Friday’s Fun Find | Cathy C. Hall Writes

Holy Moly! You only have a few days left to bid at Brenda Novak’s Online Auction for the Cure of Diabetes 2012!

Bidding in an auction is a fun Friday thing, right? Diabetes, not so much fun. But the money raised from Brenda’s auction will go to The Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami and perhaps one day, diabetes will be one of those diseases where folks will say, “Diabetes? Never heard of it.”

So even if you’ve never participated in an online auction (it’s set up super easy!), even if you think there will be nothing there for you (there is something for everyone–writers, readers, boys, girls, cooks, clowns!), even if you don’t have a ton of money for extras (you’ll be surprised what two bucks buys)–put your bid in this Friday. Or Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (auction ends May 31st).

Do it for the fun of it. And for diabetes research. (You’ll be glad you did!)

Raise your hand if you do this: Feel lousy about the one thing you can’t do well and forget a-l-l-l-l-l-l about the tons of things you do really, really well.

Why do we do that? It doesn’t have to be about our writing, but since we’re all about the writing here, we’ll go with that idea. Just for an example.

So for example, why do we get a critique and immediately zero in on the mistakes rather than the parts of the manuscript where we excel? Why do we beat ourselves up over the writing skill that may be lacking, and completely overlook a-l-l-l-l-l the writing skills we’ve worked hard to accomplish?

Sure, we need to make our corrections. But first, how about we give our writing selves a break? How about we look at that manuscript, or article, or short story, and say, “Wow! I really nailed the _____(fill in the blank with your writing talent__.”

Doesn’t that sound like something fun for this Friday? (Raise your hand if you agree.)