Words of Writing Wisdom for Twenty Ten

As we begin this new decade, we're reminded of how fast time flies. Have you set fresh writing goals for 2010? Don't break that resolution before even the first of the year's 12 months is over. Take courage from these words by one of my favorite writing teachers, Natalie Goldberg:

"As writers we live life twice, like a cow that eats its food once and then regurgitates it to chew and digest it again. We have a second chance at biting into our experience and examining it . . . This is our life and it's not going to last forever. There isn't time to talk about someday writing that short story or poem or novel. Slow down now, touch what is around you, and out of care and compassion for each moment and detail, put pen to paper and begin to write."

Onward and upward!

Best, Gina

What Writers REALLY Want for Christmas

I’ve had several requests to revive a little Muse You Can Use ditty that I wrote circa the winter solstice in 2003. So here it is, my gift to all of you fabulous writers out there:

12 Days of Writers’ Wishes

In honor of the season (and because “public domain” copyright law permits derivative works, ha, ha), I’m revising the lyrics from “The 12 Days of Christmas” to offer inspiration to those of you who’ve been working with the word this year.

I’ve omitted the “my true love gave to me” portion because we writers know that no one – not even our truest loves – can give us what it takes to inventively emote on the page. That gift comes from within and above.

I’ve also deleted the “days” idea (wow, this looks nothing like the original work!) and replaced each verse with things that writers REALLY want—none of that piping and drumming nonsense. Of what use are milking maids or geese-a-laying anyway, unless you own a cow or have a fetish for large waterfowl?

What remains after all this editing are 12 gifts that I hope you will receive in the coming year, if you so desire!

12 Drummers Drumming = 12 percent (or more) royalties

11 Pipers Piping = 11 hours of heavenly solitude to write, write, write

10 Lords a Leaping = 10 larger-than-life fiction characters leaping off the page, including one bad-ass antagonist and a main character who makes your heart melt

9 Ladies Dancing = 9 muses dancing in your head, rousing your imagination all year long

8 Maids a Milking = milking each of your first-rights-only articles 8 times through serial rights

7 Swans a Swimming = 7 article acceptance notices swimming in your e-box

6 Geese a Laying = 6^th sense about when your project is rightfully “done,” and the patience to keep incubating until it is

5 Golden Rings = 5 testimonials from readers saying how much they enjoyed reading you

4 Calling Birds = 4 call-in talk show offers, at least one in syndication

3 French Hens = 3 AAR literary agents offering representation (I don’t mean to infer that agents are hens)

2 Turtle Doves = 2 editors-in-charge of imprints, cooing for your manuscript (auction!)

A Partridge in a Pear Tree = a screen adaptation and a call from Oprah’s executive producer

HAPPY, HAPPY BLESSED HOLIDAY EVERYONE!

Gina

Writing a Memoir in 2010?

Interested in writing a memoir? Check out this podcast I recently did with fellow author Sharon Lippincott. And while you're listening, have a glass of creamy (organic, of course!) holiday eggnog or a sweet hot apple toddy to get those creative juices flowing.

http://heartandcraft.blogspot.com/2009/11/interview-with-gina-mazza.html

Cheers, Gina

DARE TO RELAX THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

REMINDER: WOMEN WHO DARE SALON

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7

6:30 to 9 p.m., MUDDY CUP COFFEE HOUSE, BELLEVUE

'Tis the season to make your lists, check them twice . . . then shop 'til your drop. Huh? Nah! For one evening, put aside the "to do" lists and take a little time for reflection. Join us for an evening of relaxed camaraderie and robust conversation amongst gal-pals. The Muddy Cup is serving up gingerbread lattes and special holiday treats in its bakery just for us. Learn more about the Salon and register here: http://www.ginamazza.com/events.htm.

Blessings of the season,

Gina

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving. (Kahlil Gibran)

Take a spare few moments this holiday weekend to write about what you are most thankful for. Pen your own daily prayer of gratitude and refer to it often throughout the coming months.

Wishing you a blessed holiday,

Gina

WE HAVE LIFTOFF!

New website is live!

Go to it: ginamazza.com

TESTING, 1 . . . 2 . . 3

Okay, the test pages for my new website are live. Still have some kinks to smooth out . . . so this is an official sneak peak for loyal Muse You Can Use blog followers!

