Is There Such A Thing

I have recently thought about the benefits that can be gained from an organized writer's group.  Is there such a thing?  That is the thought that comes to mind.  How is it done? Does each individual participate fully or do they hold something back in fear that their ideas would be stolen?  It's an interesting dilemma.  On the surface I would think it would be a good idea.  But in introspect I bet it is scary to some degree to worry if someone would steal your ideas and put them to good use without your knowledge or permission. I'm sure it has happened.

The nature of this topic has caused me to do a quick google search to see what comes up.  I did a search for writer's groups.  Indeed I found some listings that appear to be groups that offer resources to help get writers noticed and published.  They offer writing courses as well.  Other groups do encourage the sharing of creative works if the member wants to do so.  It would appear that one is not forced into making submissions.  However the opportunity is there if one desires to make that step. The impetus of the groups are supposed to be encouraging writers to write.  The sites also offer tips on how to keep writing.  Sounds like it might be good for some of us. 

I'm still undecided about it at this stage..........

Look At All The Dust

This place certainly looks very dusty.  It seems like it's been ages since I've been on here.  Due to unforeseen circumstances I have been absent and have neglected this place.  Now I've been able to get back here and dust off a few of the spots that have grown cobwebs.

It is not a matter of making an excuse but offering a reason for the circumstances that have perpetuated the neglect that has set in here.  I have temporarily moved to another country.  It has been a painstaking decision and a monumental effort to get all things in one place and gain order from disorder.  Someone I made it.  Then as it happens in most situations this site fell through the proverbial cracks.  I didn't know that I needed to do some preparations for how I was going to keep up with my goals.  It was an oversight that threw me for a loop and had me roaming the internet for many days and more than a month trying to find a way back here.

I'm in a county where certain websites are blocked and I didn't see it coming nor was I prepared for what I found here.  As luck would have it I got help from new friends and acquaintances.  I  have regained my access to this place.  I've found the key that I lost and I plan on keeping it in a secure place.

That's all for now...............................
 

Sleep Depravation

Is it possible to do some of your best work when you are deprived of sleep and you are virtually running on empty?  I am in that state currently.  I haven't sleep for more than 24 hours.  I've digested a lot of Red Bull and I am quite surprised that I am still on my feel at 4:35PM in the afternoon.  I am not feeling sleepy at all.  I'm shocked!

I am a type of person who does their best work under pressure.  The pressure of sleep depravation inspired me to write about it.  I feel it's worth it to interrogate this topic.  I'm sure there are many times when we all have stayed up all night trying to cramp for an examination.  This definitely feels like that even though I'm sated with Red Bull.  I'm just waiting for the moment when I will crash hard.  But until that time I'm inspired to make my regular post today and do some other paperwork that I need to mail off tomorrow.  

It's interesting what you can do when you are given a challenge.  Lack of sleep and tasking the brain to be creative are diametrically opposed.  While it's difficult to think your best it's possible to do something you would be proud of in the writing arena.  After all it's true that you can think better when you've had adequate rest.  However for me I think that with the desire to write something I can manage to overcome the challenge even though the best creative juices aren't flowing. 

What I enjoy is worth doing even when it's difficult.

I'll read this post again next week after I've had sufficient rest so that I can see if any of this makes any sense!

Writing In The Age of Technology

I've recently been on another trip overseas.  I did my usual duty of sending postcards to family members from my vacation trip.  It was amazing to me to discover that when I asked someone who was of a young age of approximately 20-30 for the location of the nearest post box or post office they responded that they didn't know.  I went through this on occasion for the 2 weeks I was there.  I sent postcards on at least 4 different occasions and it was amazing to me to find that the young adults didn't utilize the post office.  A few of them admitted that they used texting to get messages out and receive them and they never mail anything out from via postal services.  After coming across enough of them I finally laughed and thought to myself that perhaps I should look for someone older who still writes and uses the post office. 

I've been home for about 4 days and yesterday a news article online caught my eye.   A news report gave a lengthy assessment that the US Postal Service is almost insolvent.  People are simply not using the post office as they did in older times.  The statistics are staggering.  The Postal Service has been operating in the red for so long it's almost criminal.  They can no longer rely on first class mail which is where writing letters to people comes into play.  They have to now relay on junk mail as their main source of survival.  The majority of the people almost exclusively use online or telephone messaging as a way of communication on a regular basis.  It is not unique to our country.  This is happening all around the world. 

As one who enjoys getting a letter or two in the mail I'm frightened at what will happen in the near future with our postal services.  The current proposal is to cut mail delivery down to 5 days instead of 6 days.  There is also pressure to contract out services to private companies and cut down on the workforce at the postal facilities.  

All I wonder is how many people out there are concerned about this?  Will the Postal Service become extinct? 

