56 Comments

Becky wrote: "As an aside, we should never underestimate what a small note of encouragement can mean to someone. These notes meant the world to me. ..."

Yes, it costs nothing to be kind, to be diplomatic, to use words to heal and cheer and nourish - - instead of to tear down, to shame, to insult, to cause "molto agito."

Con artists well understand the value of diplomacy + charm + sweetness.

Yet wordsmiths - - writers who will fret over an adjective, a comma, a rhetorical flourish on a PAGE - - those of us who know what our words are worth: are we always careful when talking to others, or posting about a book on Amazon or Goodreads, or communicating on a forum (or social media)?

Yes! A small note of encouragement counts for something! Yes, it matters. It is memorable.

To you, Becky, I send a whole bouquet of velvety adjectives!

Thank you for your kindness and generosity - - and for using your words to uplift!

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#ICYMI #quote “When we engage in dehumanizing rhetoric and promote dehumanizing images,” the best-selling author Brené Brown has written, “we diminish our own humanity in the process.” We are called to find the face of God in everyone we meet, she says, including those with whom we most deeply disagree. “When we desecrate their divinity, we desecrate our own, and we betray our humanity.”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Source: The Atlantic Magazine: "Have You Listened Lately to What Trump Is Saying? He is becoming frighteningly clear about what he wants." -- by journalist Peter Wehner

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Thank you for sharing your story. As I recent subscriber, I didn’t know the history. I appreciate your insightful writing and all the information you share. Thank you!

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As a recent!

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Thank you, too, Becky. Don't know what I'd do without those crazy closing clustesr and corny combinations of warped wisdom at the end of your weekly posts. Happy Thanksgiving!

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What a great demonstration of the power of actually expressing gratitude. Thank YOU!

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I have always loved the expression "You go, girl!" even though it's probably not feminist or even factually true once past 11 years old, but somehow it fits today. I was not aware of the history and your many accomplishments. So, Becky, happy Thanksgiving as I say it again: You go, girl!"

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Thank you, Becky, for all that you do and share. Although I’m a fairly recent subscriber, these pages have come to mean a lot to me too!

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Thank *you*, Becky, for pounding paragraphs into perfect prose.

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Becky, I remember the day I received your announcement that you were putting to rest the Review Review, and how sad I was. And then I remember the day you announced that you were re-launching the newsletter, and how happy I was. I too need this community as the sane place to go to, to understand the insane world that publishing has become, and to be reminded that, no matter what, words count, stories count, and we're all in this together.

Happy, Happy, Gobble, Gobble. The pen is mightier than the sword.

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I'm a new subscriber, Becky, and was delighted to read the history of this site. Only one thing I'm puzzled about--how could Susan and Linda have rejected all your submissions? You are a beautiful, wholly engaging writer. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Hi Therese! How lovely to see you here! Thanks in part to your enormous encouragement, I am writing daily and getting a bit of my work out there. Glad to see you on this site. Becky is a wonderful resource! - Lissa Staples

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Hi LISSA! How wonderful to see your name again. I'm so happy to hear about your writing successes...looking forward to reading your work again! All best, T.

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Happy Thanksgiving, Becky, to you and yours! Thank you for your Lit Mag News! I've learned so much from it. You've given so much to the writing community!

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Lovely note, Becky! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

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Becky, I wish I had found you sooner. I’ve felt so connected through the literary world through your writing. You connected me with Submitit, (2 stories published!), and given me more confidence in submitting, even my writing itself. Thank you.

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I remember The Review Review well in it's early days. I was so grateful for that newsletter because it opened my eyes to writing markets I had never considered. And LitMag News is even better. Thank you, Becky, for all that you do. You're a gift to writers everywhere. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Becky, I am so appreciative of all your hard work and I've learned a lot. Thank you for putting the time into this wonderful newsletter. Happy Thanksgiving to you! (Nix on the marshmallows.)

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I would like to thank you, Becky, for your consistent and selfless devotion to helping all of us 'word-carpenters'. I've learned much in reading Lit Mag news--

siempre, ve con Dios,

Nolo

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Thanks for all your work! I especially appreciate the lens on miscreants, the pocketing of reading fees being an activity predicated on trust with no one around to police it.

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