Hello,

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.

UPCOMING EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS:

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9th, 2008 - FREE MONTHLY TELESEMINARS

Join us 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).

Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 12:00 noon (Pacific time)

TOPIC: Using Writing to Look Backward and Plan Forward

Can writing help you review the year, put challenges in perspective and help you plan for next year to be the Best Year Ever? Yes it can!

You will learn:

• Easy and fun to do techniques for gaining perspective
  
  
• Exactly what you'll need to do to complete unfinished projects
  
  
• How to envision a step-by-step plan to create your Best Year Yet

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

Never been to 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!

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13th - Virtual Writing Circle Begins!

Join our Virtual Writing Circle! We'll meet two times a month by telephone bridge line.

If you are:

A writer or aspiring writer, wanting to connect with other writers Looking for support and gentle feedback on your writing An experienced writer, wanting to jumpstart a writing project Needing to brush up writing basics and improve your writing habits

Then a Virtual Writing Circle may be for you!

You'll receive:

Two one-hour sessions per month of a professionally coached group writing experience A facilitator who is a licensed and experienced psychotherapist, as well as an experienced writer, coach and teacher A supportive community of other writers you can connect to virtually An opportunity to meet with Susan 1:1 by phone for monthly mini-sessions, as needed

This is a great opportunity to receive group coaching at a fraction of the cost of individual coaching.

Only $65 per month.

Interested? Write to Susan Borkin at susan@susanborkin.com or call 1.800.552.WRITE.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28th, 2009 - 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

If you are interested in finding out more about Susan Borkin’s availability to speak to your group or organization, click here or contact Susan at 408.973.7877

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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

Find out! Just contact me for a Complimentary Coaching Consultation and we'll talk about it. Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

• Sign up for free monthly teleclass!
  
  
• Need some journaling tips? Send for your GRATIS BONUS ARTICLE "JUMPSTART YOUR JOURNALING" Send an e-mail to susan@susanborkin.com, requesting the article by name.

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GASES, LIQUIDS & SALADS

No, that's not a typo, I meant to write salads as part of the title of this article. But let me explain.

Last month I attended and presented at the Second Annual Wellness and Writing Connection Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia. An emerging theme throughout the conference was the therapeutic use of personal story telling as an act of healing. We had viewed as a group, a showing of the HBO film "Wit," which was a very moving story of a woman's journey to a fuller and richer understanding of her life as she passes from life to death. One of the highlights of the conference was a presentation by Margaret Edson, the Pulitzer winning playwright of "Wit."

She began her talk with a delightful story about one of her second grade students who it seemed had not totally grasped the concept of gases, liquids and solids. When asked to draw the three states of matter the youngster first drew clouds, then water and finally, salad.

This was a sweet story as told by Ms. Edson. But she also used the three states of matter as a metaphor to describe the writing process and why it is sometimes so difficult get to the solid or permanent form.

Let's say gases represent Free Form writing. We can't see gas so it has no visible limitations. In Free Form writing, we also have no limits, no rules or requirement to have words spelled correctly. Both incomplete and run-on sentences are welcome. Thoughts don't even need to make sense in this form of writing.

If liquids represent writing drafts, they begin to have shape, form, and a degree of containment. Water can sometimes flow freely, but is most frequently contained in a river, swimming pool, bucket or drinking glass.

Finally, we look at solids, the densest form of matter. Solids have and hold a particular shape and size. In solid or final form our writing is also a particular shape. Our finished piece, article or book is printed. We call it the final copy. It feels permanent and unchangeable.

Yet each form is needed, a part of a process. We need steam for power and energy. We need water for our very survival. And we need ice to chill and preserve.

Our writing too, needs to begin in Free Form, to have no limitations as we begin the creative process. Next, the writing we want others to read needs to have focus, shape and containment. Finally if we do choose to share or publish our writing, we need to at some point, finish it and create it in a solid form.

Take good care,

If you find yourself needing help managing your creative process 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.

ABOUT SUSAN BORKIN

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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