Weekend Coffee Share

Welcome to the weekend!

Thank you to Natalie for hosting the link party for all things Weekend Coffee Share!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you this week was a struggle. There was a lot scheduled this week and by the time we got to Wednesday I was exhausted. I had to cancel some things in order to not lose my mind. How was your week?

Have you signed up for my newsletter yet? Go here to do that now. It is delivered to your inbox on Fridays and always contains a heartfelt story which allows you to know me better. I also tell you the most current happenings I am offering.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I have been thinking a lot about what we ask for and what we do not. I wrote my newsletter about it that went out Friday.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I hosted two events this week. One was my regular weekly PUSH group which was amazing. It is always rich with conversation and that hour fuels me in so many ways. The other was a write in where I shared three of my favorite prompts. There were a handful of us so we were able to read what we wrote in 7 minute increments. We laughed so hard and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I went to a flash fiction festival this weekend. Saturday morning was a workshop by Kathy Fish and Sunday morning was a workshop by K.B Carle. The whole festival was amazing. It normally is in person so the pandemic does allow for us to attend from my living room and my run. I was able to get two drafts out from Kathy’s workshop. I always enjoy working with her.

It is an amazing practice to see all the names that I recognize in the zoom call.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I started running again this week. I had been walking for almost the entire pandemic. I ran two summers ago and worked my way up to 13 miles in a single run just to make sure I could do it again.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am hosting a new challenge starting March 15! You can sign up for this free challenge here: https://mailchi.mp/18cdb0dbd335/10min10days. It is a 10 minute daily challenge for 10 days. I will send you daily inspiration for those 10 days. It is going to be amazing.

Thank you for joining me for a coffee today. I would love to hear what you are working on and what you find inspiring.

February 28, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Family Life, holidays, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Weekend coffee share, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife Leave a comment

Weekend Coffee Share

Welcome to the weekend!

Thank you to Natalie for hosting the link party for all things Weekend Coffee Share!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am hosting a write in on Thursday! Sign up here to get the info! I will provide the writing space and prompts and you provide the creativity!

If we were having coffee, I would tell I went to a writing circle on Sunday on Zoom (of course). It was an amazing experience. The host was Jane Brunette who I recommend highly. You can find her website here. There were prompts, writing, reading and sharing of favorite lines. It was magically fueling!

Have you signed up for my newsletter yet? Go here to do that now. It is delivered to your inbox on Fridays and always contains a heartfelt story which allows you to know me better. I also tell you the most current happenings I am offering.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you this week has been rough. I have had some periods of sadness and discomfort. I am trying to figure out the sources and also how to deal with them. Writing is always a solution!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I got my second COVID vaccine. I did not have a reaction this time, so that was a delightful surprise. I did have to wait a lot longer to get the second dose however. The change in the schedule compared to a regular week really threw me off somehow. I am thankful my school corporation cares enough to push to get us the vaccine. Many teacher friends have not been as lucky.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I watched Brene Brown’s NETFLIX special. Her work is always enlightening to me. I have been asking myself, “What is the story I am telling myself?” ever since I watched.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am taking Tommy Dean’s microfiction writing class and it is great. The prompts are interesting and I am meeting some new writers I hope to stay in contact with after the class is over. Do you have a recommendation for a great class? I am taking Traci Skuce’s class starting on Monday. I loved her writing summit and am excited to work more with her so soon. Over in my Patreon Slack community we have been sharing resources this month! Many of them free.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my 100 day project is moving along, but I haven’t posted on Instagram this week. You can check out the snippets about my main character Jack that I have posted if you go here.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am reading Wintering, The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May and loving it. She is such a rich storyteller at the sentence level and I am resonating with so much of her prose and ideas.

Thank you for joining me for a coffee today. I would love to hear what you are working on and what you find inspiring.

February 21, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Family Life, holidays, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Weekend coffee share, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 5 Comments

Snowy Weekend Coffee Share

It is the weekend to “celebrate hearts” as one of my kindergartners said this week.

Welcome to the weekend! It is still cold and snowy here. It is amazing!!!

Thank you to Natalie for hosting the link party for all things Weekend Coffee Share!

If we were having coffee, I would tell my story was published Saturday at Fiction Kitchen Berlin. I loved writing this story and am thrilled it found the perfect home. If you want to hear more about where the story came from, you can read that here.

