tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post2300982375131188070..comments2023-12-25T00:38:19.500-08:00Comments on Finding Wonderland: The WritingYA Weblog (archive): Friday, Finally.Sarah Stevensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16534942492714970282noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-86020997419394740252007-04-01T10:21:00.000-07:002007-04-01T10:21:00.000-07:00And Jay -- whatever would I wear?Are you borrowing...And Jay -- whatever would I wear?<BR/>Are you borrowing a stretch Hummer from the Gubernator?<BR/>Are you going as Mermaids? <BR/><BR/>Heh. Those poor kids would <I>never</I> recover.tanita✿davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01671822274852087499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-55468479845024036762007-04-01T10:19:00.000-07:002007-04-01T10:19:00.000-07:00It is true -- the time of 'prodigy' is remarkably ...It is true -- the time of 'prodigy' is remarkably short... and then what are you? (There's a book in that somewhere, I'm sure...) <BR/><BR/>I guess I don't have the urge to be a 'promising young writer;' my worry is that all of the stories have been told, which is a fallacy, just as big as thinking that a.) at 30, you're no longer young, or b.) that you will never have any "major publishing works" or c.) that once you pass a certain age, "rising star" can never be attached to your name.<BR/><BR/>Maybe it's all in ignoring what other people have to say about your 'star' or whatever, and just writing your work, and letting IT speak. There is something to be said for slowing down and just <I>being</I>, instead of always feeling like one ought to be doing or achieving...tanita✿davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01671822274852087499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-68762491910426822982007-03-31T11:12:00.000-07:002007-03-31T11:12:00.000-07:00I'm sorry, but if we do chaperone the prom, you ar...I'm sorry, but if we do chaperone the prom, you <I>are</I> comin' with us!<BR/><BR/>- JayDisco Mermaidshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16749764215612594204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-34066913283098022082007-03-30T16:11:00.000-07:002007-03-30T16:11:00.000-07:00Great links today, as always! (says the Praise Jun...Great links today, as always! (says the Praise Junkie!) I wanted to add something to what the praise article said: "Dweck discovered that those who think that innate intelligence is the key to success begin to discount the importance of effort. I am smart, the kids’ reasoning goes; I don’t need to put out effort." The really painful flip side of this idea is that then, when you put out effort but still fail, you see yourself as innately inferior. The author did talk about this a bit, later in the article, in light of kids who find the transition to junior high difficult. I think this is a really, <I>really</I> important issue. This article really hit home--I'm <I>still</I> working through issues of achievement and failure, in and out of the therapist's office. It's not just a problem with parents but how society treats exceptional children.<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure it's healthy for any child to be told they are a prodigy. You know why? Because you can't be a prodigy forever. There are no thirty-year-old prodigies (with the notable exception of fine art, but that's another issue). Who wants to be in a situation where you find yourself thinking you're long past the time when you can achieve anything notable because hey, you're no longer a prodigy? Especially if you're in a career where the playing field is leveled for various reasons--like the arts--and less experience, less "practice," actually disadvantages you, then the idea of innate ability trumping effort becomes a real obstacle to success.<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying I was anywhere near being a prodigy, but having had the experience of graduating high school at 16 and getting my BA at 20, here I am at 30 with zero major fiction publication credits to my name and all I can think any time I read something about the next rising young star is <I>I will never have the chance to be a promising YOUNG writer.</I> (Okay, I'm done boo-hooing! I'll save the rest of it for the therapist's office.)<BR/><BR/>The problem with over-praise is that a child not only learns to expect things to be easy for them, but because the school system is structured such that rewards are meted out on a regular basis and publicly recognized, it can be a very difficult transition to realize that life outside of school isn't like that, and even effort isn't always rewarded--BUT that doesn't mean that those efforts are pointless. This article did an excellent job of bringing up these ideas--thanks for posting the link, T.<BR/><BR/>Aside from that little digression, I hope to get to see Arion Press's new location soon! I visited their gallery on Bryant Street but it looks like they moved a handful of years ago. They have some great work in their archives, and the lead type facility is fascinating. (Just don't touch anything...)Sarah Stevensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16534942492714970282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10890387.post-28074222303156009712007-03-30T09:51:00.000-07:002007-03-30T09:51:00.000-07:00I don't think you're into it for the right reasons...I don't think you're into it for the right reasons; I think that you just want somebody to be sticking pins into Harry Potter.David T. Macknethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03074123750929335716noreply@blogger.com