Goldberg

Claim your Writing-
I agree with what was said here. I never thing my writing is any good, although it may not be great it is still good...I think. It goes back to the old saying that we are our toughest critics, we don't want to be over confident. Being humble is one thing but thinking that all of our work stinks is more than likely being too tough on ourselves.

Trust Yourself-
I agree with what was said, "If your not sure of something, put it away for a while. Look at it six months later. Things will be more clear." There has been many things in my life where I couldn't figure something out or it didn't make sense. Once I put it down for a little while and came back to it later, I seen where my mistake was or where I needed to go to further what I was doing. With writing I feel that it is the same way. Stuck at a passage, don't know where to go next, or finished and think it sucks. Laying it down for some time, and looking at it later with a clear head will make a huge difference.

The Samurai-
Reading this title I thought it might have been something really exciting. But it turned out to be, just cutting out the parts of a work that do not work well. Which makes sense, why have crap surrounding a good part of a work. Taking a writing workshop/course with Goldberg seems like a great experience to those who want to make their writing great.

Reading and Rewriting-
This section kind of goes along with the "Trust Yourself" piece, in the sense of rereading your work some time after writing it. While writing it you are too close and critical of it. Spending time away will make you more objective and be able to see what you have really written. Goes from trust yourself to "The Samurai" hacking away at the bits that suck and making truly good or possibly even grand pieces.

I Don't Want to Die-
My first thought after reading this title was who does? I always imagine someone saying something inspiring right before they die. I also get a weird feeling at funerals that the deceased person is going to jump out of the casket and yell "just kidding you guy, look at all your saps crying and what not" terrible thought I know, blame it on the movies. Saying exactly what your thinking or feeling in writing I think would make a real genuine piece.