Day by Day, Bird by Bird
Day 3 and I'm wondering if I'm really going to follow through with this 31-day commitment. I know I should take it day by day, and 'bird by bird.' But I am worried about not having a plethora of scintillating topics waiting in the wings. And I am worried that the blank screen seems to scare me more than usual. I haven't been writing much lately, and even in my monthly writing group, I have had my struggles.
I signed myself up because I know of all the wonderful benefits of being part of this lively literary community. You live more fully when you engage in daily writing; you live more of that writerly life. You live more awakened to the possibility of story, of finding stories in little moments at the oddest times. You hunt down pieces of your experience you want to preserve. And what a joy it is when you occasionally do capture perfect words for that moment or experience.
Another amazing benefit of being here is the many creative ideas that flow from reading other people's posts. I've taken (stolen?) ideas that I have brought to writing workshops and tried out with teachers as well as students. One such example is the 'Rambling Autobiography' that was recommended from Linda Rief's The Quickwrite Handbook. It's a wonderful exercise designed to encapsulate a life in just a bunch of quickly written lines.
I also discovered Clint Smith's writing and poetry from posts here. I wish I could remember who it was that suggested writing a parallel poem based on Smith's "Something You Should Know" poem from Counting Descent. I also took that idea to a writing workshop.
So there you have it. My thoughts on Day 3. Looks like I made it to see another day.
And how are you doing?
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ReplyDeleteNot sure where my comment went, but I'll try again. Struggling right now (it's year 12 for me) and hoping for some of the enthusiasm I used to feel to return. I've never been good about writing daily, so this challenge is always a stretch for me. But I like your 2nd paragraph and Mister's picture on your blog header! I'll keep writing line by line and hoping for some moments of capturing perfect words.
ReplyDeleteYou write beautifully and clearly. I agree, it is a struggle to find something that seems worthy of publishing. I know this sounds cliche, but I know that I'm always surprised and happy that I did do the writing even if it wasn't that interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am happy that you're atleast trying and have accomplished day 3! You're such a magnificent writer and I love everything you write, even when you don't! Anything worth while takes effort and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone. You go girl!
ReplyDeleteKeep going. You are a writer.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best parts of this challenge is finding all the mentor texts in others' slicers. Just when I think I don't have anything to write, I see an idea from someone else. Because of my age, I tend to keep a document to record these ideas so I don't forget them! :) Keep going! You can do it!
ReplyDeleteI'm hanging in there, thanks for asking -- heartened even, after reading your slice. Whenever I see 'bird by bird,' I flashback to LIWP (where I was introduced to Anne Lamott's book) and feel a little lift.
ReplyDeleteYes to bird by bird, day by day. If I think about writing and publishing for 31 days, it feels overwhelming, but if I focus on just the slice I need for today, it feels more manageable. I tend to lean heavily on structures and forms when I am not sure I have enough in me to write about. Somehow a good structure or form always helps me find a piece of writing!
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