E. Cummings, A Miscellany Revised. Edited by George Firmage, New York: October House, 1965.

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© e.e.cummings / marion morehouse cummings in profile

© e.e. cummings / nasturtiums and marigolds


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April 17, 2011 In creativity, drawing, fine art, illustration, inspiration, intelligence, painting, poetry, writing By Patricia Saxton

Creative Duets & Human Nature

The human mind is a minefield of creativity and brilliance.

A couple years ago, inspired by Donald Friedman’s acclaimed book “The Writer’s Brush: Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture by Writers”, I began to look more at artists who write and writers who draw and/or paint ~ creative people who are known for excellence in one art form, but also have credibility in another. Sometimes the second is overshadowed, or completely overlooked, due to the prominence of the first, but it’s interesting to see dual talents exposed.

"Palm of Creativity" / © Patricia Saxton

I love the topic. But it got my thoughts bubbling. …  As I see it, there have always been artists who cross mediums. Artists who write, writers who dance, dancers who sing, singers who paint, poets who play the saxophone.

It’s as if all these outlets arise from one great vat of creative expression.

So it makes sense to me that individual creativity, more often than not, spills from one medium over into another. It’s probably far less common to find a musician without a drop of interest for painting, or an artist with no stirrings of choreography running through their mind.

At the same time, it seems to be human nature to categorize or label: He’s a writer. She’s a dancer. He’s an artist. She’s a pianist. Just the way someone is a carpenter, or a doctor, or an accountant.

Yet none of us are one-dimensional. We arrive packaged with multi-faceted interests, talents, skills, propensities. I never understood why some feel the need to box people in to one “thing” or another, to say they “are this” or they “are that”. But to answer my own question, I suppose it helps frame the individual, helps us see them in some logical way.

In reality it isn’t always logical. There may well be strong leanings – creatively, mechanically, scientifically, etc. But there are also lawyers who paint, writers who fix cars and accountants who sculpt.

It starts early. There are “good kids” and troublemakers. Cheerleaders and jocks, geeks, nerds and rebels. Later your career choice defines you. Or your mate’s career choice. Or your kid’s career choice. There’s some real pigeon-holing that goes on. But we are all so much more!

We’re all fascinating, creative beings – whether writing, painting, solving crimes or tending the sick, cooking, singing, crunching numbers, building engines or raising livestock.

Sure, it’s flattering, that someone who writes and paints and draws is considered somehow unique. But I don’t agree that it’s so unusual ~ I believe that every single one of us has gifts that overlap. Maybe they’re not as easily defined, or maybe just not as romanticized, but they’re there ~ awesome, mysterious and immeasurable.

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February 25, 2011 In books & stuff, communication, words and language, writing By Patricia Saxton

Author Margaret Atwood's Keynote: "The Publisher's Pie"

Admittedly, I’ve only read one of MARGARET Atwood’s novels ~ but that one book (The Handmaid’s Tale) earned my lasting respect and admiration.

So when I learned that she’d given a keynote talk at New York City’s TOC conference (Tools of Change for Publishing), I was all ears.

Invigorated with her hand-drawings and delightful wit, it’s a rather insightful listen for all writers, authors and publishers (or those contemplating the same) during these curious, unsettled times in the world of books.

PS: And now I’ll be adding more of her books to my future reading list!

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October 19, 2010 In art, children's books, drawing, illustration, writing By Patricia Saxton

The Artful Joy of Appreciation

Literally.

Appreciation is always a lovely thing. But how can one not be thrilled by one that’s hand-drawn?!

I was raised by a writer and learned early on to write out my thank-you’s. Friends may even think of me as a bit of thank-you note nut. Just the same, there’s an art to it, and over my lifetime I’ve seen the dwindling of that art. First there was the phone call, then the email note. Add to that the inundated-with-to-do’s, fast pace of people’s lives that doesn’t allow much room for proper thank you’s ~  especially challenging for people who don’t have a natural affinity for writing ~ and the way of thank you note gets lost.

But of course it’s important to realize that appreciation takes many forms. Not everyone draws a picture, or writes a beautiful note. Sometimes they say just the right words, or do something marvelously selfless and generous. People are good at heart; they show it in different ways.

Still … there’s nothing quite like a real thank-you! So I’d like to show a little appreciation for a very special one, by sharing it with you. It’s a card I received from a young girl I’ve never met, who’d received my books and toy as a gift. Hopefully the exuberant art will brighten your day, as it did mine!

(I especially enjoyed the serious, unassuming cover opening to a delightful surprise inside.)

 

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August 3, 2010 In books & stuff, words and language, writing By Patricia Saxton

Tea and a Great Piece of Writing

A bit of a book review for my more literary friends…

Time has had its foot on the accelerator of late, driving us forward much too quickly, compressing what might normally be summer’s leisure into streaks and blurs of heat and humidity, flowers, bees and drying lawns.

But I’ve found a perfect book for the time-snippets I’ve been able to carve out to maintain my reading habit.

The Elegance of The Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery is a story told in the voices of two main characters: a brilliant, cynical young girl and a brilliant, middle-aged woman trapped by societal expectation in a low-class existence. I haven’t gotten terribly far, but it’s the kind of book that doesn’t require obsessive reading (which is why it’s just right for a summer season that’s squashed with to-do’s and squeezed between the schedule-laden seasons of spring and fall).

One of the things I’m most appreciating about The Elegance of The Hedgehog is the abundance of fabulous lines that tempt me to create the book’s very own list of quotes ~ which I haven’t done and won’t do, but the thought is testament enough to the author’s  wordsmithing.

In any event, those of you who know me, know I enjoy my tea. So finding the topic of this particular entry appealing will be no surprise ~ but it’s the larger essence, the rise and fall of the thought process, the meditation, the skilled expanding and condensing of a moment speaking to life and power and subtlety that I found truly delightful .. and worthy of sharing.

So here it is:

♦

I pour the tea and we sip in silence. We have never had our tea together in the morning, and this break with our usual protocol imbues the ritual with a strange flavor.

Yes, this sudden transmutation in the order of things seems to enhance our pleasure, as if consecrating the unchanging nature of ritual established over our afternoons together, a ritual that has ripened into a solid and meaningful reality. Today, because it has been transgressed, our ritual suddenly acquires all its power; we are tasting the splendid gift of this unexpected morning as if it were some precious nectar; ordinary gestures have an extraordinary resonance, as we breathe in the fragrance of the tea, savor it, lower our cups, serve more, and sip again; every gesture has the bright aura of rebirth. At moments like this the web of life is revealed by the power of the ritual, and each time we renew our ceremony, the pleasure will be all the greater for our having violated one of its principles. Moments like this act as magical interludes, placing our hearts at the edge of our souls: fleetingly, yet intensely, a fragment of eternity has come to enrich time. Elsewhere the world may be blustering or sleeping, wars are fought, people live and die, some nations disintegrate, while others are born, soon to be swallowed up in turn – and in all this sound and fury, amidst eruptions and undertows, while the world goes it merry way, bursts into flames, tears itself apart and is reborn; human life continues to throb.

So, let us drink a cup of tea.

♦

(From  pg. 91 of The Elegance of The Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery)

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ps: Other great reads this summer that I’d recommend have been “The Help” (Kathryn Stockett), and “The Art of Racing in The Rain” (Garth Stein). A comprehensive list of my favorite books can be found at patriciasaxton.wordpress.com

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