author sightings: elizabeth gilbert & rayya elias

As part of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, Elizabeth Gilbert gave a 90-minute talk at City Recital Hall Angel Place about the journey she took to create her book: The Signature of All Things and creativity in general. She was introduced by her best friend: Rayya Elias and we all found out that they “everly” love each other.

I spent whole morning listening Eat, Pray, Love on Audible while making a little pouch with a personal note in it (see photo below) as a gift for Elizabeth Gilbert. I was still in the process of reading The Signature of All at the time but an American first edition of Eat, Pray, Love was organised months before for her to sign after the event.

Before the event, I looked around to observe what kind of people would want to come and hear Elizabeth Gilbert talk. I should say what kind of women because the audience was mainly woman, except for my husband and a few other men –we’re proud of you guys. Although my husband is not familiar with Gilbert’s work, he thoroughly enjoyed the whole event. She was incredibly engaging, approachable, charming, articulate and very funny.

I find Elizabeth Gilbert quite inspiring. Not because she is a brilliant author or memoirist but also an icon of humility. You can be famous, successful and that approachable at the same time? I love people who show me what’s possible.

“Work doesn’t have to be easy, it just has to be interesting.”

Elizabeth Gilbert

During the talk, she touched on the subject of perfectionism. This is especially important for women because, us women, let perfectionism hold us back –before we even embark on any creative project. I personally spent quite a bit of time there, waiting for the perfect moment or learning the perfect skill to start writing. Clearly, not knowing something well or having done something before never hold men back in stepping forward.

Towards the end of the talk, Gilbert’s best friend, Rayya Elias, played some of her songs for us which was unexpected because I was not familiar with her work at all. So, I didn’t know anything about her music, her friendship to Elizabeth Gilbert or her memoir Harley Loco: A Memoir of Hard Living, hair and Post-Punk, from the Middle East to the Lower East Side. Don’t worry; I’ll fix all of that and more when the right times. All I want to say for now is “awesome talk and thank you!”