Category: Mywriting

Mystery Blogger Award!

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Hi everyone! I am so honored to have been nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award by Books, Life, and Everything Nice! She’s an amazing blogger! Please check out her blog. A great big thank you for the nomination!

The award was created by Okoto Enigma. The explanation on her blog is as follows:

The “Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.
– Okoto Enigma

RULES

  1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
  2. List the rules.
  3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
  5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
  6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
  7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
  8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
  9. Share a link to your best post(s)

3 Things About Myself:

  1. I want to retire in Minnesota.
  2. I cannot play the piano but can play the violin.
  3. I love ultra running but have no desire to do a triathlon.

My Questions:

  1. What’s the funniest experience you’ve had on vacation? When in Hawaii, I went to a ranch and learned to lasso!
  2. What’s your favorite reading snack? Coffee and bread!
  3. How do other people describe you? Intense and passionate
  4. Of which accomplishment from last year are you most proud? Writing 31 stories for STORYADAY MAY
  5. What 3 things would you tell your younger self? Don’t follow the status quo. Follow all the white rabbits you want to and don’t be afraid.

My Nominees

https://lifewithktkinnes.com/

https://cornishmaidblog.com/

https://lifetravelsoul.com/

https://exquisitely.me/

https://bekadaisies.com/

https://bitchininthekitchen.org/

https://artsychiccreations.wordpress.com/

 

My Questions for them:

1.What was something you used to believe, but you no longer do?

2.What were the components of your best day ever?

3.What are you working on you are excited about?

4.Once upon a time or It was a dark and stormy night?

5.What do you find fills your creative well the best?

 

My 3 Favorite Posts

One – Quick Dinner

Two – Emotional Bank Account

Three MAGIC!

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by Categories: Justlife, Mywriting, storyadayTags: , , , , 4 Comments

The Black Notebook

20180707_103955.jpgI have a black leather notebook that I have gathered many notes, recipes, and starts of stories. There are lists and things that make me smile.

Take a peek:

Summer assignment based on an Italian teacher’s writing:

  1. Take a morning walk and think about the things you love most
  2. Use new words you learned
  3. Read as much as you can
  4. Avoid negative and empty people and things
  5. Feel how you feel
  6. Dance
  7. Watch the sunrise
  8. Play sports
  9. Find enchanting people and tell them
  10. Review notes from classes or learning or books
  11. Be happy as sunshine
  12. Don’t swear
  13. Watch films with powerful dialogue
  14. Dream about how your life could and should be
  15. Be good

I agree with almost everything on this list except #12. #15 is subject to interpretation! haha

These phrases are written down, but I don’t recall why.

Approach the year reading secretly

First grade is dead to us

Llama famous

I give myself permission – to what?

 

Chores I Actually Enjoy (inspired by Lydia Davis’s poem)

 

Cooking

Cleaning out

Sweeping.

 

The end.

 

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The avocado salsa recipe is divine!!!

by Categories: Justlife, Mywriting, PoetryTags: , 7 Comments

StoryFest for StoryaDay May 2018

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Storyaday May is a challenge with simple rules:

The Rules from Julie Duffy:

  • *Decide how many days during May on which you’re going to write.
  • *Write and finish a story on those days

My goal was to write 30 stories and I wrote 31 stories in May 2018.

Every June, Julie hosts StoryFest at her blog. You can check out some other amazing short stories by going there June 23-24!

Here is my Day 21 story for you to enjoy! Comments are welcome!

Man Murdered by Tree in Minnesota Forest

By Mountain News Service on May 21 at 2:43 p.m.
Stearns County, Minn. —

Authorities are investigating the death of a man found with a bullet wound to the head in the Birch Lake Forest on May 20.

“We are shocked and saddened to confirm the death of Mr. Maxim Foster,” a spokesperson from the park office confirmed. “He was using dynamite to extract trees in an overgrown section of the forest when he was fatally injured.”

There had been previous reports from 15 years ago of an attempted murder and suicide in the Birch Lake Forest. A bullet from the attempted murder had been lodged in a tree and never recovered.

It is speculated the bullet fired from the tree when Mr. Foster blew the tree to bits. It apparently held a grudge and fired upon the man, killing him.

The tree will not be prosecuted.

by Categories: Mywriting, storyaday, WritingLifeTags: , , , , , 2 Comments

New Writer Group – In Real Life

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Photo by Startup Stock Photos on Pexels.com

 

I attended a new writer’s group last night. There were 13 people attending and I was the only newbie. The group is well established with a 30 year history.

Introductions were made around the table and 6 people read their pieces of writing. The author reads their piece aloud and the rest of us follow along with a copy provided by the author. Sign ups are provided ahead of time through email.

There were a variety of readings. One woman read Chapter 4 of her novel, one woman read a poem about texting, one essay about a sale and snowmobile ride (quite funny), one essay on holding hands, a short story about a bazooka bubble gum knife, and an essay about fishing.

