Inspiration

Wow... what a weekend! Birthday parties, long runs, plenty of couch time, several Blueberry Tea Lattes and a few surprises mixed in there. December is certainly shaping up to be an interesting month- and if I say so myself, a great way to wrap up 2011- a truly great year!

Tonight, I had a meeting for my freelance project and it hit me just how great his year was. I was sitting there over a glass of wine, chatting with my "client" (who I should really just call a dear friend) and I was struck by life's blessings.

This year could have been really difficult. But instead, it was full of surprises. Mainly, I surprised myself- in the best ways possible. I am so thankful for 2011; what a great year to reflect on.

This weekend, I started working on 2012 resolutions. Like last year, I am going to blog about my 12 resolutions for 2012, a "12 days of Christmas" blog special. I also want to share how my 2011 resolutions shaped up.

Hey, reflection is good for everyone!

Tonight, I want to share an article by Brian Klems I loved this week- 7 quotes from great writers. These inspired me this week, and reaffirmed yesterday's post on writing and blogging.

I especially like #5 by JK Rowling; I think it's inspiring for both writers and bloggers.

1.

“Oftentimes an originator of new language forms is called ‘pretentious’ by jealous talents. But it ain’t whatcha write, it’s the way atcha write it.”

—Jack Kerouac

2.

“[The writer] has to be the kind of man who turns the world upside down and says, lookit, it looks different, doesn’t it?”

—Morris West

3.

“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.”

—Harper Lee

4.

“The only obligation any artist can have is to himself. His work means nothing, otherwise. It has no meaning.”

—Truman Capote

5.

“In truth, I never consider the audience for whom I’m writing. I just write what I want to write.”

—J.K. Rowling

6.

“Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.”

—Larry L. King

7.

“I think I succeeded as a writer because I did not come out of an English department. I used to write in the chemistry department. And I wrote some good stuff. If I had been in the English department, the prof would have looked at my short stories, congratulated me on my talent, and then showed me how Joyce or Hemingway handled the same elements of the short story. The prof would have placed me in competition with the greatest writers of all time, and that would have ended my writing career.”

—Kurt Vonnegut

Hope those quotes give all of you bloggers a bit of inspiration this week!