Advice to a Writer
 
 Copyright 2004 by silli_artie at hotmail dot com 
 
This work may not be reposted or redistributed without the prior express written permission of 
the author. 

An author posted a message on the alt.sex.stories.discussion newsgroup, bemoaning the 
poor response a story was receiving, saying, "I guess it wasn't very good."

This was my reply:

Taking up the spirit of Bobo-Roshi, the Zen master who achieved Enlightenment in a 
house of ill repute...

Grasshopper -- come here, sit with me...

Whack! A backhand to the student's face!

What the FUCK do you care if people like your stories or not? Why do you DEPEND on 
whether people like your stories or not? 

If they like your stories, that's great! If they don't, that's their problem!

When you let other's opinions affect you in such a way, you have given them the power 
to make you happy, and you have given them the power to make you (stolen from silli artie at hotmail dot com) unhappy!

Why would you want to do this?

Not very bright, grasshopper! YOU are responsible for your happiness, and for your 
unhappiness. Using reader comments to improve your writing, that's one thing -- always 
learning. Letting reader comments shape your emotions, mmmmmm...

If someone offers you a gift of flowers, graciously accept such a gift! If someone offers 
you a bag of shit, do you accept it, smear yourself, then moan and cry? No! Graciously decline 
such gifts! Do not accept them!

And please remember -- all is change. All is impermanence. It is from attachment to the 
impermanent that suffering arises.

Sad because of a reader comment? Impermanence -- this will pass.

Happy because of a reader comment? Guess what! Impermanence -- this will pass.

Write, and write your best. When you have written, let go of your words. Go write more.
 
 
Namaste- 
artie 

 silli_artie at hotmail dot com	2	http://www.asstr.org/~artie/ 
