Tilla gets all the belly rubs he wants.  He is one of my black dogs.  He rolls over quite readily asking for a belly rub.  And he usually gets it.  Why do humans have such problems in seeking affection from others?  And why does it get so complicated?

I really do not know.  Why can’t others be more honest.  Of course we can’t roll over on our bellies but we can approach each other without guile.  You are more likely to get strokes from others if you are not deceitful.

I know Tilla loves me.  He is a dog.  So what.  There is something very simple about pets:  they either like you or they don’t.  They never feign affection.  We can learn something from this behaviour.  Be who you are, whoever you are.  It will pay in the future.

Don’t be so afraid of getting hurt.  Of course, children, most children are honest and open in their dealings and expression of their emotions.  And somehow a lot of people lose something in the process of growing up.

Never pretend to be something you are not.  Others usually see through other people’s disguises.  Just be who you are.  A tall order but simple.  You will benefit in the long run.

“How great art thou?” is a question that does not help a writer.  Of course, you will always have doubts of your talent.  Those doubts really do not help and all they do is split your concentration.

You are asking the wrong question.  The right question is to be, “Am I getting better?”  Not am I matching up to someone else’s work, which is implied in the question, “How great art thou?”

Only one person can answer the question, “Am I getting better.”  That is yourself.  All you can do is improve as a writer.  And the benchmark is your own work.

As far as publishing your work, that decision whether your work is accepted for publication is not yours.  Yes, you have to put it out there but you can not become overly concerned with that.

It prevents you from writing as well as you can if that is in back of your mind when you are writing and editing your work whether it will be published.  Your job is to get it as good as you can.  That is it.

I believe everyone has talent but somehow you have to get beyond anyone’s expectations including your own and write as honestly as you can with the least amount of affectation and be whoever you are.

You are who you are.  And when you can demonstrate that people will want to read what you have written.