Have you signed up for my newsletter yet? Go here to do that now. It is delivered to your inbox on Fridays and always contains a heartfelt story which allows you to know me better. I also tell you the most current happenings I am offering.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am making progress on my novel rewrite. I had to have several conversations about getting out of my own way! Taking some pressure off myself and telling the critics to get in the trunk has helped.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I published a new episode of the podcast about a technique I use all the time in writing classes. Quickwrites were introduced to me fairly early in my teaching career by Linda Reif. You listen here. I used an Ada Limon poem I love for this exercise.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my 100 day project is going well. Since I have a group of writers in my circle I get to hear about their processes as well. You can check out the snippets about my main character Jack if you go here.

Thank you for joining me for a coffee today.

February 14, 2021February 13, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Family Life, holidays, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Weekend coffee share, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 1 Comment

First February Weekend Coffee Share

It is Freezer Saturday today. As I write this, it is 4 degrees F. The wind chill is much colder.

Have you signed up for my newsletter yet? Go here to do that now. It is delivered to your inbox on Fridays and always contains a heartfelt story which allows you to know me better. I also tell you the most current happenings I am offering. This past Friday I wrote about an insightful conversation I had with my friend Jenna.

Thank you to Natalie for hosting the link party for all things Weekend Coffee Share!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my PUSH group on Monday night was a fun life giving conversation about writing. We started with a writing exercise which was interesting. Everyone shared different sparkly sentences from their freewrite and they were amazing. We are meeting next Tuesday to discuss week 1 of my Unpublished to Published course. I am so looking forward to it!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I listened to Brene Brown interview Simon Sinek. I love his work. He just came out with a new book about finite and infinite thinking. There are many things that cannot be “won” that we are culturally told we can. This leads to frustration. I always feel I am expanded when I listen to Simon speak.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I had my parent teacher conferences this week. They were all smooth and positive. The weather turned nasty this week so we were allowed to work from home on Thursday and Friday. I was thrilled.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my writing class is going well and I am making strides in my novel rewrite. My goal is to have this draft as polished as I can get it by the end of March. My spring break is that last week and I should have time to get it where I want it to be by then to be able to get it to the next step. I have had to rethink what my definition of “work on the novel” is. This rewrite is requiring more thinking and research that does not involve word counts and words on the page necessarily. Having my #the100dayproject centering around Jack [my main character] focuses my attention on the novel at least once a day. This is my own trick.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am sharing a word a day and encourage you to send me a word too! I gleaned this idea from Julie Paul. She is a Canadian writer who has a group of writers who exchange words and the 10 minute freewrite that comes from these words. Here is my word from today:

If we were having coffee, I would tell you it is supposed to frigid this weekend and I am pleased to report I am not going anywhere. I have begun the weekend with listening to nourishing things and writing. There are books I will pick up from the library on Monday during my lunchtime.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I have continued to walk every day. It has been cold so I have to dress correctly out there! It is a joy to walk in the snow.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am taking a hermit crab writing class on Sunday. I am excited to see what I generate and the feedback that I will be able to give and get! It is on a new platform called BAND I have never used before so that is an exciting component as well.

Thank you for joining me for a coffee today. I cannot wait to see what words you share with me!

February 6, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Family Life, holidays, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Weekend coffee share, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 2 Comments

#IWSG February

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

February 3 question – Blogging is often more than just sharing stories. It’s often the start of special friendships and relationships. Have you made any friends through the blogosphere? The awesome co-hosts for the February 3 posting of the IWSG are Louise – Fundy Blue ,Jennifer Lane,Mary Aalgaard,Patsy Collins at Womagwriter, and Nancy Gideon!

I have made friends through blogging at an arm’s length. I recognize their names in comments and feeds which is a comfort. There are many friends online that I would consider closer than in real life friends but I am not certain I would classify them as “blogging” friends. Some of them I have met through other communities and they have become readers of the blog or the newsletter.

I am so lucky to have found the writing circle I have. I have people I talk writing in general with, friends I exchange work with, and others that I have a kindred spirit relationship with. I am so grateful for the variety of writers in my circle.

I also have many friends who are readers and not writers which is a whole other relationship. They are all special and valuable to me.

#happyreading #happywriting

February 4, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Insecure Writer's Support Group, IWSG, Mywriting, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Writing Challenge, Writing Exercise, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 1 Comment

Last January Weekend Coffee Share

Saturday rolls onto the calendar once again. My kindergarten students are having trouble learning the days of the week this year because there is a mundane quality to daily life in a pandemic. Most of them do not leave the house. There is not much distinction between weekdays and weekends. Zoom classes seem to be not as disruptive to their timelines as I would have thought at the beginning of all this.