There was some light critique, some more well received than others. Copies are written on then passed back to the author. I figured this part of the process out after the 4th reading!

One author specifically asked for us listen for a particular craft aspect before he read which I appreciated. I always find it easier to give feedback when given a direction.

Overall it was nice. The meeting lasted 2 hours and is held in meeting rooms at the county library. It is impressive that a group that has been around for 30 years still has several of the founding members attending.

It was refreshing to hear other people read their work. With it being my first time, I just listened. There was some side conversation with the 3 ladies sitting by me which was pleasant.

Everyone talked about their writing as something they are really compelled to do whether paid or not. Several writers expressed their difficulty in finishing projects.I do believe it is the right group for me and I will be attending the next meeting. I have to pick something carefully for the first reading because my stories tend to be dark or strange, and I do not want to concern anyone. They need to get to know me a bit first.

As I was thinking about this new group I was reflecting on the writers group experiences I have had in the past. Most of my writer contact is online now. These other groups were not purely writing groups so in my mind I put them in a slightly different category than the one I attended last night.

More than 15 years ago I took a journaling class that was held at an independent bookstore I frequented. The group clicked so well we continued to meet after the official class was over. The leader of the group graciously opened her home and we meet for many years after that initial meeting. We met through births, sickness, the bookstore closing, and changes of jobs. The form of writing was informal so there wasn’t any critique. The food was always fantastic! Christmas time there was the best blank journal exchange you have ever seen!

I still talk to the leader of the group although the calls and texts span between larger and larger blocks of time. We even co-taught a journal writing class for young girls at the United Way. The leader and I attended a few writing events over the years but none of them ever felt right for us individually or as a pair.

I also was invited to join a writing event sponsored through a writing group 5 years ago. There were sessions on a Saturday morning. I met my friend Jane and started to meet with her Book Club but we didn’t talk about writing so much after that first event. We were both gravitated toward each other during the potluck after the sessions were over. We both liked what the other said when we intro-ed ourselves in the first session. She is a smart woman and always interesting to talk to, especially about books.

I hope this new group has the longevity of the other groups I have been honored to be a part of. I feel like it was the right time for me to find them. I will keep you all posted!

by Categories: Mywriting, Writing Group, WritingLifeTags: , , , 6 Comments

An Hour A Day…

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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Shaunta Grimes is the founder of Ninja Writers. One of the articles on her Patreon (of which I am a supporter) and her Medium page is about how to change your writing in one hour a day. If you click on her name above it will take you to the Medium article.

She uses a simple acronym but it is powerful to me.

View story at Medium.com

WRITER

The idea is to do each of these 6 things for 10 minutes. Just 10 minutes…

W= Write

R = Read

I = Come up with 10 ideas a day

T= Talk to people who don’t live with you

E= Exercise

R= Regroup – review and plan

Writing and reading for 10 minutes a day isn’t normally an issue for me. I always have a notebook and book with me. If I am stuck without physical materials, I also have my phone which has my Keep app and Kindle app. Technology can be wonderful!

The I resonates with me and Julie Duffy’s idea sparks. As a writer, I am constantly observing and taking notes. I love it. It is fun for me. My notebooks are for idea gathering not really writing. The writing happens mostly on the computer. I have started writing a list of 10 ideas,  which has worked well over the last 2 days.

T is the one I have the most trouble with. I could go for days without talking to people and be just fine. I can get away with texting which technically is talking to people. (wink, wink)

Exercise isn’t an issue for me usually either. I am a runner but have been opting for shorter runs lately since I have been so tired. I am really ready for the summer break and the break from driving. I walked the dog yesterday in the sun at the park and that was satisfying. I will be running with my daughter this summer more often so that is a good pattern to get into again. I am allowing myself to walk, and not always feel the pressure to run which will help my mental state.

The regroup section is the one I am working on this week. I do this mentally sometimes, but unless it is teaching I usually do not write the goals down. I have set some monthly goals for writing so will regroup at least at the end of the week to check my progress.

Routine is an interesting concept to think about. I do love routine but I also am a rebel. Just because the routine is good for me or it’s comfortable is the exact reason I go against it. I sometimes get impatient with the routine and do not take the time to enjoy it.  I just want to get through it. It is something I am working on.

 

 

View story at Medium.com

View story at Medium.com

by Categories: Mywriting, Reading Life, WritingLifeTags: , , 3 Comments

What I Learned from Story a Day May

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I did it!!!

31 stories in 31 days!!!

It was one more than my goal. I figured I would give myself one off day. I had so much fun I didn’t use my freebie.

What I Learned From Writing Everyday…Again

I participated in StoryADAY May 2018 hosted by Julie Duffy from storyaday.org. This is not the first writing challenge I have particpated in this past year. For those who do not know, November is not only known for Thanksgiving in the US but also for NANOWRIMO — National Novel Writing Month where thousands of writers challenge themselves to write 50,000 words in the 31 days. There are days that word count is easier to achieve than others.

