I just laid my baby down for his nap, my husband will be home in about forty-five minutes, and I have some free time. So I’m gonna write, journal style.
My blog posts usually follow at least some sort of structure. I usually know what I’m going to say when I
sit down at my desk. But today I’m tired and my head feels kind of muddled. I have notes written up for several
Tuesday post ideas (the wife, mother, housewife, journaling tips and ideas), but I’m in need of a Friday
post (everything else that doesn’t fit in the first category).
sit down at my desk. But today I’m tired and my head feels kind of muddled. I have notes written up for several
Tuesday post ideas (the wife, mother, housewife, journaling tips and ideas), but I’m in need of a Friday
post (everything else that doesn’t fit in the first category).
I love keeping up with this blog, even if hardly anyone reads my posts. My self-imposed schedule forces
me to keep pumping out content even if I don’t feel like writing or if I feel like I have nothing to say (like today).
This blog has taught me some writing discipline. And I love that!
me to keep pumping out content even if I don’t feel like writing or if I feel like I have nothing to say (like today).
This blog has taught me some writing discipline. And I love that!
Doing the August writing challenge with my sister Lydia was such a good exercise. I was starting to get
too comfortable with my Tuesday blog post schedule and I needed that extra shove to step out into deeper
waters. And I found I missed writing. I’m not talking about my usual posts - that’s hardly “writing”. I mean
the thrill of coming up with an idea, typing notes out, thinking it sounds terrible, then, because you have a
deadline, you keep pushing, coming up with better ideas, new ways of forming your words, until you have
a finished piece. It’s never perfect, but it’s completed.
too comfortable with my Tuesday blog post schedule and I needed that extra shove to step out into deeper
waters. And I found I missed writing. I’m not talking about my usual posts - that’s hardly “writing”. I mean
the thrill of coming up with an idea, typing notes out, thinking it sounds terrible, then, because you have a
deadline, you keep pushing, coming up with better ideas, new ways of forming your words, until you have
a finished piece. It’s never perfect, but it’s completed.
I’ve been writing for years, but I don’t have many finished pieces to show for it. I told my sister that “Your
Mercies in Disguise” was the first story I’ve finished in at least four years. Oh, I have many, many half baked
ideas and the first five to ten pages of long novels I wanted to write, but those kind of fizzled out when I
ran out of writing steam.
Mercies in Disguise” was the first story I’ve finished in at least four years. Oh, I have many, many half baked
ideas and the first five to ten pages of long novels I wanted to write, but those kind of fizzled out when I
ran out of writing steam.
But something changed when I started doing the August challenge. I started wanting to write again. Instead
of just one or two days each week where I would work on hammering out that week’s blog post, I now want
to write every day. I look forward to that time by myself, coming up with ideas and playing with my made-
up characters. I know this second honeymoon stage will pass, but while I’m in it, I want to build good strong
writing habits.
of just one or two days each week where I would work on hammering out that week’s blog post, I now want
to write every day. I look forward to that time by myself, coming up with ideas and playing with my made-
up characters. I know this second honeymoon stage will pass, but while I’m in it, I want to build good strong
writing habits.
I also just finished reading an amazing book on writing, which helped add fuel to my passion - “Structuring
Your Novel” by K.M. Weiland. It may sound dull since it’s all about structure and blueprints. But when you
have those things set up and there to guide you, then you can let your wild imagination go and come up
with so many wonderful, crazy story and plot ideas without getting burned out because you have your map
spread out and you know where you are going. I’m not doing that book any justice with this haphazard review,
so if you want to improve your writing, then go read that book.
Your Novel” by K.M. Weiland. It may sound dull since it’s all about structure and blueprints. But when you
have those things set up and there to guide you, then you can let your wild imagination go and come up
with so many wonderful, crazy story and plot ideas without getting burned out because you have your map
spread out and you know where you are going. I’m not doing that book any justice with this haphazard review,
so if you want to improve your writing, then go read that book.
But back to wanting to write every day. You know, whatever you spend time on - whether that be thinking,
researching, reading about, or doing - you’ll want to do more of that. The more you add logs to a fire, the
hotter it burns. This could be anything - spending time with your children, your friends, social media, your
husband, cooking, dancing, whatever. The more you invest in something, the more you want to invest in that
thing. This is both wonderful - strengthens relationships, builds good skills - and devastating - creating unhealthy
appetites for things that are okay in moderation, but dangerous in excess.
researching, reading about, or doing - you’ll want to do more of that. The more you add logs to a fire, the
hotter it burns. This could be anything - spending time with your children, your friends, social media, your
husband, cooking, dancing, whatever. The more you invest in something, the more you want to invest in that
thing. This is both wonderful - strengthens relationships, builds good skills - and devastating - creating unhealthy
appetites for things that are okay in moderation, but dangerous in excess.
I’m not comparing writing to marriage or twitter. I’m just trying to make sense of all the craziness flying around
in my brain. Am I less confused after spilling everything onto my computer keys? I don’t know. But I satisfied
my writing fever, which is what I sat down to do this afternoon.
in my brain. Am I less confused after spilling everything onto my computer keys? I don’t know. But I satisfied
my writing fever, which is what I sat down to do this afternoon.
Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s to an incredible weekend, whatever you’re doing!
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