Tag: My writing journey
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The Long and Short of It…
I’ve recently jumped on Substack, an excellent social engagement platform, especially for writers. I’m surprised and encouraged that readers crave these often-lengthy essays. While I strive to keep these Monday and Wednesday blog posts at 200 words, I can let loose on Substack, even inching toward 1k. It’s fun to write away, at least for…
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Surfing…
I can’t imagine surfing; balancing on a board that rocks and roils with the waves. I have skied (both kinds) and even skateboarded, back in the day. I’d find my balance, place my feet in a stable position and soften the knees. I imagine two ends to surfing. First, a fantasy of letting my body…
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No Pay Play…
I thrive on working toward a big goal, but it’s balanced with various fun-time pursuits. They offer needed diversions when I hit a no flow state in this self-proclaimed “job” of writing for which there is no pay and little recognition. I only want to write a sometimes funny, disastrous, challenging story in which my…
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The Drips…
Drip, drip. The irregular beat of the single drop falling from the loosened faucet rankles you. Drip. Just before sleep carries you into a deeper realm, drip. A leaky faucet is easily dealt with, but what about a leak in confidence? You work, you dream, you make things happen. You are busy, your muscles are…
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Open Your Eyes…
Writers are observers. We watch. We pay attention. We make stories from the seen world. We notice colors, patterns and unexpected beauty. We pause, take in the surprise and think about what it means in our world. We tuck it into an emotion-packed memory to draw upon in times of drought, crisis or solitude. We…
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One Domino
I’ve just returned from a glorious writers’ retreat in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The days were infused with author talks, book launches, writing time, sharing time and celebrations big and small. I was surrounded with fellow travelers along the same writing path, many of them miles ahead of me. How did I get so lucky? Was I crashing…
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We Do Because We Must…
What drives you through each day until your head hits the pillow, at peace and ready for rest? What passion bounces you out of bed, eager to face a brand-new day of more, more? I can’t imagine doing anything other than writing for the bulk of my allotted hours. A few of those are spent…
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The Lone Writer…
Writing is a lonely act. Struck by inspiration, we choose to make something of it or move on and forget the flash of brilliance, all alone. No one holds my hand while I turn jotted notes into blog entries or scenes for a short story or novel. It is my ten fingers poking at the…
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Mantras Make Things Happen…
Another ELAN Principle is “Make Things Happen.” ELAN, which stands for Elevating Life Attitudes Now, is a self-improvement curriculum I created and facilitated many years ago, but I still rely on the tenets to work on my own “life in progress.” One of the most effective ways to make things happen is to write a…
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Pivot 2…
Creatives lay their souls bare when they usher an object of beauty from their private world into a public one. We are called to birth (yes, it is that long and difficult) a one-off thing and then share it with an audience greater than one. Patience is key. Sending our work to flight too soon…
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