IWSG: My Writing Space

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

The question for December is: What are five objects we'd find in your writing space?

Well, let me look around. Usually, I have my computer where I do the majority of my work. Then, there will be at least one notebook to read through or take down notes on my various writing projects. Since I sometimes write out my first drafts by hand, I might also have a composition notebook nearby. Then, my phone will be there with more notes or summaries of my ideas, and I also use it as my dictionary and thesaurus (and occasional distraction). The majority of the time (including right now), I will have a cat in my lap as I’m typing. Finally, there will be some kind of drink, most likely coffee if it is any time before sunset, and in the evenings I’ll have water, juice, or tea. It’s a simple set up and I like it that way.

Congratulations to all of you that won NaNoWriMo! I had a lot going on in November and was unable to participate. Honestly, my writing is still sitting in the backseat while I try to figure out other things in my life. I think about it often: all those ideas just waiting to make themselves known in written form. I am trying to find a way to fit it into the disorganization and stress of my life. But, I think what I really need to do is get some of that mess out of the way first, and I did work on some of that last month. Maybe by the New Year I can find a tiny window for writing.

In case I don’t make it back here before then, I hope all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

IWSG: Memories of Writing

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts on the first Wednesday of the month.

The IWSG question for November is: How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

That is a good question! It is fun to take a walk down memory lane through my writing history. This is one of those moments when I wish I still had my first stories I wrote in 6^th grade. I cannot remember what they were like, but I know that my imagination ran wild when I was a child. I had a lot of ideas in my head before I started writing, and I still remember some of the worlds I would pretend to be in when I played. I have some of my high school diary entries, which do not include a lot of creative writing, unless you count the number of ways I fantasized about “accidentally” bumping into my crushes. I have a couple cute stories I wrote for my 11^th grade English class. They lack details, but I included some interesting ideas.

 In college, most of my writing was for assignments and tests. A couple of my professors applauded my writing skills, but I’m assuming they were referring to my grammar, because most of my chapter reviews or summaries were complete BS. After rereading some of my homework, I never realized I was so talented at making it sound like I actually read the textbook. Beyond required writing, I wrote a lot of emails during those years, since I was away from my friends.

The most consistent writing I have done over time has been keeping a diary or journal. It seems I have matured in how I approach my journaling. I use it to work through my emotions, to write out prayers, or just to get all of my thoughts out of my head. Sometimes journaling inspires me to work on my fiction stories or poetry. It also inspired some of my past blog posts. I started this blog in 2010, and I actually enjoy reading many of my old posts. I used to think that I’ve lost some of my creative ability, but I think my real problem is that I have been more distracted in recent months than I was eight years ago. My focus has been off of writing. I still add ideas to my list, but I have not actually sat down to work on those ideas. My most creative writing pursuits of the last two years have been my WEP entries and a fantasy story I occasionally work on.

I have found other creative pursuits. From time to time I work on craft and sewing projects. My biggest pursuit lately has been photography. I have always enjoyed pictures, and after getting myself addicted to Instagram about a year ago, my picture taking has increased exponentially. I feel that photography is in a similar plane to writing, because it’s another way of expressing oneself. Also, my pictures make me want to write more – to write about the feelings and experiences behind the photos. 

July IWSG

          Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

            How kind of the IWSG to come and celebrate my birthday with me on this day after Independence Day. What’s that you say?...Oh, it’s the first Wednesday of July, I guess you’re not here for my birthday after all, but that’s alright. I’ll keep it short today for those, like myself, who may be still celebrating the holiday. Let's look at July’s question:

What is one valuable lesson you've learned since you started writing?

            Only one valuable lesson? I feel as though I have learned many throughout this writing journey and I have much yet to learn. Something that seems to stick with me is that writing requires endurance. You cannot just sit down and write something great within a few minutes, unless you have immeasurable talent. It takes time and practice and editing. There will be moments of writer’s block, rejection, or lack of focus, but great writers keep striving for the finish. I am currently fighting a short attention span due to some other life issues outside of writing, but I know that when I choose to discipline my time better, I will be able to pick up that pen again. As I said last month, don’t quit!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4^th!

IWSG: Useful Distraction?

 

            Time for another posting with the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month.