Storyaday has the advantages of a Superstars forum (for a small fee) and daily prompts (for everyone). The Superstars have the bonus of videos from the creator with some further explanation.

  1. The Superstars community and writers that commented on the daily posts were great. The camaraderie was amazing and there is a bond with people who you are accountable to everyday. There is a warm fuzzy feeling when you know other people are in the same situation as you are.

The idea that others were in the same routine as I was helped to motivate my writing the couple days I was reluctant to put pen to paper. There is comfort in the idea of other people following the same crazy plan that you are!

2. I like having conversations about writing. I seek out other Storyaday writers, Twitter writers and recently joined a real life writers group. Critique is nice, but not always the conversation I want to have. Through Storyaday we had three Zoom chats with Superstars and we talked about how we write and why. It was quite enjoyable.

3. Establishing the daily writing habit is good for me and my practice. I am more creative when I do a little per day. It is thinking and planning that helps the juices flow. I was always looking for a story spark and that habit has continued past the challenge.

4. I love monthly writing challenges! I participate in the TwoWritingTeacher blog challenge in March, Storyaday in May and NANOWRIMO in November. There is also CAMPNANOWRIMO in April and July!

5. The Storyaday prompts required me to plan more. I am usually a pantser — I write from the seat of my pants. I sit and write and just let whatever flows out materialize on the page. I thought about the prompt thoroughly before diving into the actual writing which made the words flow faster. With my long commute to work, I was able to listen to the prompt direction video and then think about my story beats and write it later in the day. This method worked well even if I just constructed the first couple of sentences.

6. A joyful part of the writing process for me was being able to combine ideas for stories I wanted to write with the prompt most days. It was satisfying to take a spark I had and mold it to the prompt idea which made it more layered and interesting and therefore a better story!

7. Many prompts were so much fun or effective I will come back to them again and again. I will also use some of them with students.

  • I love the idea of taking a random list of words and constructing a story.
  • I also enjoyed telling a story from 3 different perspectives.
  • The MICE prompt was new to me and I did some extensive research for this day.(Check out the Writing Excuses podcast for a great explanation)
  • One prompts was to take a story from earlier in the month and rewrite it from a different perspective. This prompt was surprising to me. I learned so much about the secondary character! I don’t normally gravitate toward this type.
  • Using prompts is not always a “writers block” solution for me. Just using them to start writing is a favorite practice of mine.

7. The StoryADay writing podcasts are awesome and batch listening to them is inspiring. They are the only writing podcasts I listen to over and over.

8. Morning writing is more effective for my personal routine. I could write later in the day but it was slower and felt more laborious. The flow was pretty steady in the morning but I believe coffee had something to contribute.

9.Most of the month I wrote on the computer. When thinking or planning to figure out what to say, I wrote longhand or sketchnote. To get words on the page and not overthink it, I type.

Writing Goals Moving Forward

  • Continue to write daily
  • Complete at least one short story a week
  • Visit the Storyaday.org website for Wednesday prompts
  • Submit 3 pieces monthly
  • Revise at least 2 days a week to prepare stories for submission
  • Remember the conflict!
  • Revisit all the prompts from May 2018 and rewrite all new stories. It is a writing experiment to see how different the stories would be!
by Categories: Mywriting, WritingLifeTags: , 5 Comments

Deliberate Writing Practice

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Photo by Tookapic on Pexels.com

With the month of May devoted to writing daily short stories, I am also reflecting on my process daily trying to hone the practice. I always write with the purpose of becoming a better writer. I try to learn from the reading that I do and from the writing gurus I listen to. Most of this practice is one-sided as most of my writing resources are not real-life connections. I do have the benefit of Twitter and some writers group meetings this month which I am eternally grateful for.

I usually use feedback or an exercise in mind when I am writing. I have the advantage of podcasts at my fingertips, interaction with writers on Twitter, and special May video prompts and directions for writing.

My free writing exercises are never just pointless rambling anymore. I take the writing time seriously and the practice has become much more to me than just getting words on the page. I want the word count but also desire the content on the page to be worth reading. It is not always usable at that moment but can be saved away for another day, another story.

At this point in the month, I feel like my creative well is drying up slightly. I am still writing but it takes me longer and longer throughout the day. I also am aware that the craziness of the end of the school year looms in the shadows as well. There are some other frustrations in my life in regards to transitions that are wearing on me which is draining. Waiting for answers is never a fun place to be in, but one I find myself in often.

I am looking forward to summer when I can focus on some books that will lead me through some writing exercises so I can become a better writer for me, my audience, and my students.

Happy writing and reading everyone!

 

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by Categories: Mywriting, Reading Life, WritingLifeTags: , , 2 Comments