L is for Like #AtoZBlogging Challenge

Okay, you've heard enough from me about how tough it is too keep up with the blogging challenge and to blog daily. And I admit, when the challenge is over, I'll probably blog a lot less (I don't want to write just to write. I want to be saying something that will help others).

Today will be different, though. For the Letter L, I will be looking at the word Like. Despite how it sounds, I truly do like writing. I LOVE it in fact. It is freeing have an idea in your head and work out the perfect arrangement of words to say what you are thinking. I like how when I write, my mind is pulled into an alternate world. Once I stop, I need to get my bearings so that I can function in "the real world".

 I like that when I blog, I connect not just with other authors, but with readers as well. 

I like ( okay, maybe LOVE  this one) when I am writing something for my book and the complete opposite of what I planned pops up on the page. How does that happen? Who's writing this book anyway?

I like when I'm "stuck" in my writing, but I write anyway, and then I am surprised by what I finally did write. I like "catching" readers as they browse through my books, no matter what age they are. 

I like that no matter how stressed I am about my current writing projects, I always feel accomplished when I finish a piece of the project. 

So while most of my posts are about the struggle of the challenge, be assured that I'm mostly giving myself ( and other bloggers) a pep talk to keep writing.

What do you like (or LOVE) about writing? 

K is for Keep Going #AtoZBlogging Challenge

We are approaching the half way mark through the challenge in a few days.  I'm not sure about anyone else, but it certainly has lived up to that last word in the title: challenge. Today I craved a day off. If I had planned better, I probably could have done a few posts ahead of time. However, the more I consider that option, the less I like it. For me, I think the only way I'm succeeding in this challenge is because I "make" myself sit down and take some time out just for my blog. If I did a few posts ahead of time, I'd be less in the routine and probably more tempted to stop. It's not that I don't like writing and blogging ( on the contrary!) However, it is harder this time since I didn't plan well for it. Also, I get hung up on whether or not I have good, solid ,decent, interesting content. While that's a goal all writers have, I often let that get in the way of my planning and brainstorming.

Today I look at the topic "Keep Going" . No matter how bad the temptation is to "put it off and make up for it another day", we should just keep at it. Even as I'm typing, I get tempted to get up and check on the dishwasher follow the cat into the kitchen. I think I even once walked to my pantry, stared at it and walked back to my desk.  The change of scenery did help my thinking process, but if I spent any more time away from the desk, I'd definitely get distracted by something else. I don't usually do that  with my writing, but sometimes I let myself over think things and then I freeze up. So the best think I can do when I get antsy with my writing is to keep going.

Now that we are approaching the half way mark (Letter M), it is even more of a motivation to continue on. We've come this far. If i get tempted to stop  I try not to kook at it as a monumental task, but more as a daily goal. This way, it is more manageable. The pep talk I give myself is "See if you can come up with something to write about today." When I view it that way, it is almost always easier to keep going.

What about you? What does it take for you to keep going?

J is for Juggling #AtoZBlogging Challenge

Today I take a look at Juggling for the letter J. As writers and bloggers, we love our craft. Most of the time we can squeeze time in between all our responsibilities. However,there are times when we would love to write but we have a hundred other necessities calling us.

These are the times we find ourselves "juggling" our commitments. That has been me lately. I have three children, work full time,  and have several writing projects in progress. Lately, my biggest writing project is to get my E-zine off the ground again. I was "juggling" so many things last year, that I had to stop and take a break.

The funny thing about that I did that, I feel much better and energized.  I think when we juggle too much, we eventually burn out and "drop the ball".

Today I found myself "juggling" work with the magazine and fitting time in to blog. However, it felt different this time. This was more of a "good" juggling. When I finished my work, I felt accomplished.

I guess that's the difference with our writing and anything in life. We should take time and listen to ourselves. Are we stressed and not feeling positive about anything we are doing? Or are we working hard, and at the end of the day are satisfied with how we spent our time?

Even when we are doing what we think we should, we should definitely give ourselves a much needed break to "recharge".

What about you? When was the last time you felt like you were juggling? Did you take a break?

I is for Intent #AtoZ Blogging Challenge

Another think I'm learning throughout this blogging journey is that in order to make your blog interesting or readable, there must be a purpose for what you are writing. A blog, after all, is part of our platform. Nobody stands on a platform talking about...nothing.  

Sometimes. when we're stretching for content, we may be tempted to write about anything that pops into our heads first. However, if we're going to get anywhere with our blogs and ultimately our writing, we better have some purpose behind our content. That is why for the letter I in the A to Z Blogging challenge I am taking a look at INTENT. 

