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Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts

The Blog Focus Funnel Move Forward by Looking at Your Past

Do you know where your blog focus is?  It's not lost.  What topics do you gravitate to as a writer, as a reader? This post isn't about marketing or gaining new readers (Okay, it would be nice to have new readers too.)  No, this post is about looking back and gaining a fresh perspective.

The rollover to the brand new year makes for resolutions, but sometimes, looking where you have been instead of where you want to go (not the gym) can also be the way forward, and not just for blogging.





























Some drastic life changes have been thrown at me in the past few years.  I finally could not face blogging as a writer.  I would read my saved blogs from time to time, but couldn't comment, at least for the most part.  I used the time away from blogging to work on healing, physically and otherwise.

As time passed, I wondered why I hadn't recommitted to blogging.  I knew that having a focus on something would help me stand up wherever I needed to stand.  In other words, put the bad stuff to the side and zero in on something to take my mind and therefore, my feelings, off the problem and on to something that would be a healthy distraction.    Sort of a, "Words don't fail me now" mindset.

That's all well and good, but it didn't work.  If you could see the room in my house where all the arts and crafts stuff await, you might think I need no excuse for tucking in to the boxes, paints, papers, beads, and jars.  All that inspiration is overload sometimes.

Some of the problem was that I didn't know if I wanted to start again.  I missed connecting with other bloggers, but didn't have the energy to keep in touch.  On the other hand, I need to finish what I start or bring it to a satisfying last post, not just drift away.



I Miss Her.


Where to start?

I have a stick-to-it-ness that has helped me through the years.  I don't give up unless it is without a doubt, all things tried, not able to work.

Just last month I fixed the bed frame that "couldn't" be fixed and saved more than a hundred dollars by not giving up.  Not bragging, just saying, sometimes where there's a will, there's a way. I have the bruises to prove it.






The Stinky Albatross and Writing Something New

practice lines and shapes
Limited to 20 shapes
Pencil drawing, New End Studio 

(Pencil drawing- Lines, Shapes, Space, and Directions.  Sorry it's upside down, a little like how I am.)

The situation here is still in flux.  One day it's up and the other day it's down, and around ...

To help pass the time and distract me from the myriad of worries I need a little creative outlet.  The heat and humidity stops me from gardening.  Bless you who can enjoy the sun and the bugs, but give me a screened in breezy porch and I'm happy.

Leaving things unfinished is like bad karma, the albatross on the neck. Stinky and uncomfortable. So, I'm giving myself permission to finish before I start something new. (Update: Two done, a few more to do!)




In the meantime, I started writing a couple of stories.  (No boxes to unpack, only my brain.  lol )  Last week with the first story, I got about 1,900 words in and I thought this one might need a pen name so I put the story aside for now.  With the second one, I was zipping along but my blood sugar was drooping, so I got to about 2,400 words and had to stop.  While I was writing it, I realized that it was going to be longer than a short story, so I named the chapters and scenes and pretty much know what's going to happen to the characters.

Writing with new to me software  (I long for an old typewriter) it's highly rated, but still an unopened book to me, a puzzle book, pun intended.  The software has more features than I have played with- I just want to get the words down and worry about the formatting later.

I don't know if I'll let these stories see the light of day.  How do you feel about pen names?   Don't care one way or the other?  Use initials or be gender neutral?  Or, use real name if at all possible?   (Something to ponder in case I finish these stories.)

If you've published something leave a link in the comments, too.