            My focus has been so far off lately. That is why I can’t seem to get anything done. Lack of time is not the problem. It’s complete lack of motivation, discipline, and focus. My mind is constantly going in ten different directions and I never know which lead to follow. Sometimes it’s with writing: should I write a blog post? Should I be working on a short story? A novel? A children’s book? I have all of that floating in my head that needs to get out on the page before it all dies. But, this goes far beyond writing decisions. Getting myself to sit down and write is a chore in and of itself. Ever a distracted procrastinator, I find everything else to do and I start random crafts or projects. I actually did finish a couple long term projects this last month, which was nice. I suppose I need to find motivation in those moments of accomplishment, even if it’s not with writing. If I could get more of the organizational projects out of the way, I may be able to focus more on my writing (or so I tell myself). One of my finished projects involved creating a significant amount of storage space in my room, which allows me to FINALLY clear off the random books, crafts and sewing supplies on my desk. That is my next project, to sort and move that stuff so my computer can have its old home back. My current set up in the living room is too full of distractions like the TV, large window, and cats. I have read that it’s helpful to find a place to get away from distractions, so I am working on creating that space.

My current "writing" spot
 

In the midst of the storage wars, I did manage little bits of writing here and there. One day, when I intentionally sat down for ten minutes to write, I wrote 350 words. Now that may not sound like a lot, but I did the math :) If I only wrote 300 words per day, every day, I would have 109,500 words by the end of the year! I know more experienced writers probably manage a lot more than that, and then there’s the editing and revising stages and beyond, but that still looks like a good number to start with for a beginning novelist like me, especially in only ten minutes a day. Feeling motivated yet?

Flashback Friday: A Mysterious Case of Spots

            **It's the last Friday of the month, which means it's time for Flashback Friday. Participants repost an old post that needed more attention, that you're very proud of, that you think is still relevant, etc. It was hosted by Michael G D'Agostino, but he has opted out. You can still find a list of previous and current participants on his blog. I skipped FF last month because of the holidays, but I still enjoy sharing my old posts. I almost feel as though I was a better writer five years ago than I am today. This post is from June 30, 2011. I think I need to take my own words to heart and slow down, cherish the small things, and get reacquainted with the pleasures of writing.**

A Mysterious Case of Spots

 

            You know, God really does work in mysterious ways sometimes, or at least amusing ways. The other day, I was in a rush all day long. I rushed to get ready for work, I rushed to work, I rushed at work, I rushed at lunch, I rushed home after work, and I rushed to get ready for a church camp meeting. As I was driving to the church camp, I glanced down at my knee to adjust my skirt and I saw these 3 big brown spots that weren’t there that morning. Being the worrywart that I am, all these crazy thoughts came rushing through my head: “What are those? Are they blood clots, have I been standing too much? Are they moles from being in the sun too long? Did I get blood blisters from running into something? What did I run into? That leg has been feeling kind of funny today, when was the last time I looked at it?” I said a prayer and hoped to God that it wasn’t anything serious. Well, those spots preoccupied my mind as the camp kids played games and sang songs, but I finally calmed down a little when the preacher started his sermon. As soon as I got home, I had to investigate those spots so I could determine my fate. I looked up and down my leg and found 2 more spots on the bottom of my foot. Then, I sat on my bed and pulled my knee close: “Hmm, those spots are raised, they must be moles…” I rubbed one and it started coming off, then it hit me…It was chocolate! In my rush between work and the camp service I had grabbed a half-melted energy bar and was eating it as I was changing. The melted chocolate had flaked off and got squished onto my skin. I am glad I didn’t ask anyone else for prayer that night, but I guess I did need prayer for my mental state.

            As funny and embarrassing to admit as that is, it really did make a few good points. First of all, I was reminded that I shouldn’t worry so much. Sadly, that is not the first time (and probably not the last) that I invented some horrendous scenarios in my head only to find that there was a perfectly reasonable explanation to my object of worry. When I was a teenager, I used to worry all the time if someone in my family was gone and got home late. I’ve imagined car accidents, fires, thieves, bridges collapsing, etc. and usually I would find out they just made an extra stop or there was a lot of traffic. I was reminded of Luke 12:25-26, which says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” In other words, worrying isn’t going to get me anywhere, so I might as well leave everything in God’s hands.