Have you signed up for my newsletter yet? Go here to do that now. It is delivered to your inbox on Fridays and always contains a heartfelt story which allows you to know me better.

Thank you to Natalie for hosting the link party for all things Weekend Coffee Share!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my PUSH group on Tuesday night was a fun life giving conversation about submissions and #100dayprojects. The groups were so fun I am continuing them. The next one is on Monday.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you next week I have parent teacher conferences and I have to be at work until 7pm both Tuesday and Thursday. I am not looking forward to this schedule. Most of my parents are asking for earlier times in the day for our chat so I will be working on my own projects as the day stretches into night.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I love my library. I was able to pick up several holds. I also checked out Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon. I am loving her poetry lately.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you we had a surprise snow day last Tuesday. I slept and read and wrote. It was a glorious gift of rest.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I got my first round of the COVID vaccine this week. I am still apprehensive about the whole vaccine business if I am honest. I felt light headed and tired afterwards. My arm hurt as well. I go for the second round in a couple of weeks. Being a teacher, there are lots of reasons to get the shot, but my lack of faith in information that is given as fact unnerves me.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I did something that scared me a little this week. The worst that can happen is that I get a rejection but it still made me want to throw up a little before I hit send.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you it is supposed to snow this weekend and that makes me giddy!

Thank you for joining me for a coffee today. I cannot wait to read what you were up to this week!

January 30, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Family Life, holidays, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Weekend coffee share, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 6 Comments

Weekend Coffee Share

The sun is shining this Saturday and the temperature is in the single digits. It is the perfect setting for several cups of Joe!

Thank you to Natalie for hosting the link party for all things Weekend Coffee Share!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my PUSH group on Tuesday night was a fun life giving conversation about moving from unpublished to published. I am doing one more open workshop next Tuesday about Submission/Creative projects. I expect the conversation to be just as rich. There is magic in gathering together and talking about creative pursuits no matter what stage you are in. It is one of my favorite things.

We are meeting on Tuesday. If you want to join you can sign up for the Zoom link here. I am recording them and placing them in the Patreon group if you cannot make it live.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you with the holiday last Monday I have to drive more than usual and it was welcome. I do not miss my commute to school at all but once in a while it feels nice to have a large span of time dedicated to the highway. It is a creative time for me – like being in the shower when ideas come to you! We were able to go out to dinner as a family as well so that was lovely. The food was great as well as the service and I was thankful to have that space.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I had a creative meeting with a writing friend this week that was so fulfilling. We talked about all things writing and process plus some spiritual pieces. She is a wealth of experience and I am thankful to have met her.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you one of my favorite authors wrote an article for Electric Lit. You can find it here. My new system of at least 15 minutes of reading a day is working and getting me back into the grove and habit. I feel much better this week mentally because of it as well. I am reading Craft in the Real World, The Invisible Life of Adie Larue, and Freshwater. [Affiliate links]

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am starting a writing experience on Monday. Our first group call for introductions is then. I am excited for this opportunity! I am hoping to learn and make some serious writing connections.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I examining more closely what I am spending my time and energy on. Energy is a concept that has come up multiple times over the last week so I am paying attention. One surprising thing that zapped my energy was a change of schedule. My students and I were off Monday but then the kids were off Friday because of a teacher work and PD day. Wednesdays are meetings anyway. I was able to get a lot of work done on Wednesday but it still threw me off.

Thank you for joining me for a coffee today. I cannot wait to read what you were up to this week!

January 23, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Family Life, holidays, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Weekend coffee share, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 5 Comments

Weekend Coffee Share

Welcome back to the weekend! It is snowing outside and I am thrilled. What can I get for you today? The coffee is hot. Let’s settle in for a chat and several cups of coffee. I feel like we have so much to catch up on today!

