"Failure is just a label we place on events." A quote from this morning's sermon. And it fits in nicely with all the parts of the universe that are clicking into place again for the re-birth of my writing life.
When I say 're-birth' I'm not talking about a rip-smacking new 10 pound baby boy. I'm talking more like a firefly. Small and persistently trying to shine a light over my few blades of grass in the world.
I have some seriously different goals. I am approaching writing this time as an avocation. Something I love to do and that I want to spend time doing. It is not a new 'career'. I do not ever expect to quit my day job to write full-time. Well, I guess I expect it with about as much likelihood as winning the Illinois Lottery.
I'm resuming writing as a practice that brings me fulfillment, microcosms of sanity, and a fresh perspective on many things that happen in life.
As such I'm changing the title and subtitle of this blog. While getting a novel published is definitely still one of my long-term goals, I choose to move my emphasis from 'becoming a writer' to 'writing'.
Thus, a new look, a new title. It is back-to-school season which makes us all yearn for unmarred green spiral notebooks and bic pens that slide across those pages. Fall is always my time to turn over a new leaf, and so here I am, again. See that leaf turning? I can feel it.
In joy --
Toni
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Monday, June 02, 2008
Two Years, Eight Months, Five Days since my last post...
I took a long vacation from writing. I guess the agony of defeat for me, resulted in a lack of desire to prolong the pain.
What have I been up to in the last almost three years? Well, writing-wise, virtually nothing. I have continued to occasionally read 'The Writer' when I am at the library, secretly, and usually finish it thinking, 'Nah, not ready yet.' I've written many emails. I went back to full-time employment (i.e. the day job) about 18 months ago and have been processing that in combination with life with four children, a husband, a house, a dog. The flow of that process is a convoluted, chaotic, complicated curve-ball of a life -- at least it isn't dull.
But like a slowing healing fracture, I've been gradually placing more weight on my broken writing bone. I babied it, I pitied it, I fiercely protected it from any possible exposure. But over time, I have come to terms. I'm sad that it took me this long to feel ready. Ready to write again. But I am.
I want to give credit to my latest two inspirations in this area:
1) Making A Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers by Carolyn See, which is a clean-cut, straightforward, dig into it now bit of inspiration. Not cluged up with details, just meat and potatoes for someone who is 'ready' now. (www.carolynsee.com)
2) Plotting for Beginners: A novel for new beginnings by Sue Hepworth and Jane Linfoot, which is making me grin now, just recalling it. A novel about a writer trying to break into publishing. Full of insecurities and silly mistakes all us beginning writers can identify with(www.suehepworth.com)
I don't know how often my life will allow a post, but for now, I'm doing my 1000 words a day (thank you carolyn) as often as I possibly can, and loving it. A new story is brewing -- refreshing. Stay tuned for the next installment of 'Life doesn't end with Rejection #104'.
Blessings,
Toni
What have I been up to in the last almost three years? Well, writing-wise, virtually nothing. I have continued to occasionally read 'The Writer' when I am at the library, secretly, and usually finish it thinking, 'Nah, not ready yet.' I've written many emails. I went back to full-time employment (i.e. the day job) about 18 months ago and have been processing that in combination with life with four children, a husband, a house, a dog. The flow of that process is a convoluted, chaotic, complicated curve-ball of a life -- at least it isn't dull.
But like a slowing healing fracture, I've been gradually placing more weight on my broken writing bone. I babied it, I pitied it, I fiercely protected it from any possible exposure. But over time, I have come to terms. I'm sad that it took me this long to feel ready. Ready to write again. But I am.
I want to give credit to my latest two inspirations in this area:
1) Making A Literary Life: Advice for Writers and Other Dreamers by Carolyn See, which is a clean-cut, straightforward, dig into it now bit of inspiration. Not cluged up with details, just meat and potatoes for someone who is 'ready' now. (www.carolynsee.com)
2) Plotting for Beginners: A novel for new beginnings by Sue Hepworth and Jane Linfoot, which is making me grin now, just recalling it. A novel about a writer trying to break into publishing. Full of insecurities and silly mistakes all us beginning writers can identify with(www.suehepworth.com)
I don't know how often my life will allow a post, but for now, I'm doing my 1000 words a day (thank you carolyn) as often as I possibly can, and loving it. A new story is brewing -- refreshing. Stay tuned for the next installment of 'Life doesn't end with Rejection #104'.
Blessings,
Toni
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
I have to Try, but I do not have to Succeed
Negativity breeds negativity. This explains why I haven't posted in a month's time. I have been at a creative low, and although I don't ever mind airing my dirty laundry, it didn't feel right to expound on my doubts, lack of motivation and loss of confidence. So I haven't blogged.
In lieu of my usual heart-to-heart, I'm going to list some motivational quotes. At least for today, I sought to solve my current lack of heart by seeking encouraging words from one of my many books on writing. Today's quotes, including the title of this piece, come from the book Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle (M. E.). I'm only up to page 81 today, but for your own encouragement, here are a few thoughts to ponder:
"...when the words mean even more than the writer knew they meant, then the writer has been listening." -- M. E.
"All of writing is a huge lake. There are great rivers that feed the lake, like Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. And there are mere trickles, like Jean Rhys. All that matters is feeding the lake. I don't matter. The lake matters. You must keep feeding the lake."
--Jean Rhys in the Paris Review
"I've long since stopped feeling guilty about taking BEing time; it's something we all need for our spiritual health, and often we don't take enough of it." -- M. E.
"Listen to the silence." --M. E.
"When I am constantly running, there is no time for being." --M. E.
"We lose our ability to see angels as we grow older, and that is a tragic loss. " --M. E.
Someone once wrote "The principal part of faith is patience."
"It is the ability to choose that makes us human." --M. E.
"It's your duty to go on working steadily day by day, quite quietly, to be prepared for mistakes, which are inevitable, and for failures." --Chekov from his letters
Enjoy this day, one you'll not have back again tomorrow, special in its own way. -- Toni Evans to her fellow bloggers:-)
Blessings,
Toni
In lieu of my usual heart-to-heart, I'm going to list some motivational quotes. At least for today, I sought to solve my current lack of heart by seeking encouraging words from one of my many books on writing. Today's quotes, including the title of this piece, come from the book Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle (M. E.). I'm only up to page 81 today, but for your own encouragement, here are a few thoughts to ponder:
"...when the words mean even more than the writer knew they meant, then the writer has been listening." -- M. E.
"All of writing is a huge lake. There are great rivers that feed the lake, like Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. And there are mere trickles, like Jean Rhys. All that matters is feeding the lake. I don't matter. The lake matters. You must keep feeding the lake."
--Jean Rhys in the Paris Review
"I've long since stopped feeling guilty about taking BEing time; it's something we all need for our spiritual health, and often we don't take enough of it." -- M. E.
"Listen to the silence." --M. E.
"When I am constantly running, there is no time for being." --M. E.
"We lose our ability to see angels as we grow older, and that is a tragic loss. " --M. E.
Someone once wrote "The principal part of faith is patience."
"It is the ability to choose that makes us human." --M. E.
"It's your duty to go on working steadily day by day, quite quietly, to be prepared for mistakes, which are inevitable, and for failures." --Chekov from his letters
Enjoy this day, one you'll not have back again tomorrow, special in its own way. -- Toni Evans to her fellow bloggers:-)
Blessings,
Toni
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