Writing for a blog every day is quite the challenge. I'm newly retired and consider my days pretty basic except when I get my assignment for the day--helping family, visiting someone, shopping, thinking about cleaning, and blogging every day!!!
I love to write, and this SOLS Challenge holds me to writing every day. It's a great exercise. Someone said today, "Writing is good for you." Where have I heard that before? It's good especially for writers.
I admit to the same feeling I saw in a comment on another blog post about "struggling to get the post in today."
"I'm feeling the pain as one blogger would say as I started having trouble yesterday and was thankful for a beautiful sunrise. Today, I'm late to get #8 posted. I even took a napkin (couldn't find any scratch paper where I was) and started to write down what I heard on the Today Show--Martha Stewart has a new baking show on her new tv channel. She shared a recipe for pate a choux. Then there was information on the new diet trend of combo-killing (taking 2 diet drugs at once to lose weight, then get a high), about the Duke and Duchess of York (Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, UK), and much more. What variety! Then, of course, there was the news of the world.
Where to go with my writing?
Is it right in front of me or what?
Every day deadlines are killing me!!!
Some day, I want to blog about Sienna and Shadow, my son's dogs, with picture, but not today.Now I'm home again. I saw nothing spectacular driving home (hard to believe since all the snow is melted!!), and all I've done is open the mail from the last 2 days and got a cheese snack. Tomorrow is the dentist which I'd rather not think about, let alone write about!
You could call this writers block. I could write about anything, but nothing moves me today, and I call myself a writer? And oh, my, rough draft of Blog #9 is due tonight!
For now, it's shower time, reading time, and savoring the quiet time--hopefully, fuel for my next blog.
I know, I know! But just think...You actually sliced! You produced a slice on a topic that my students always run into : the difficulty of coming up with ideas about what to write about. I like your line about writing on a napkin.
ReplyDeleteBoy, Tammy, I understand. I was after you tonight! It can be difficult! Hang in there. I love to read what you write. Talk about the past. Talk about things that mean something to you, what did you tell your students????
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome--your thoughts as they came about what to slice and how to stick to the challenge of writing every day! Not about giving up but about how to stick with it! Nice!
ReplyDeleteAnd you know, I'm seeing a lot of us have hit a wall. We can do it though! I have a feeling if we just keep going the words will come more easily again.
I was afraid that I wouldn't have a word when I sat down to write tonight. I wrote some ramblings and as I wrote and edited, it started me thinking of what I eventually wrote. Delete, delete. Start over. Rambling is good.
ReplyDeleteTam, You did come up with a topic and you wrote a slice many can connect too. I have a few ideas on hold, but I am always ready to expand on something that comes up. What did you think about Martha's recipes? I had to laugh when the pastry bag didn't work properly. I'm sure someone paid dearly later. I am discovering there's lots more to say than I used to by writing every day.
ReplyDeleteI decided last year that when I couldn't think of something to write about, I'd google "what can I blog about today" --and you wouldn't believe how many great topics I found! Some of them had to do with my life, but others were just things to think about and give my opinion on...it made those days when the writing came easy seem to come around a little quicker...;)
ReplyDeleteI hear this every day from teachers - our students have trouble with topics. I think that is what I have found so powerful about blogging - and this month every day - the challenge to think deeply about possible topics.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean my comment to be critical - negative - I mean, I am learning to be sooooo sympathetic about finding topics!
ReplyDeleteYou have a true gift - being able to write about nothing! Which means you will surely be able to come up with clues for my Easter egg hunt!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the compliments and ideas. I never thought to google "What can I blog today?" Sunflower, I didn't take it negative at all. Thinking deeply is the key and when that element is not with us, nothing comes to mind, thus, the shower and rest!!
ReplyDeleteAlice, those clues--could be a blog, too!! Thanks for reading my blogs!!!!!!!!
I often wonder what my life will be like when I retire. I love teaching and I live teaching. I'm always thinking and talking about teaching and about my students. I guess I know that when I retire I'll have more time to write and I'll have more time to read, but when I don't have my students to write about and I don't have my students to recommend books to or talk about books with, will my life be as rich?
ReplyDeleteHmm...I didn't really comment on your post in my last comment, although, I suppose that your post got me thinking and caused me to write something speaks for the power of your words.
ReplyDeleteBy the time you retire, Natalee, you will have built a new richness to live by. Thanks for the second comment.
ReplyDelete