Let me know your thoughts: www.ginamazza.com

Good day, Gina

Troy Polamalu in Faith & Family

A portion of my PITTSBURGH Magazine August cover story on NFL super-hot dude Troy Polamalu was just reprinted at Faith & Family. Check out: Faith & Family : Features : The Mane Man

Go Steelers! :)

Gina

Interested in Filmmaking? Have a Script?

Film Factory Competition Kicks Off Tomorrow...

Emerging talent in southwestern Pennsylvania will get a chance to have their scripts read and material developed by Film Factory advisors, who represent some of the finest filmmaking professionals in Hollywood and in the Pittsburgh.

Saturday, November 7

10:30 a.m., Melwood Screening Room

477 Melwood Avenue

Oakland, PA

The Steeltown FILM FACTORY Filmmaking Competition is Pittsburgh's own version of "Project
Greenlight." Get your script ready! To learn more, visit www.wifmpit.com.

Apparently, Nature is the Mother of All Inspiration

The results of this blog's creativity poll are in! After a tally of the numbers, it appears that the majority of you (more than 80%) find your best creative inspiration in nature, such as walking in the woods, on the beach or through a clover meadow.
To a lesser extent, some of you glean inspiration from reading elegant prose from literary writers. And even fewer poll takers reported being inspired by swilling a cosmo (not too surprising) of falling in LUV (which I DO find surprising). Hmmm.....what does that say about the state of the "union"? Mother Nature, you win!

Major Tom to Ground Control

Okay, so I've had to postpone my website launch for a short bit due to (1) my html person getting a hellacious flu and (2) astrological reasons. No kidding. I consult with my one-and-only astrologer on matters of personal and professional importance such as launching new ventures. I thought November 1 had a lovely ring to it but he ixnayed that idea. Anyway, I prefer to have the oomph of the solar system behind me, so sit tight, people, we'll have liftoff soon. Take your protein pills and put your helmets on.... :-0

Taking My Own Advice . . .

OUTTAKES FROM MY WEBSITE PHOTO SHOOT

I’ve been acting like the doctor who never gets a check-up, the mechanic who skips oil changes, the accountant who owes back taxes. You see, part of my work is to help individuals and companies put their best foot forward in words, and I’ve been remiss at doing the same with my writer website. For a while, I’ve been saying that my site needs to better reflect who I am and how I serve. Well, the time has come to put my money where my mouth is. Time to quit being loquacious and just get down to it.

And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. One of the many hats I’ve been wearing these past few months is “doyenne of web redesign.” Far from being another chore on my marketing agenda, I’ve been giddy with excitement about reinventing this site. I assembled a highly creative and talented team—photographers, stylist, graphic designer and web master (the accompanying photos tell a bit of the story)—but in the end, it came down to doing what I do for everyone else: put pen to paper (actually fingers to keyboard) and, as Rumi says, “open the window in the center of your chest and let the birds fly out.” Ah!

My newly refashioned Ginamazza.com site launches on November 1. You DON’T want to miss it.

Stay tuned!

Gina

BLOGGING = JOURNALISM?

This research just out: the average annual salary for full-time bloggers is $122,222. Is it time to rethink the definition of blogging from self-absorbed schlock to a tool used by serious, informed journalists? Click on this link:.

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/blogging-dead-long-live-journalism

Write on,

Gina

GO TO THE LIGHT!

Join me this weekend!

The Guiding Light Farewell Event

Saturday, October 24, 4 to 8 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Pittsburgh International Airport
www.SoLongSpringfield.com

Beth Caldwell (founder of Pittsburgh Professional Women) and I will be signing books at this fabulous farewell to the soap opera Guiding Light. (Apparently, the ‘Burgh has a largest GL fan base in the country!)

Meet the cast, enjoy a strolling dinner and live musical performances. More than 1,500 tix have been sold so far! Proceeds benefit the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation.

ARE YOU IN YOUR WRITE MIND?

Join me this week for my workshop, "The Conscious Writer: How to be Prolific in Your Art, Your Heart and in Your Life."

