Linda Kulp Trout

Friday, March 9, 2012

So Many Slices, So Little Time!


Are you enjoying the SOL challenge as much as I am?  I usually don't get to write until sometime after 9 PM, but I find myself thinking about my topic throughout the day.  I often "try out" an idea in my mind and let the excitement build until I can't  wait to get home, get my chores done and sit down to write!  Before the challenge, I mostly confined my writing to my journal.  It felt safe.  But because of the encouragement and support given by other slicers, I'm beginning to feel less self-conscious about sharing my words. I'm not quite to the point of feeling safe yet, but maybe that's not so bad.  Feeling too safe might cause me to be less attentive to improving my writing.

I also look forward to reading what other slicers are writing.  What a fascinating group of people we have in our writing community!  Each day, I look forward to reading your thoughts, poems, and stories. I try to read and comment on as many as I can.   I wish I could read more because I know I miss some great slices every day..

We're still in the early days of this challenge, and it's already helping me make writing a priority.I made a commitment when I joined the challenge, and that gives me permission to write every day. Having a daily deadline, is very motivating! But,I'm a little worried that after March 31, I might slide back into my old habit of putting writing on the back burner. I sometimes feel self-indulgent taking time every evening to focus on something just for me.  There's always plenty of housework and schoolwork I should/could be doing. So, the next challenge will be for me to KEEP writing when no one is looking.  I'm just not yet sure how I'll do that.

How will you keep yourself writing on a daily basis when the challenge is over?







3 comments:

  1. I was wondering the same thing today! How will I keep this going? I have enjoyed the push so far. I am just hoping the habit will be in place after 31 days and I will just feel the itch to write daily. Maybe wishful thinking!
    thanks for your post

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  2. It is a great question. April is National Poetry Month so I will write 30 poems in 30 days. I have to write after work as well which is not my preferred time to write.
    I was thinking about a Naomi Shihab Nye suggestion to write down three obeservations each day as a way to save up thoughts and ideas. Thanks for your post.

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  3. This is a slice I could have written last year. These thoughts were running through my head. I really thought I would be able to keep writing daily after the challenge too. it lasted for about a month. Then I went to blogging only on Tuesdays and it was just right amount of public writing for me. I kept my journal close to jot down few words on other days. I wanted to have writing as a fun not as a chore.
    have fun writing!
    Terje

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