Florence Scovel Shinn

Early life

Florence Scovel was born in New Jersey, the daughter of Alden Cortlandt Scovel and Emily Hopkinson Scovel. She was educated in Philadelphia where she attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and there met her future husband, the artist Everett Shinn (1876–1953). After marriage they moved into a studio apartment at 112 Waverly Place, near Washington Square, New York. Everett built a theatre next door, and wrote three plays in which Florence played a leading role. Everett Shinn became known as a member of the Ashcan School of art, and Florence worked as an illustrator. They were divorced in 1912.

Writings and New Thought

Her metaphysical works began with her self-published The Game of Life and How to Play it in 1925. Your Word is Your Wand was published in 1928 and The Secret Door to Success in 1940. After her death another two works were published, The Power Of The Spoken Word in 1945 by Shinn Press and The Magic Path Of Intuition. This last book was published by Louise Hay in 2013 who assured received from a rare-books dealer a small, typewritten unpublished manuscript of the last writings of Florence Scovel Shinn. Here is a fragment of the letter she received:

"Several Months ago we came across a unique item from that collection that we think you may have an interest in. The item is an original typewritten manuscript by Florence Scovel Shinn, The Magic Path of Intuition. We´re contacting you to see if you or Hay House have an interest in purchasing this rare original manuscript positioned to share its content with the world".

The Game of Life and How to Play it includes quotes from the Bible and anecdotal explanations of the author's understanding of God and man. Her philosophy centers on the power of positive thought and usually includes instructions for verbal or physical affirmation.

A typical Scovel Shinn piece of advice would be "It is safe to say that all sickness and unhappiness come from the violation of the law of love. A new commandment I give unto you, 'Love one another,' and in the Game of Life, love or good-will takes every trick."

Her advice is usually accompanied by a "real life" anecdote, as for the above "Love one another" advice:

A woman I know, had, for years an appearance of a terrible skin disease. The doctors told her it was incurable, and she was in despair. She was on the stage, and she feared she would soon have to give up her profession, and she had no other means of support. She, however, procured a good engagement, and on the opening night, made a great "hit." She received flattering notices from the critics, and was joyful and elated. The next day she received a notice of dismissal. A man in the cast had been jealous of her success and had caused her to be sent away. She felt hatred and resentment taking complete possession of her, and she cried out, "Oh God don't let me hate that man." That night she worked for hours "in the silence."

Her books Your Word Is Your Wand and The Game of Life and How To Play It were released as audiobooks in 2014 and 2015 respectively and were narrated by actress Hillary Hawkins.

Shinn is considered part of the New Thought movement, as her writings follow in the tradition of Phineas Quimby (1802–1866), Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), Emma Curtis Hopkins (1849–1925), and both Charles Fillmore (1854–1948) and Myrtle Fillmore (1845–1931), co-founders of the Unity Church.

Motivational author Louise Hay acknowledges her as an early influence.