Thank you to Natalie for hosting the link party for all things Weekend Coffee Share!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my PUSH group on Monday night was super fun around reading. Everyone shared three favorite books The most animated discussion came from a book that we hate. The PUSH group next week I am super excited about. I am launching my program about going from Unpublished to Published. Even if you aren’t ready to publish yet this class is for you. There are lots of things that you have to have set before you start submitting (from my experience.) If you love to talk writing or just want to get started you should join us! We are meeting on Tuesday. If you want to join you can sign up for the Zoom link here. I am recording them and placing them in the Patreon group if you cannot make it live. The full course will be happening in the Patreon at the $7 level and there will be weekly content and then live Zoom calls. It is going to be amazing!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my friend Jenna Britton is coaching in a dynamic way around Human Design charts called Clarity + Connection Conversations. You should check out her website. I have had several sessions with her and it always leads me to new insights. You can find her on Instagram as well. She just did an IGTV video that explains everything.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I walked every day this week and several days it snowed which is always my favorite! I have come across some new podcasts so that has been fun. Bulletproof Radio has been informative this week as well as Bookable, Stop Writing Alone, Find Your Voice, and Hello Seven.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I posted about Rereading for Two Writing Teachers and one of my #100dayproject essays. You can read that here.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I was a guest judge for a creative writing app called Story Squad. There are fun prompts and people handwrite their one page stories and send them in for voting.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I am thankful for the three day weekend. I am submitting some poems today and hope to get lots of writing done. I have written every day as normal but have not been posting and sharing the writing in any of my closed writer forums. I am also examining why I cannot seem to write any fictional stories around teaching. I never make my characters teachers in any short stories.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my school district decided that we are staying virtual until March 26th which is the last school day before our spring break. The plan is to return in person April 6th then. I am relieved to know what the plan is now. The liminal space was getting more and more difficult to deal with.

If we were having coffee, I would ask you what is the question you would most like me to answer?

Thank you for joining me for a coffee today. I cannot wait to read what you were up to this week!

January 15, 2021January 15, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Family Life, holidays, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Weekend coffee share, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 4 Comments

Weekend Coffee Share

Welcome back to the weekend. What can I get for you today? The coffee is hot and it is cold and snowy outside. The fog seems to have lifted for now.

Let’s settle in for a chat and several cups of coffee. I feel like we have so much to catch up on today!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you my PUSH group on Monday night was super fun around journaling. I am hosting another group about reading this coming Monday. If you want to join you can sign up for the Zoom link here. I am recording them and placing them in the Patreon group if you cannot make it live.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I started reading Margaret Atwood’s poem Sorcerer’s Apprentice every day this week. This poem has regular stanzas so I am writing it out in my everything notebook. If you want to hear about what I did with the poem Four Hours in Paris you can listen to the latest episode of the podcast.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I had some great conversations with friends this week in Voxer. Have you tried it? It is an audio message system. It works well for writing because I have a few friends who I have a feedback relationship with. We read each other’s work and make comments and then are able to talk through them on Voxer. The beauty is that it is recorded and you can listen over and over and take notes. It is a good system. Voxer can be glitchy though so fair warning.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I posted for Two Writing Teachers this week and for FMF. You can read those posts here and here. I shared my love letters to TEN and to TIME. Today I am writing a letter to Questions. Do you have a favorite question you like to ask?

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I was trying to organize my Google drive and accidentally deleted the slides presentation that I use every day in my classroom. Ooops. The worst part was that I did’t realize it until I was starting class! I was able to recreate it before the second session.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you I listened to Rachael Herron’s podcast Why Do You Write? where Heid Edrich was a guest. She read her poem I Feel Like a Fool Do You? and talked about writing her poetry. It was a great conversation and I listened twice!

If we were having coffee, I would ask you what the best part of your week was? I cannot wait to hear. Don’t forget to tell me your favorite question!

Thank you for joining me for a coffee today.

January 10, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Family Life, holidays, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Weekend coffee share, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 2 Comments

#IWSG January

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting!

January 6 question – Being a writer, when you’re reading someone else’s work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people’s books? The awesome co-hosts for the January 6 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren ,J Lenni Dorner,Gwen GardnerSandra Cox, and Louise – Fundy Blue!

It seems to vary according to the story of what takes me out but a fairly quick answer. Sometimes it is a strange reference that doesn’t quite fit in my mind or a repeated phrase that is not powerful in the way the writer intended.

An editing mishap will take me out of the story most times.

If there is too much exhibition, especially in a short work. Repeated explanation that is unnecessary.

If it is not holding my attention and I am not compelled to read past the first couple of pages then I usually will stop. I may try again, but most likely not. It might just be that I thought the book was about one thing and was about another.

I love when there are lines that sparkle to me that I have to stop reading and write down immediately!

Just like I feel I can learn something from anyone I meet I feel that way about books as well. There is also something new to uncover.

#happyreading #happywriting

January 6, 2021 by TammyB Categories: Challenge, Insecure Writer's Support Group, IWSG, Mywriting, Questions, sarahselecky, Short Story, Writing Challenge, Writing Exercise, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLife 3 Comments