You know who the Statler Brothers are, right? Don Reid, retired lead singer for the Statler Brothers, tells this story in the September/October, 2011 issue of Homecoming Magazine.
As a kid, he loved Southern gospel groups like the Speer Family and the Statesmen and The Blackwood Brothers. When he grew up, he wanted to be "one of those guys."
His first stage appearance was at the age of 6 for a spring concert at his elementary school. The students practiced every day in class to get the songs just right.
A few days before the night of the performance, his teacher pulled him and three other students aside. She told them that during the concert she wanted them to just "mouth the words because [they didn't] really sing all that well."
Don Reid says this: "Such irony fills the memory and yet never scarred the dream. God bless you, Miss Carrier, wherever you are. This next song is for you."
I know a few writers so bruised by critique they put their pursuits aside. As a writer, has someone stepped on your dream? God bless them. Now write.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
A Matter of Perspective
In her August 29, 2011 newsletter for Ambitious Enterprises, Ally Peltier shared encouraging words about perspective. Ally E. Peltier is an editor, writer, and publishing consultant who loves using her insider knowledge of the publishing industry and more than a decade of writing experience to help others reach their publishing goals, whether it’s showing a writer how to improve his manuscript, get an agent, or self-publish, or ghostwriting a book to help an entrepreneur skyrocket her business platform to new levels. Grab Ally’s free white papers and learn more about her services at http://www.ambitiousenterprises.com/ and http://www.allypeltier.com/.
Here's Ally's excellent article, used by permission. The photo of Ally Peltier is from her August 29, 2011 newsletter.
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I have a friend who often calls me asking, “What’s shakin’, bacon?” I never thought I’d be able to respond with, “My house, for starters!” On Tuesday we experienced a 5.9 earthquake on the East Coast. As it was based in Virginia, those of us in Maryland felt it pretty acutely, but I’ve heard people felt the tremors as far away as Toronto, New York, and Cincinnati, too. It was pretty strange to see my 1921 foursquare shimmy like a belly-dancer. My cats didn’t appreciate it much, either.
I didn’t get much work done Tuesday afternoon. Instead, I devoted a few hours to checking in with friends on Facebook. Some of them are former West Coasters who laughed at our distress. “You guys would never last in California,” they joked.
It occurred to me how different our perspectives are, and how much perspective can be affected by something as simple as geographic location. Our perspectives are also affected by our gender, age, occupations, education levels and types, and more. I imagined how a Mid-Atlantic native’s version of yesterday’s events would differ from a California-born transplant.
Similarly, earlier this week another friend got into an Internet squabble over the use of the term “sacrifice.” A former Air Force medic, he argued that missing a family breakfast or getting up extra early on a Sunday morning for a meeting are but mild inconveniences, and not appropriately deemed sacrifices insofar as that word is understood by him and other military members, firemen, policemen, etc. Clearly a difference in perspective even gives words different weight.
If you feel discouraged because you think you’re telling the same old story, or that your idea for a book has already been done, consider what your unique perspective can bring to the project. It’s been said that there are no new ideas—what’s fresh and interesting is the way in which those recycled ideas are presented. No one has your experiences, your voice, or your exact perspective. No one can write the same book you can.
I didn’t get much work done Tuesday afternoon. Instead, I devoted a few hours to checking in with friends on Facebook. Some of them are former West Coasters who laughed at our distress. “You guys would never last in California,” they joked.
It occurred to me how different our perspectives are, and how much perspective can be affected by something as simple as geographic location. Our perspectives are also affected by our gender, age, occupations, education levels and types, and more. I imagined how a Mid-Atlantic native’s version of yesterday’s events would differ from a California-born transplant.
Similarly, earlier this week another friend got into an Internet squabble over the use of the term “sacrifice.” A former Air Force medic, he argued that missing a family breakfast or getting up extra early on a Sunday morning for a meeting are but mild inconveniences, and not appropriately deemed sacrifices insofar as that word is understood by him and other military members, firemen, policemen, etc. Clearly a difference in perspective even gives words different weight.
If you feel discouraged because you think you’re telling the same old story, or that your idea for a book has already been done, consider what your unique perspective can bring to the project. It’s been said that there are no new ideas—what’s fresh and interesting is the way in which those recycled ideas are presented. No one has your experiences, your voice, or your exact perspective. No one can write the same book you can.
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