Kent Sanders The Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci said, “The greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more when they work less.” But what did he mean by that? He meant that the most successful people are not necessarily the smartest or the most creative. What really makes the difference is that they find ways to be more effective. Many … Read more
Citizen Kane is universally recognized as one of the greatest films of all time. Orson Welles and his collaborators created a masterpiece well ahead of its time in storytelling, cinematography, and special effects. (It also happens to be my favorite movie!) Yet, for all its achievements, Citizen Kane is one of the saddest movies ever … Read more
We writers often talk about the reasons we like to write. But what are the reasons we don’t write? What keeps us from writing? Several things probably come to mind: procrastination, not having enough time, and not feeling creative, just to name a few. But at the end of the day, one main thing keeps … Read more
There are many advantages to being an introverted writer. You enjoy being alone, which is a big benefit when trying to finish your writing. You’d mostly rather spend your time with books than people, which can help you dive deeply into literature and learning. You’d rather observe than participate, which can help you approach life … Read more
In the law-enforcement community, the phrase “person of interest” is used to describe someone who may be involved in an ongoing investigation or connected with a crime, but they haven’t been formally accused of a crime. People are “interested” in this person because of their actions. You can do the same thing. Curiosity works both … Read more
Everybody wants to be admired. And why not? That is completely in line with human nature. From the dawn of time, humans have tried to gain power over one another to get the attention and admiration of others. One way we do this as writers is to try and appear intelligent. We use big words … Read more
We writers have a reputation for taking everything personally. Many of us would describe ourselves as introverted artists who are highly sensitive. We tend to absorb other people’s emotions and have a hard time letting things go. Am I right? Or, am I right? This can make it hard to build an audience over the … Read more
Years ago, author and teacher Parker Palmer wrote a profound little book called Let Your Life Speak. In the book, he writes, “Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.” What does it mean to listen to your life? … Read more
One of the saddest plays ever performed in American theater is “Death of a Salesman.” It was written by Arthur Miller and first performed on Broadway in 1949. “Death of a Salesman” tells the story of the last 24 hours in the life of Willy Loman, a salesman who never quite achieves the success he … Read more
If you had to pin down one universal emotion that all humans experience, it’s pain. To be human means to suffer. We suffer on a daily basis as we deal with the disappointments and frustrations of everyday life. But we also suffer when we go through the occasional major trauma, such as the death of a … Read more