Hi,

I am so pleased to have your subscription to A-Muse Letter! I hope you are enjoying receiving it.

As you know, each month I offer coaching tips, ideas and inspiration to support you in your writing, creativity and personal growth. Please send your comments and questions and I'll write back personally or respond in a future edition of A-Muse Letter.

S.O.S – IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK (OR IS IT?)

When you see the letters S.O.S. it's quite likely that you are imagining the international distress signal, whose letters originally stood for Save Our Ship.

In our teleseminar earlier this month (see registration below for next month's teleseminar registration) we explored the use of Dialogues or Internal Scripts for getting answers to questions and clarity on difficult decisions.

But there's another important aspect of the use of the Dialogue method. It has to do with the capacity that a written dialogue or script has to sort out not only issues, but also aspects of you. Actually, more correctly, I should say not you, but Your Selves. Where S.O.S. usually means an emergency distress signal, S.O.S. could also mean Sorting Out Selves.

Let me explain. If you're not familiar with the Dialogue/Internal Script method, it involves the use of written dialogue. The written dialogue when complete, reads like a screenplay. First one character and then the other speaks. However, in this dialogue instead of characters you are actually holding a conversation with different parts of yourself. You are "speaking" on paper.

If this sounds odd, consider the dialogues that go on in your head every day. There's the lazy part of you that doesn't want to get up in the morning and the responsible part of you that knows it would be a wise decision to get up and go to work. Or, there is the part of you that knows having a chocolate doughnut for breakfast isn't the healthiest thing for you and the part of you that's like a little kid wanting a chocolate doughnut and right now!

Basically, to set up an S.O.S. Dialogue you need to do the following steps:

Identify the parts of you in conflict. You do this by paying attention to the speakers in the various arguments you are having internally.

Give the parts names. It's easier to identify the parts if you give each one a name. For example Healthy Heart vs. Sweet Tooth or Ms. Loves to Sleep In vs. Ms. Needs to Make a Living. Have fun and be creative with the names.

Start Writing! It's actually as simple as that. Just put the conversation going on in your head, on paper.

An S.O.S. may be a distress signal on the high seas, but Sorting Out Selves may just help navigate the waters!


If you find yourself needing some help "sorting out selves," contact me and request a GRATIS SESSION via phone or in person. Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

Take good care,

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UPCOMING EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS:

TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008 - FREE MONTHLY TELESEMINARS

Join us the second Tuesday of each month for live teleseminars on support and tips for writing and creativity. Calls are at 12:00 noon, Pacific (1:00 pm Mountain, 2:00 pm Central and 3:00 pm Eastern).

TOPIC: THE SECRET TO GETTING GREAT ANSWERS TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS – PART II

NOTE: Don't worry if you missed Part I, we'll do a brief review at the beginning of the call!

Can't make a class? No worries. Sign-up anyway and we'll send you a free recording.

Never been on a teleseminar? A teleseminar is a virtual classroom. Accessible by telephone, you simply sign-up beforehand then dial in at the appointed time. No travel, no hassle. Listen or be part of a seminar from anywhere in the world!

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT, NOW!

SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2008 - PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR NEW AND BEGINNING WRITERS -- Full-day workshop: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, De Anza College, Cupertino, California.

If you want to start writing and don't know how to begin, your writing has stalled, you are feeling out-of-focus or you simply want to bring more writing into your life, this is the seminar for you. Although publishing may be your eventual goal, emphasis will be on the process of writing. All genres and skill levels (including absolute beginners) welcome.

Included:

• Tips and tricks to get started writing and keep going
• Get moving again when your writing has stalled
• Get your writing organized!
• Keep track of your ideas
• Silence your inner critic
• Manage your resistance
• Break through writer's block
• Deal with rejection

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Susan Borkin, M.A. is a licensed psychotherapist, coach and writer. She is the founder of Write Now! a professional practice specializing in the use of writing for personal and professional growth. Susan specializes in helping people overcome creative blocks and achieve deep personal transformation through the use of writing. A personal growth writing teacher for more than twenty-five years, she is the author of When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Writing and Writing From the Inside Out: Using a Journal for Personal Growth & Transformation.

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BOOKS TO STIMULATE YOUR WRITING AND CREATIVITY By Susan Borkin

Writing From the Inside Out: Using a Journal for Personal Growth and Transformation When Your Heart Speaks, Take Good Notes: The Healing Power of Writing

Both books are available for previewing and ordering at www.susanborkin.com. Sample chapters are only available to preview.

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GRATIS CORNER

• Sign up for free monthly teleseminars!

• If you find yourself needing some help 'sorting out selves' or have questions about your writing and creativity practice, contact me and request a GRATIS SESSION via phone or in person.

• Need some journaling tips? Send for your GRATIS BONUS ARTICLE, 'JUMPSTART YOUR JOURNALING'. Send an e-mail requesting the article by name.

• Have a question about writing or creativity? E-mail your question to Susan. She may use your questions in future issues of ' WRITE NOW! A-Muse Letter by Susan Borkin '.

Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to Susan at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

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