Everyday writing in this age of technology has resulted in emailing, instant messaging, smsing, twittering, etc instead of taking the time and pleasure to put some ink on some paper. 

Dealing with Pressure

I find that I am the one who puts the most pressure on me and my writing deadlines. It has its advantages and disadvantages.

In most instances its a definite advantage as I can exert the necessary pressure on myself to get something done. I believe I am self-driven and committed to my aspirations.

On the opposite end of the spectrum I can exert the kind of pressure on myself that can make me feel that I have given myself a heavy burden and that I might fail at making the deadlines. I start to feel panic and a sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach. In some instances I get headaches. It seems the harder I pressure myself the worst the headache gets. When this happens I have to stop what I am doing and give myself a break that is long enough to return to a positive way of approaching my deadlines.

I have been able to persevere and get through these trying periods. It proves to be another positive attribute towards my ultimate goal.

Working With Deadlines

As you can tell it's been a struggle to not only find a topic to write about but also to write it within prescribed timelines.  I have been able to accomplish making my postings when I stated I would post.  In some instances I have not been able to meet the Tuesday deadline.  I have then strived to make sure the post occurs within that week.  Sometimes I have made it and on a couple of occasions I have not made it. 

What I have learned from this exercise is persistence and perseverence.  It hasn't been easy but it hasn't been too difficult.  There have been some trying times.  Most times the cause has been not knowing what I am going to write about. That will probably always be where I will struggle.  In some of the other times it has been not posting timely because I have allowed other things in my life to get in the way of posting the topic timely.  In some instances I've had  2 or 3 topics already drafted ahead of time.  There is a mix of things that get in the way of deadlines and help me to make the deadlines.

I will continue to strive to do my best.  That's all I can find comfort in for the rest of this journey.

Striving for Continued Creativity

I've been thinking about what to do when the drive to find new creativity reaches a serious level.  I have been battling this situation.  In an effort to overcome it I have been continuing to read others' works and think of ways to come up with ideas for topics. 

I have some small comfort in the fact that when I approach this arena I  find that I have the desire to find something to write instead of feeling dread when it comes time to write something.  I view this very positively as it's an important element to my writing.  The very fact that I want to do it is tantamount.

With this in mind I believe very strongly that I'm on the right path to succeeding at the goals I have set for myself in this endeavor. 

Realizing Small Accomplishments

It's officially been 20 weeks since I started this project.  I'm happy to say that I haven't been a total failure at keeping up with my writing in this blog. I think it's important to celebrate even small accomplishments. I believe it will give me the inspiration to keep going to the end. I'm so pleased to have made it to this plateau and I feel reinvigorated to continue on this path.

I could have given up. Although I have stumbled a few times I am still on my feet. To me this is definitely something to celebrate.

Stuck in the Mud

The past 3 weeks have proven to be a real challenge in keeping up to date with the writing.  I'm stuck in the mire of other aspects of my life.  There are family issues, travel issues and impending move issues to deal with all at the same time. 

However I've made the commitment to write at least once every week and I've been struggling to keep up with that commitment.  I'm sure every writer has to deal with having to juggling many aspects of life and still find time to be creative with their writings.  These are make or break moments.  I'm striving to ensure that I make it to the finish line of this project.  Although there are times when I'm stuck.  I am still determined to persevere.  It will only help me to grow as I go along.

Procrastination At Its Worse

I was supposed to make up for missing a post last week.  So much time has gotten away from me and now I find myself in the same situation again.  I thought I would do it by Thursday of last week.  Thursday has come and gone.  Now I need to create 2 posts this week to get back on schedule with my goal of one topic posted per week.  So I'm out of ideas but I keep thinking and I'm not going to give up.  I had to put other things on the backburner so that I could live up to my goal.  This is at least one of the two I must do this week.  Tomorrow or Thursday at the latest I plan to come up with another topic.

I admit it has gotten increasingly difficult to come up with something to write.  Then it becomes easy for procrastination to set in.  I have to really rack my brain harder so that I can live up to what I committed myself to doing here.  

In The Scene

I have been travelling for about a month now and I'm fascinated by the many different places that I have visited which would give me an idea of a scene or scenes for my writings.  It's been a while since I've updated as I missed a week because I didn't have internet access until today. So I am writing one more article this week in an effort to be up to date.  

I love exploring many different places.  I've been inspired by some ancient ruins that will definitely be a backdrop to a novel or movie script in the future.  The places I have visited have definitely inspired me for futures writings.  I think it's an important facet to any writing.  Imagining the scene for what you are writing. 

I know it's short but it's all I have for now.

Finding the Right Words

Sometimes it has been difficult to find the right words to convey an idea or a thought to my readers. I have often wondered whether my choice of words would either captivate my audience or turn them away.

