Eric Maisel

I didn't remember that I had already read this, although I did think that here and there he had copied from someone else, only I couldn't think of who. Now I know why those parts were familiar.

Well, on second reading, seven years later, it doesn't make that great an impression. I think this is one of those small books that are thin on information or ideas. If you want to know what he says to do in order to write in Paris, find an apartment/studio, write three times a day. There you have it. He says to write in parks, cafes, churches. And walk a lot. But make no pilgrimages. Maisel is anti-pilgrimage. I don't agree, and I certainly don't want Maisel telling me what to do when I'm in Paris or anywhere else. He can suggest, but don't dictate! I went to Pere Lachaise Cemetery on my last visit as a pilgrimage. I've read all of the Colette books that have been translated into English and I wanted to visit her grave, pay my respects, and thank her for all the hours I've spent enjoying her writing. And the next time I go to Paris I'll visit somewhere else that has meaning for me. So there!

This felt like a formula book. I saw that Maisel has written more than fifty books, so I suspect he has come up with a formula, like what to do to visit and write in Paris -- something that will sell, and he writes a short book, thin on information, and full of .....

Written in 2013:
If you just want a guidebook for visiting Paris, this is a good one. If you like to write and would like to try a writing adventure in an extended visit to Paris, this is the book for you. And if you want to write but find you never really have the time, this is also the book for you. I just finished reading it and will now go through it with a little notebook and pen beside me, because some of the ideas and some of the wonderful quotes are worth saving.
I think it was Carol who recommended this. Thanks!… (altro)

I've been reading a number of books dealing with the themes tackled in COACHING THE ARTIST WITHIN: artist fears, doubts, anxiety, blocks, stalled projects, etc. Maisel's book is a wonderful addition to my growing keeper shelf of books to reconnect with when the creative life becomes too much to bear, when I wonder why I bother at all, and when I start to think I'd be better off making widgets on an assembly line.

Maisel addresses the issues all artists face with plenty of compassion, but he doesn't sugar-coat the important issues, either. He makes it abundantly clear that hard work is needed to succeed, and he's not afraid to give artists a good kick in the behind to get them moving again. Perhaps most important of all is the way he encourages each of us to become our own creativity coaches. Empowering and motivating, COACHING THE ARTIST WITHIN is a must-read for anyone struggling to find meaning in his or her creative work. (A)… (altro)