Day 25: #whyshewrites

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May 252019
 

Do you have a pet who shares your writing space?

Cats 🐈 are my spirit animal even though I identify with eagles πŸ¦… .

For as long as I can remember I have had cats despite never really staying in one place long enough to see them grow old. My parents kept my childhood kitty and throughout my life kitties have come and gone in my home as I’ve moved country to country.

Recently, my husband was starting to feel the empty nest and suggested we take on some cats with the promise that this time we keep them forever. 😻

Since I have never paid for cats, with so many out there in need of homes – maybe it’s my adoption issue -, we waited until the timing was right. Well, the universe provided us with some new kits.

This is one of the three. He is actually only staying with this until he can go overseas to join his original family. However, he’s also the friendliest after just a couple of weeks.

The other two are ours and they are sweet though more camera shy. πŸ˜‰

So, at the moment they kindly leave me alone when I want to do some writing, but they also bring me joy when I need a bit of a distraction. 😻😻😻

~T :Dm

Day 24: #whyshewrites

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May 242019
 

Post a picture of your favorite notebook

Rather than the notebook itself, I’ve shown my leather cover, which was a bit of a splurge from one of my favorite stationery stores in Tokyo. However, the red makes me happy πŸ˜ƒ to write in each day.

Recently, I’ve been migrating to a bullet journal style of journaling as I also like to collect ticket stubs and note about my experiences, etc. Also, it suits my listing and organizing inclinations. πŸ˜…

I haven’t quite moved to the bullet style πŸ““notebook yet as I have many blank books on my shelf that are waiting to be filled.

So, when those are used up, then I’ll likely be on the search for the best notebook πŸ“’ with the eternal question of lines, bullets, or blank pages… πŸ€·πŸ½β€β™€οΈ

~T πŸ˜€

Day 23: #whyshewrites

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May 232019
 

Share a story you wish you had written

I’m not actually sure what this prompt is asking. Is it asking for a story that is mine which I have not yet written, but wish I had? Is it asking for a story that is published that I wish I had written and published myself?

If it is the latter, that seems rather strange as it’s not my story, so why would I wish to have written it myself?

If it is the former, by sharing the story then does that mean I’ve made my wish come true? Hm…

In any case, the safer and more optimistic choice is the former. However, I don’t have enough time at this moment to share a full story. Rather, I shall do as I more often do – commentary on my thoughts around this. πŸ˜›

There are many stories that I wish I had written, but there are none that I can not yet write. Thus, my wish can always come true. For example, I still plan to share the stories of my final years in the desert. Or, I am working on how to share the story of my birth family search. Plus, I’ve got stories of my travels around the world.

In the future, I hope to tell other stories. The stories of my grandmothers are worth sharing as they fascinated me when they told them to me or I later heard about them. Very different women who still made a mark on their worlds.

So, there is no story that I wish to have written as I still can and will. There is no story that I wish to steal to say that it was mine because, well, it’d be a different story.

Hope that doesn’t ruin the prompt in any way… a cynic’s mind can never just make one clear-cut decision. πŸ˜‰

~T πŸ˜€

Writer’s Dread

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May 222019
 

Before the #whyshewrites challenge, I hadn’t written in quite some time on here and I began processing why this might be.

There are times when I wonder how writers can write about their lives and inevitably those in it without offending others or making people they know feel concerned that they might be in someone’s writing.

Generally, I take comfort in knowing that people I know read my words, but I do not necessarily need to know who they are. In many ways it is easier to not know my audience.

This is similar to how I feel about giving presentations. The element of distance from faces, staring eyes, and the proximal energy of judgement helps to create a barrier from affective worry.

Anyway, I digress.

If I were to write fiction, it might create a bit of distance between the real life and the one on the page/screen. However, that is not my usual genre. Besides that, even in fiction, people wonder if they are being represented in the characters – if they know the author.

So, in a friendly conversation some months ago now, a friend asked me what her character’s name would be in my novel or novels. This very unassuming question caused me to stop writing for a bit as I wondered if I needed to be careful about the topics that I wrote about.

Much of my writing comes from conversations with others around me or experiences that I have on a daily basis. I observe. I judge. I contemplate. Sometimes people may not agree with my contemplative observations and judgements.

