Jun 25
Bad Advice Wednesday: Find Your Voice
categories: Bad Advice / Cocktail Hour
1 comment
Allen Ginsberg
This week’s thought comes from Allen Ginsberg, who was born June 3, 1926, making him yet another vital member of the greatest generation that Tom Brokaw forgot to mention, and a few months older than my father, who regards him as a child of the sixties (like, blame him on my generation, but no). Okay, Here it is, plenty to think about: “To gain your own voice, forget about having it heard. Become a saint of your own province and your own consciousness.”
Good night, saints!
Oh, I just love this one!
First of all, I had no idea that AG was this good looking. I have always seen photos hallmarking the disheveled writer version.
But that shock aside, I will say this. I used to care VERY much about being successful–and, obviously, the measure of that success was publication, what else could it be? Well, the truth is, I am happiest in my writing when I forget about comparison and rely on self-evaluation to get a piece of writing to become what I believe IS the experience I had and send it to my mentor, and he says, I love it!
I suppose to be fully Ginsbergian, I should shun that last bit…but I’ve always known that I’m no saint. 🙂