Word choice is very important when it comes to making the right connection with an audience. Stephen King recommends a book that will help build vocabulary and grammar in "On Writing". I reviewed this and found that I already possessed a very good grasp of vocabulary and grammar. I've always had a drive to learn new words and have preferred good grammar. This has helped me both personally and professionally.

I like reading various types of books to find new words. I keep a dictionary handy to find the meaning of words that I've not used before or haven't come across in previous readings. From time to time I use Roget's Thesaurus to find a synonym for certain words when I am composing letters or other writings. This helps me keep in the best shape possible as I let the words flow onto the paper.

Imagining the Scene

It's important to find out what types of scenes come to mind in a way that helps you visualize your story to the reader.  I suppose for me it's easier because I have travelled extensively to many different countries and other parts of my country.  

I am confident a healthy imagination will do the job.  Sometimes I visualize a scene for what I am currently writing and not always does it appear to me as a place I have visited.  So the travel is not necessary as I was able to visualize many places.  I guess it's because I had a perception in mind of what I wanted the place to look like even before I got the chance to travel to many different places.  However travelling won't hurt at all.

Right now I am away from home in a place that is rich in history and has rich surroundings.  So I will be soaking in the scenery for future inspiration.  I have to imagine a story to write based on what I see over the next few weeks.  

Writing for The Sake of Writing

I wonder about what would motivate others to take up a pen and paper to write a note or letter or some other writing instead of relying heavily on texting and email communications.  In some forums even getting someone to talk to you on the phone is becoming less important. 

I recently gave my school mentee a diary so that she can explore writing.  I am encouraging her to write something each day or even each week in her diary.  Only time will tell how that works out. 

I have send cards and mail but most responses have been in the form of phone calls or emails.  So it's just really hard to get some others to be enthusiastic about writing.  

I didn't have time to write much this week because I have been on the road quite a bit and today I am feeling a bit under the weather and tired from the running around.  I will look for inspiration for next week's topic. 

Choosing Your Genre

I didn't sit down to find out what kind of genre I would like to write.  I had to delve into my psyche to find out what kind of writings I really enjoyed doing and did well.  I believe it is an easy task to decide once you reflect back to what really gives you great enjoyment to write.  I would think that is the path to pursue.  I can only imagine that if you try to force your writing into a particular genre that you are not sure would inspire your writing that would be very difficult.  I can't imagine writing contracts would be inspirational to me in a way that gets my creative juices flowing.  I'm sure I could do a few but not on a longterm basis. 

Perhaps it might be a good idea to write all the genres down and then figure out how long you would be able to write for that category and whether it would really inspire your creativity.

Journalizing

Recently I started wondering how many people still keep a diary/journal.  As it pertains to kids it's probably more important to say "diary" and as for adults it's more important to say "journal."  Whichever way is preferred I wonder how many keep a daily or as close to daily account in writing of what they are feeling, ideas that come to mind or what is important to notate  in the account of one's life.  When I was growing up and still in school I did keep a diary.  As an adult I didn't continue to keep a daily account of the goings on in my life.  I don't feel that I missed anything by not doing it as I didn't feel it was a natural part of the transition into adulthood.  Therefore, the diary/journal didn't come with the territory.

I am mentoring a 5th grader at a local school.  I can't recall what made me think of it but I asked her if she has a diary.  She was baffled.  She had no clue at all about a diary.  That is why I decided to do this topic for this week.  I had to explain to her what it is and the purpose it serves.  I then wondered how many other children today do not know what a diary is and what it means.  I have been searching for a gift since her birthday is coming up later this month.  Now I have found the perfect gift.

I've found one bookstore nearby that has at least 2 different styles to choose from that come with a lock and keys.  I was a little worried that I would have a rather difficult time finding one.  I was pleased to see, although the supply is limited, that diaries haven't been completely fazed out as other favorite products have in the marketplace that we live in these days.   I could write a continuing series on favorite products that really worked that are no longer available, but I won't go down that road here.

When I present this diary to my mentee I do hope she will be able to dive right into the concept of keeping her daily life experiences and thoughts on paper.  I will help her by getting her to write something down right away after she receives it.  I hope it takes hold like a vine and continues to be an enjoyable part of her growth to adulthood as it was for me.

The Worth of Writing

Sometime ago before I stopped writing for years I had done some research to see how I could get credit for my writing so that I could build my writing resume.  This topic came to mind as I recently had to write a resume.  This is something that I hadn't done in more than 15 years because of a career path I undertook in a particular work sector.  Long time ago there was a saying that "the pen is mightier than the sword".  I wonder even now what happened to the high value placed on the mite of words in the freelance writing industry.