            Another thing those spots reminded me of is the need to slow down. The only reason I got them in the first place is because I was rushing around all day. I can still get things done without working myself up into a frenzy. Sometimes we just need to take a break, enjoy the scenery, and just savor the moment. I know I usually end up ignoring the most important things when I get too busy. I’m always trying to get everything done on my never-ending to-do list, and I can’t seem to give up even just 15 minutes for what really matters. I don’t leave enough time for prayer and Bible study, a phone call to my best friends, a chat with my mom, or even playing with my cats and dogs (they’re family too). Those are the things that my time should revolve around instead of meaningless repetitive tasks. I think of the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10. Jesus told Martha in verse 41-42: “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Mary chose to stop and listen to Jesus instead of trying to take care of all the busywork, and I guess I should take a time out once in while, too.

            Finally, I was reminded that sometimes something that looks bad is actually something good. I thought some chocolate was a disease. Circumstances can be the same way, they may seem bad as you’re going through them, but they can end up being blessings in disguise. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). So, the next time you’re feeling over-stressed, way too rushed, or worried beyond control: slow down, take a deep breath, and repeat after me, “Dear Lord, please heal my chocolate!”

August IWSG

 

            Time for another posting with the Insecure Writers Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month. The IWSG now poses a question for us to answer in our monthly posts. The question for our August 3rd posting is: What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?

 

            Honestly, this question makes me a little sad. When I was in sixth grade, we had a time period set aside each day for Writer’s Workshop. It was the first time I had ever heard of and kept a portfolio and the first time I ever considered pursuing writing. I wrote some short stories, essays, and poems for the assignments I kept in my portfolio. One of my poems was chosen to be printed in our sixth grade class poetry booklet. About 8-10 years ago, my mom found my Writer’s Workshop portfolio in storage and I held it in my hands and flipped through it nostalgically. But then, I was only home for the weekend and had to go back to college and I forgot about the portfolio. I don’t know what happened to it after that. If it was returned to storage, my family’s garage had a rodent infestation, so it was most likely ruined. I wish I would have put it in a safe place with some of my other keepsakes as soon as I saw it that day. The moral of this story: Always save your writing and back it up!

            July was not a productive month for me. It’s not exactly a time issue, I think it’s a lack of brain energy and motivation at the end of the day. I think the summer heat is getting to me, that and constantly having to help cover vacations and a coworker’s pregnancy leave at work. I’m hoping things will settle down a little as schools start back up and the weather cools down. Maybe then I will be able to focus more on my writing again.

IWSG: Development and Release

Time for another posting with the Insecure Writers Support Group, where writers can share their insecurities and encourage one another. IWSG was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh and we share our posts the first Wednesday of the month. The co-hosts this month are: Stephen Tremp, Stephanie Faris, Susan Gourley/Kelley, Bish Denham, Fundy Blue, M.J. Fifield, and Loni Townsend.

On Monday, I wrote a post for the Question of the Month about advice for new bloggers. I hardly feel qualified to give blogging advice. I was mainly thinking about what works for me and what I've done or learned through blogging, but everyone does things differently. Even the posts that day had a variety of answers and focused on different aspects of blogging, but they each made valid points. It got me thinking about my own methods in writing and where I picked them up. There are a lot of resources for writers out there, which the IWSG’s A to Z theme proved. There are websites, books, fellow bloggers, classes, and more. With all these resources, I wonder why I'm still holding back, beyond the lack of time. But, as I’ve said before, if I can make time for daily posts with the A to Z, I can certainly make time for writing. I don't know if it's a fear of commitment. I am at a point with my brainstorming material for my book that I could begin drafting it anytime. And it has been in that state for at least two years. It is kind of scary to turn an idea into a reality. I guess that’s why I’m in this group! Oddly enough, I can relate to the episode of Person of Interest that I just watched. Stay with me here, I think I have a point :) The character, Finch, created an artificial intelligence and its lifelikeness began to scare him so much that he decided to wipe “the Machine’s” memory every night so it wouldn’t develop feeling and attachment. Friends of his used metaphors, like that a child eventually leaves the home or a student bypasses his teacher. I’ve heard authors talking about books as their children before, and I get it now. Releasing a book into the world opens it up to everyone and not everyone is going to like it. When I do get my ideas to that stage I must be willing to let my book grow up!

Sorry, this was sort of a stream of thoughts, I hope it makes sense! I started with one insecurity and ended up with another, lol. Have a great rest of the week everyone! And if you did the A to Z Challenge, get some rest! I will be taking a short blogging break after I put up my A to Z Reflections post next Monday.