What is it that we are trying to say when we publish our posts? Is it for a cause? Are we sharing information? Are we publishing content such as creative writing or informational articles? 

A good place to begin is to look at your overall theme of your blog. For example an author may have a blog about writing, his or her works, or issues related to his or her publications.  Some blogs have a mission statement ( whether it is published or implied) which helps pinpoint the purpose of the blog.

Another thing to do is visit other blogs and see what their intent is in their posts and overall blog. What are they saying? How do they get across their message? As with all our writing, the more we read, the better our craft becomes. There have been many times a writer's block has been lifted after a good dose of reading. 

Finally, the more we post, the more we will see how we get our messages across. Sometimes we really do have to "write it out" to see our voice and our style. And if we follow our theme and chose a relevant topic, our intent is presented before even we, the author, realizes what it is. That is the beauty of the puzzle I call writing. 

H is for Hope #AtoZBlogging Challenge

The more I blog, the easier it becomes. I've had my moments when I had to "force" myself to sit and write, but isn't it like that with our writing projects too sometimes? We're not always going to be bouncing with that creative energy for our writing, especially if we are tired from a stressful day.

However, as I am moving through my posts, I am filled with hope. Hope that I can continue writing this often and achieve some of those goals I'm setting. Hope to finally get my prized project running again (My Light Magazine) and hope to continue that novel I'm working on. I'm learning that the more energy I put into my writing, the more energy returns to it.

I'm also filled with hope that my original goal, finishing the blogging challenge, might actually occur. This post is just about 1/3 through the challenge. If I consistently blogged this first part, surely I can get through the rest.

And an interesting thing is happening. The more hope I feel, the more creative energy I feel withing myself.

What was your H topic today?

G is for Goals #AtoZBloggig Challenge

                  

In an attempt to become more organized with my writing and more specifically, my blogging, I recognize that having goals is a critical part of the process. I have, of course, always had goals in mind with my writing. However I never thought about laying them out. That's pretty nerve wracking in general since I've had so much going on with my writing: books, articles, submissions and running my own E-zine. In fact, having a lack of tangible goals may have contributed to my writing lull. 

So what is involved in setting writing goals? A goal should be something that you are aiming for with your writing that you are able to reach. Goals are like the cobblestones on the path to your dreams. You may or may not reach your ultimate dream, however setting goals and achieving them determines your success. This is why it is important to set goals you know you can reach. (For me, pledging to blog everyday was really pushing it as an attainable goal for me. However, I felt I needed this push. And hey, I've made seven letters so far!)

Where should you start with your goals? If you haven't had much of a writing routine, the smaller the start, the better. As you successfully accomplish your goals, then you reach for bigger ones. 

To start with your writing goals might be:

• Write one paragraph a day
• Journal daily (or weekly if that is too much)
• Start an idea book/binder/journal where you record ideas that pop up at any time of the day, (Isn't it always while you're driving somewhere or otherwise preoccupied?)

As your routine picks up again and you find you are reaching your smaller goals with ease, you might be ready to plan bigger goals. Some things to think about are:

How many hours a day can I commit to writing?

How many stories will I write this month?

How many submissions can I prepare this month?

Do I plan on starting any projects?

Am I ready to contribute to a column or other project? 

The beautiful thing about goals is that there can always be more of them. For me, my goals are to finish the blogging challenge, complete 2 reviews I have planned, and to possibly revive my old E-Zine.

 Pretty large goals at first, but I am starting small. Every day I publish a post, I am closer to that first goal. 

What are some writing goals you have? 

F is for Freedom #AtoZBlogingChallenge

Today I'm looking at Freedom for the letter F in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Not just any Freedom, but freedom in writing. The last few days, I felt the "burn" with creating routine blog posts. As the previous post emphasized, E was for "Every Effort" to keep going.  

While the first few days proved to be a difficult time in keeping up with the momentum, these posts are reminding me of all that I've been involved with in the past and I am inspired to get back to where I was with my writing. I really do love it and have missed it more than I realized.  

It is because of this, that I feel like this blogging challenge has given me more freedom for my writing. Having to be accountable for my next posts helps me "justify" to myself when I start writing. I have a planned out daily schedule for my writing, (which I had once before, but stopped for a while) and am igniting a habit that had since dimmed. So F is for Freedom to Write. What about you? What Freedoms have been unleashed during this challenge so far?