Be Calm ...
Do you ever get the feeling the universe is telling you something? In the present circumstances I have 'be calm' as my mantra these days - the traditional British 'Keep Calm and Carry On' print in the family room, and Louise Bourgeois' sublime 'Be Calm' in my bedroom. I need to be reminded. Frequently. One thing it is rather hard to stay calm about is criticism. I had an interesting conversation with my tutor yesterday - after we talked about the next stage of the MA, she asked how the book was doing, loved all the great press reviews. I mentioned 'Some of the Amazon reviews are a bit ... well, you know'. She burst out laughing: 'Ignore them!' she said, and generously shared a story about one of her first published books - the first review she read online slaughtered it, but the book went on to win awards.
When you write, you lay yourself open - which is why we need the mythical Writer's Rhino Suit to survive. Not everyone will love your work - and good luck to them. (Remember Dorothy Parker's immortal: this is not a book to be tossed aside lightly. It should be flung with great force'). Yes, it hurts if your book is the one being flung - but the moral of the story is, write what you write, from the heart. Do your absolute best. No one book is going to please everyone. Don't read reviews is perhaps good advice too. Or, as I read this morning in Synchrodestiny - the higher mind is immune to criticism and flattery. Take the high ground. So, wishing you all calm in your hearts today - and enjoy this review over at Literary Treats on the Canadian blog tour.
(Yes, I know it's wonky - being calm is a work in progress ...)
