Two Sylvias' Weekly Muse: May 19, 2024

Issue 108

Hello, Muse Community!

In our intro a couple of weeks ago, we shared an inspiring article by writer and editor, Jancee Dunn, on the positive benefits of reading aloud to others. We came across another helpful article by Dunn that speaks directly to the experience of many writers—envy.

Most of us, as writers and poets, are involved in a writing community (maybe several of them) in which we share our work, our struggles, our submission process, and of course, our publication successes. Along with the support and inspiration we receive from our fellow writers and poets, we cannot deny that there are moments we feel “envy pangs” when, for instance, someone in our writing group lands a spot in our favorite literary journal that has continuously rejected our poems for years. We are excited for them, but, ouch, there is a little pain involved, too!

In her article, Dunn speaks with “envy expert” Dr. Robert Leahy, director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy and a professor of psychol…