Idleness

“She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27 (NIV)

In Proverbs 31:10-31 we find a well-known passage about a virtuous woman. I could go many different directions with this passage, but today I’m focusing on my topic. “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop” may not be a Bible verse, but it makes a valid point. To be idle is to do nothing and be unproductive. Like an idle car, you’re not getting anywhere. I’ve realized over time, especially as I get older and time seems to get shorter, that I am never really bored, just procrastinating. Believe me, I have indulged in the bread of idleness far too many times, and when I look back on that nothingness, it repulses me. All those instances I could have learned something new or gotten some chores done, but instead I wasted it on pointless YouTube videos or channel surfing. Now I’m not saying that it’s wrong to relax or unwind once in a while, but every good thing has its limits. There are productive things that can be relaxing: journaling, drawing, sewing, baking, walking, and many other pursuits. I’ll leave you with some antonyms (opposites) to the word “idle” from Thesaurus.com: active, ambitious, diligent, effective, productive, worthwhile. Those are what we should aim to be!

 

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I am currently participating in the Blogging from A to Z April 2015 Challenge. My theme is life lessons from the Bible. You can find more information about the challenge by clicking on the badge to the right or click here for a list of participants. It has been an interesting experience so far and I have enjoyed finding and visiting other blogs. If you are a fellow participant, thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment!

Endurance

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter (finisher) of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

 I chose a longer passage of scripture today, mainly because it’s fairly self-explanatory, and there’s also a handful of E words, which is an added bonus. The assistant pastor at my church likes to use Hebrews 12 a lot because he enjoys running. He says when you run it is best to keep your eyes on the finish line or at least a fixed point in front of you, because if you turn to the right or left, you are likely to veer off course and end up taking longer. In the race of the Christian life, sin may try to take us off course or we may feel tired and like we can’t go on. But if we look at Jesus, who set the course and finished the race before us, we can endure to the end. For more details on this topic you can read my post titled Attaining the Prize.

How Do You Function?

            I forgot my phone one day when I went to work a couple weeks ago. Until then, I hadn’t realized how much it had become an extension of myself. My phone has become a part of my daily functionality. I was sitting in my car during my lunch break and decided to go straight into reading my book, since I couldn’t check email or Facebook. I came across a word I didn’t know and started to dig for my phone to look it up; wait, it’s not there. I got bored with reading and started wishing I could look up grocery ads for my shopping trip the following day. I thought of something I wanted to take note of and I had to dig through my glove compartment trying to find paper. I saw something interesting outside the window and wanted to text my brother about it, I even felt an urge to text him about how I didn’t know what to do with myself without my phone! Of course, I survived, but it was so strange how I felt like a part of me was missing.

            Can you imagine if we felt that way about God? What if we allowed Him to become such a huge part of our daily existence that we could hardly function without Him? God wants us to seek Him throughout the day; to hunger and thirst after His righteousness. I think of the words to a hymn I heard recently: “I need Thee, oh, I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee.” I find myself asking: Do I acknowledge God’s presence each and every hour of the day? God is always there, He is always with us, and yet there are moments when we disregard His presence and fall into worry or regret. If we would only seek after God each moment of the day, maybe some of the most stressful days would not be so bad. Maybe you can’t always get down on your knees and close your eyes in prayer, but you can say silent prayers as you go about the day. Maybe I should do that more often instead of allowing anxious thoughts to take over my mind. So, the next time you “need” your phone for something, think about the One we truly need to function in this life.

“My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.” Psalm 5:3 (KJV)

“Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.” Psalm 25: 4-5 (NIV)

“On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night.” Psalm 63:6 (NIV)

