Hey there! Today's episode is hosted by friend of the show, Shira Erlichman.

Hang tight, and I'll be back on October 30th.

I'm Shira Erlichman, and this is The Slowdown.

Have you seen Octavia Butler's motivational notes to herself?

The iconic science fiction writer jotted them on the backs of old notebooks and scraps of loose paper.

At times, her intentions are triple underlined, carved deeply in red ink.

The hand that gripped the pen appears to have marked the paper not just with words,

but to have engraved it with an energetic determination.

Her repetition is hypnotic, mantra-like.

I'm amazed that her intentions are as specific as they are epic.

Here are just a few of her proclamations.

This is my life. I write best-selling novels.

My novels go on to the best-seller lists on or shortly after publication.

My novels each travel up to the top of the best-seller lists and they reach the top

and they stay on top for months. Each of my novels does this.

So be it. I will find the way to do this.

See to it. So be it. See to it.

My books will be read by millions of people.

I will buy a beautiful home in an excellent neighborhood.

I will send poor black youngsters to Clarion or other writer's workshops.

I will help poor black youngsters broaden their horizons.

I will help poor black youngsters go to college.

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