I remembered taking all kinds of time formulating a resume on Elance, Craig's List and Daily Variety.  I also had access to jobs that were posted by entities who paid for freelance writing.  This was no easy task.  It took lots of time and research in looking at what the job entailed and finding out the history of the entity who requested the work. When I felt that a job request was one that I could fulfill proficiently I would post my bid for  the job.  I did this although not consistently or diligently for about 6 months.  It seemed that when I thought that I gave a bid that was a reasonable one for the job at hand I would always be outbid by what I would consider a consortium.  I gathered that there were organized groups that were quite successful in getting the jobs and doing the work for almost peanuts.  That is my estimation as I believe I valued my writing appropriately and I was not willing to value it less just to get an assignment.  It seems that there was a very large contingency of requests for jobs and because of the bidding process they were very happy to have pay for extensive writings with very precise requirements for next to nothing.

This was an eyeopener and it was a very valuable learning experience.  As a writer I had to know how much my writing was worth.  I believe I possess the talents and the abilities to give a well written product.  I believe I have high standards and would expect that anyone I worked for would have the same.  Note that some of the job requests did entail finishing unfinished projects or redoing work that was done poorly.  I believe there is a saying that "you get what you pay for".  I don't envision giving my writing away for free even though there were people bold enough to submit requests with a caveat that there was no money available to compensate the writer.  I am quite happy to wait until I can find a writing project that will offer compensation commensurate to the requirements of the requester.  We all must know how much our writing is worth.   Let's not sell ourselves short.  Let's value our writing assets appropriately.    

A Failure To Capture

Last week I had a moment of inspiration for the topic of my next post which is for today.  However because I was out somewhere I didn't jot down my musings so that I could further develop the idea.  Naturally I can't remember what I came up with now that it is 4 days later.  This is not the first time that this has happened to me. I'm hoping that it is the last time.  I can't help but remember what I read in Stephen King's book "On Writing".  I recall that he went to many lengths to find a piece of paper regardless of what kind of paper to write down his idea then and there so that he wouldn't have to rattle his brain trying to remember.   He spoke about writing notes on napkins on the airplane, tearing off pieces of paper from here and there to jot down what came to mind.

I should have had the drive to do something like this when the idea came into my head.  It was clear to me at the time that this was necessary.  I told myself that I was close to home and would remember the idea.  That was a mistake.  I took Stephen King's words to heart back when I read them and kept a little note pad in my purse for those ideas that pop up on the spur of the moment.  So now that it has been more than 3 years ago and I'm back in the mode of writing extensively I can't fathom why I didn't take the time to write the idea down on paper or even type it into the notes section of my android phone.   

This failure has definitely identified another problem that I need to overcome as I move forward with my writing.  I must re-establish the good habits that I learned about 3 years ago.  I need to do that quickly in order to feel that I have made some progress as I continue to write in the future.

I can't help but want to pinch myself for missing this opportunity.  Every thought or idea that excites and inspires the mind brings forth an opportunity.  Failure to write it down somewhere for further development leads to a missed opportunity.  I hope that I have learned from this missed opportunity and will take the necessary steps to capitalize upon future opportunities.  

Stuck In Time

I am at a lost for inspiration this week.  I think I've bitten off more than I can chew in other areas of my personal life.  I am juggling travel plans, paying bills, household repairs, medical follow-ups, responses that I need to give to companies and challenging personal issues.  Nonetheless I am here to put something down in writing.  I would have wanted to bring something meaningful in the venue of writing to the table.  But once again it updating this blog came in on the bottom of my list of things to do.  Sometimes we are our own worst enemies.  This is a struggle that must be overcome.

I forced myself to come in here regardless of the fact that I had nothing planned to write.  Like anything else in life writing is a struggle.  It's up to each one of us to decide if the struggle is worth the effort.  I'm here because I am not giving up as easily as I did last time.  I must challenge myself to stave off this obstacle that I placed in my own way.  Life is not easy and we all know that for sure as we move through each day.  It's easier to give up on something than to fight for it.  I'm fighting for passion of writing.  I will be writing some letters later this week and I'm happy at that.  This will keep me going down the right path.  I hope you are fighting your own self-defeating urges and moving forward as you tackle the art of  writing.

Keeping It Up

This week has been a little bit challenging as well.  As promised I'm not letting other things keep me away from here.  There is a wealth of joy that I feel when I put something down in writing.  This is a theraputic release.  I do feel so much better when I write.  I'm very happy that I've given myself this challenge.  I'm sure it's going to get harder as time goes by.  But hopefully I can persevere.  

Although I didn't have a topic handy I came up with something on the spur of the moment.  I'm a planner and I hardly have the spontaneity to do things on a whim or on short notice.  I see I still need to work on that and just do it from time to time to change things up.

This is a short post this week but I can only hope for more to impart next time.