A Mysterious Case of Spots

            You know, God really does work in mysterious ways sometimes, or at least amusing ways. The other day, I was in a rush all day long. I rushed to get ready for work, I rushed to work, I rushed at work, I rushed at lunch, I rushed home after work, and I rushed to get ready for a church camp meeting. As I was driving to the church camp, I glanced down at my knee to adjust my skirt and I saw these 3 big brown spots that weren’t there that morning. Being the worrywart that I am, all these crazy thoughts came rushing through my head: “What are those? Are they blood clots, have I been standing too much? Are they moles from being in the sun too long? Did I get blood blisters from running into something? What did I run into? That leg has been feeling kind of funny today, when was the last time I looked at it?” I said a prayer and hoped to God that it wasn’t anything serious. Well, those spots preoccupied my mind as the camp kids played games and sang songs, but I finally calmed down a little when the preacher started his sermon. As soon as I got home, I had to investigate those spots so I could determine my fate. I looked up and down my leg and found 2 more spots on the bottom of my foot. Then, I sat on my bed and pulled my knee close: “Hmm, those spots are raised, they must be moles…” I rubbed one and it started coming off, then it hit me…It was chocolate! In my rush between work and the camp service I had grabbed a half-melted energy bar and was eating it as I was changing. The melted chocolate had flaked off and got squished onto my skin. I am glad I didn’t ask anyone else for prayer that night, but I guess I did need prayer for my mental state.

            As funny and embarrassing to admit as that is, it really did make a few good points. First of all, I was reminded that I shouldn’t worry so much. Sadly, that is not the first time (and probably not the last) that I invented some horrendous scenarios in my head only to find that there was a perfectly reasonable explanation to my object of worry. When I was a teenager, I used to worry all the time if someone in my family was gone and got home late. I’ve imagined car accidents, fires, thieves, bridges collapsing, etc. and usually I would find out they just made an extra stop or there was a lot of traffic. I was reminded of Luke 12:25-26, which says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” In other words, worrying isn’t going to get me anywhere, so I might as well leave everything in God’s hands.

            Another thing those spots reminded me of is the need to slow down. The only reason I got them in the first place is because I was rushing around all day. I can still get things done without working myself up into a frenzy. Sometimes we just need to take a break, enjoy the scenery, and just savor the moment. I know I usually end up ignoring the most important things when I get too busy. I’m always trying to get everything done on my never-ending to-do list, and I can’t seem to give up even just 15 minutes for what really matters. I don’t leave enough time for prayer and Bible study, a phone call to my best friends, a chat with my mom, or even playing with my cats and dogs (they’re family too). Those are the things that my time should revolve around instead of meaningless repetitive tasks. I think of the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10. Jesus told Martha in verse 41-42: “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Mary chose to stop and listen to Jesus instead of trying to take care of all the busywork, and I guess I should take a time out once in while, too.

            Finally, I was reminded that sometimes something that looks bad is actually something good. I thought some chocolate was a disease. Circumstances can be the same way, they may seem bad as you’re going through them, but they can end up being blessings in disguise. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). So, the next time you’re feeling over-stressed, way too rushed, or worried beyond control: slow down, take a deep breath, and repeat after me, “Dear Lord, please heal my chocolate!”

Brought to you by the Letter F

I found myself very distracted in church this morning, and it seemed that whatever was distracting me was one out of four “f” words (no not that “f” word). My mind kept wandering away to family, friends, future, or facebook. I started my drive to church thinking about my future, where my life is going, where God wants me, and when I’ll finally get married. These thoughts continued on into Sunday school. As the prayer requests were brought up, I began to drift into thoughts of my family and their needs. Then, I started to think about my friend, Shannon, and her upcoming wedding...which brought my thoughts back to the future and what I’d do in planning my own wedding. I started off the worship service thinking about facebook. I wondered whose birthdays were coming up, and I thought about how I needed to send an email to my cousin who decided to delete her facebook account. Then, my mind wandered on some more with my family, friends and future. Finally, I realized how I was letting myself drift away and was not paying attention to the message being preached. What did I do with this realization? Well, I thought of a fifth “f,” my followers on this blog. I came up with the idea for this entry and how I could put it into words. There are many other “f” words that tend to take our minds away or use up our free time (don’t worry, I thought of these after church): food, fun, failures, feelings, fantasies, fads, functions, Farmville…the list could go on and on and this is just one letter! Now it is kind of funny how I’m writing about how distracted I was, and even most of this very writing before your eyes was concocted within my distraction, but at the same time it reminds me of an “f” word I should have had a grip on. Focus.

Sometimes, or rather most of the time, it seems that I do find myself distracted by the worries of everyday life. I get so caught up in the wonderings and the wanderings of my circumstances that I forget about where my focus should be. God is just waiting for me to lift up these concerns and questions in prayer and let my mind rest in Him. Now, there’s nothing wrong with these “f” words, but when they take over your (my) priority list and leave God at the bottom, then something definitely needs to be fixed. I’ll leave you with some fitting verses I found…

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18, NIV)

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, KJV)