However, as a friend commented recently, I write with honesty. I do not apologize for having my opinions or interpretations about life or others.

At the same time, it is never my intention to make others feel bad or judged (too much πŸ˜› ). It’s hard to ensure that others know that my writing is simply through my own filter.

People can agree or disagree freely, but I hope that those who know me understand that if they find themselves the source of my contemplations, I’m not criticizing them in any way. Rather, I’m processing my own view and sharing – which may be in agreement or not.

Anyway, before I fall into the β€˜methinks she doth protest too much’ category in trying to explain myself, I shall bring this to a close.

Now that I have pushed through my writer’s dread of offending or being judged for judging, I believe I shall be writing more again. πŸ˜›

~T πŸ˜€

Day 21: #whyshewrites

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May 212019
 

Share your favorite writing outfit

While some people say that dressing up each day is a way of having respect for a ‘work at home’ profession, I say ‘bollocks’ to that. 😜

I dress nicely when I go to the office because other people see me and I have an image of sorts to maintain. πŸ˜…

However, in my own home I prefer to be as comfortable as possible. Even on warm days, I find myself in a comfy sweatshirt and lounge pants on the cooler days.

My favorite color is purple so these are my favorite pants. Recently, I got a #lovesea sweatshirt and am in love with it!!! (Sidebar: I highly recommend it. You also contribute to saving marine life and help me as a brand ambassador. So, lemme know if you wanna get one!)

Anyway, it’s not usually about the clothes I wear that affect my productivity but maybe another prompt will address that! πŸ˜‰

~T πŸ˜€

Day 20: #whyshewrites

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May 202019
 

Favorite writing blog or social media account

Honestly, I barely find time to write on my own blog or read headlines on the news each day that the idea of following other blogs is a bit overwhelming to me. Therefore, I am not really a blog follower these days. Though, I am open to ones that are amazing πŸ˜‰.

As for social media, I admit that I am rather egocentric when it comes to social media. I post with the belief and hope that people read my words to be interested in MY life. 😜 I half joke.

I follow a lot of social media accounts, but none in the world of writing ✍️ specifically. Recently, I did start following Elizabeth Gilbert on Instagram and would like to spend more time finding accounts like hers. So, I guess I’ll take today’s prompt as a push to do just that.

It’s going on my to-do list this week. πŸ“

So, learning point made! More to come!

~T πŸ˜€

Day 19: #whyshewrites

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May 192019
 

Favorite book(s) on craft

I read Writing Down the Bones years ago, but I still remember it like yesterday. In fact, I should probably read it again as it might help motivate me.

More recently, I read Cameron’s book and, although I didn’t follow it exactly as suggested, I found it one of the most useful books of the craft I’ve read yet.

So, for the prompt I couldn’t choose just one. πŸ˜‰

~T πŸ˜€

Day 18: #whyshewrites

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May 182019
 

Favorite writing podcast

Despite the many podcasts I listen to, the only thing they have in common with my writing is that they are true – true crime.

I have tried podcasts on different topics like Paleo or health or yoga and I soon get distracted from them except on long car rides.

So, I have not tried any podcasts on writing. Maybe through this prompt I will get some recommendations to try from others. πŸ˜‰

~T πŸ˜€

Day 17: #whyshewrites

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May 172019
 

Favorite music to write to

Most of the time, I prefer to work and write in silence or to the buzz of people around me.

Yet, there are times when I need a bit of focus and for some reason I am most productive when I listen to country music.

For years I have loved country music, though admitting it freely only came in the past decade or so when the fear of people’s judgement disappeared.

However, there is something comforting about the simple lyrics and tunes. Perhaps it is because it reminds me of my childhood listening to it with my father on drives or while out working on the farm. Perhaps it is my romantic notions about life. Perhaps it is my yearning at times for a simpler life on so many levels.

Mostly, I love the stories that country music tells. Some pop music achieves this, but not much. I also love rap and R&B, though not the best to write to.

Unfortunately, classical music puts me to sleep when I want to concentrate. Every genre has a time and purpose.

For writing, I choose country. Judge away! 😜

~T πŸ˜€

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