THE POWER OF PRAISE

Every issue of Poets & Writers Magazine gives me something useful to ponder. In “Tell Me I’m Good: The Writer’s Quest for Reassurance” (May/June 2017), Laura Maylene Walter puts her finger on a problem for many of us who live the writing life. No matter how many loyal friends and loving relatives read and compliment our work, we do not quite believe them, so we turn to the professionals and feel even more vulnerable. Why? “Get over it,” I say. Thanks for including such a fine piece. I loved it.