• View the world as the fount of glory that it is, and use this as delicious fodder for your writing or chosen art
• Rise up from the umpteen demands on your life and stake out time for your creative self
• Attract a conscious stream of achievement with your writing endeavors
• Widen your “PVC pipe” to higher guidance
• Burn through the thoughtless, negative junk that others have said about your creative dreams
• Take small yet radical steps to change things up in your life so you can swim in a stream of inspiration

We will also do a fun (no pressure!) writing exercise that includes enchanted music, the moon and intentional swooning on the subject of your choice.

Wednesday, October 14, 6:30 - 8:30 P.M.

The Book Place Piazza Plaza, 20550 Rte. 19, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066

$25 Includes a copy of the book Everything Matters, Nothing Matters, which Gina will use in the workshop.

Enjoy freshly brewed Tazo teas, chai and cool kombucha (Don’t know what that is? Come find out!)

TO REGISTER: 724.776.7220

Just announced: Women Who Dare Salon exclusively for EMNM readers!

As promised in my previous post, I am hosting a Women Who Dare Salon exclusively for EMNM readers. We will gather at the hip, comfy and easily accessible Muddy Cup Coffee House, just a tad north of the city of Pittsburgh.

Wednesday, November 4

7 to 9 p.m.

Muddy Cup Coffee House

541 Lincoln Avenue

Bellevue, PA 15202

412.415.3144

Fee: $15

Salon details:

Are you on the verge of awakening to a greater sense of who you are but need a blast of encouragement to do so? You are so in luck.

At this soiree you will find:
A temple of feminine camaraderie in a cozy café setting

Encouragement to safely explore the outer limits of your longings and what you wish to create in your life

Empowerment to drop-kick the mental/emotional debris that others have carelessly scattered around you

How to use the ritual of celebration as joyful medicine to snap out of the “I can never do enough” stupor

Why the Global Sisterhood Manifesto is one you should personally commit to
Best practices for living a life of exquisite calm, euphoric creativity and divine clarity

Sponsored in part by the Women’s Connection Group.

Women Who Dare Salon

Wow! The Women Who Dare Salon announced on 9/18 sold out in less than a week. (Think we're onto something here?) I applaud each and every women who signed up for this event and look forward to frolicking with you on October 7.

For those who contacted me after the salon sold out: If you'd still like to be a part of the salon experience, please let me know and I will be happy to schedule a second event in November.

For my faithful EMNM readers: The October 7 salon is designed to expand the EMNM message to those who haven't yet read the book. But many of you have asked to join in the salon. I would be thrilled to host a special salon expressly for those of you who already have a copy of the book. Simply respond to this email and let me know that you're interested . . . if you dare! (Of course, you do!)

Just now hearing about the Salon? Email me to learn more: inspire@zominternet.net.

Cheers, Gina

Catch me tomorrow in Cranberry!

Join me tomorrow!

The Book Place
Saturday, September 26

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Piazza Plaza

20550 Route 19

Cranberry Township, PA

724.776.7220

I’m thrilled to be signing and reading excerpts from EMNM right in my own community! Come check out this new bookstore that serves northern Allegheny County and Butler County.

Monroeville rocks!

A big hug to everyone who came out to my talk last evening in Monroeville. With so many events happening around the G-20 in Pittsburgh this week, it was a privilege to see such a robust turnout for this program. I had a blast. Hope you did, too.

Next on the calendar, a book signing this Saturday at a brand new bookstore right in my community! I salute you, book lovers! Visit my book site for details of all upcoming events: www.EverythingmattersNothingmatters.com.

Blessed Autumn to you,
Gina

Join me this Tuesday @ Monroeville Library

Join me Tuesday, September 22, for:

Everything Matters, Nothing Matters: How to Live with Exquisite Calm, Euphoric Creativity and Divine Clarity—Especially During Challenging Times

Tuesday, September 22, 7 to 9 p.m.

Monroeville Public Library, www.MonroevilleLibrary.org

As we progress through life, our soul’s desires can become shrouded, squelched, devalued or ignored altogether. Especially in times of emotional and economic crisis, the tendency is to shut down, lose faith, think small. Forced to choose between our heart’s desires and everyday practicality—or necessity—we deny that most authentic part of ourselves or put it on a shelf to be looked into "some day" when things are "better." This talk will challenge you to consider that now is the exact right time to begin to live your higher story—in spite of what "outer circumstances" might be happening.

Best always!
Gina