Comments on: A Guest Post From James N. Frey

By: 43 Most Inspiring Writing Advice Posts of 2009

43 Most Inspiring Writing Advice Posts of 2009 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:13:08 +0000

[...] Who You Are and Who You Ain’t, by James N. Frey [...]

By: Eileen

Eileen — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:45:50 +0000

@ James

I’ve been a fan and own all of your books, but I respectfully think it wasn’t Joseph Campbell who go it wrong, or Carl Jung who was his inspiration for the collective unconscious/archetypes theories. It is this “oneness” and innate impulse that leads to genuine heroism that inspires writers, not the other way around. It is reaction, BEYOND the thinking mind, often combined with an extraordinary physiological reaction (women lifting cars off children, etc).

The “stories” that lead to persecution and destruction inevitably come from lack of integrity/compassion and projections onto the world at large, and/or individuals within our microcosmic “world.” My very best to you!

@Larry
Integrity??? One hopes that we all have evolved over the years.

By: Lori

Lori — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:16:17 +0000

Three words:
I have goosebumps.

By: Lizbeth Selvig

Lizbeth Selvig — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:26:38 +0000

Amazing. My eyes actually teared up. If you live this life and you’ve had that “bloody headache” — wow. But to take it into the range of being co-creator… Now I understand why I’m doing this while my, literally, brand new living room ceiling is dripping with water due to a roof we didn’t know was dead.
Thanks for this.

By: Cheryl Malandrinos

Cheryl Malandrinos — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:36:26 +0000

Excellent article. So many times as I read, I said to myself, “Yes, that’s so true.” Off to tweet! Thanks for the inspiration.

By: Djuanna

Djuanna — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:28:16 +0000

Exactly what this frustrated writer needed to read today.

By: janice

janice — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:12:54 +0000

@ James,
This piece has breathtaking scope. It engaged my mind, stirred my heart and made me pray for Roxanna. But didn’t scare or depress me. I accepted my mission long ago. Humans breathe, writers long to write. We’re born with our missions branded into our souls, a blueprint for the way we live our lives.

@Larry,
Thanks! This was a stunner. A master, indeed.

By: Regina Richards

Regina Richards — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:45:48 +0000

Thank you so much, Mr. Frey. Disappointment arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Your words are balm on my bleeding forehead.

By: Nancy Lee Badger

Nancy Lee Badger — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:30:12 +0000

You feel our pain! I gave up an interesting career to write full time. Two years later, I have my first contract. Small publisher, but hopes are high I will continue to sell. Life experience should include pain and suffering….my husband says it shouldn’t be HIS pain and suffering, though! Better go make breakfast, then back to the laptop.
Nancy Lee Badger

By: Bec

Bec — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:24:17 +0000

Great stuff! Thank you.