Quiet Saturday

   Today is a return to our new normal with both college kids safely back at their schools and only our youngest home.  I'm enjoying working with my weekly goal list and keeping up with things that way - it's been such a help in getting things accomplished and moving forward.

  I've also greatly enjoyed writing for this blog.  From what I've read (primarily through Nancy Dash  Greenspan's "Writing Down the Bones" and Stephen King's "On Writing", two tremendous books that every writer should read), writing is good practice for writing (just as reading is good practice for writing- which is another reason to cozy up by the fire with a book - I'll actually be getting something done!).  Before I get ahead of myself, let me back up a bit with where I'm going with this.

   When I started this blog almost a year ago, it was to record the journey towards publication of my picture book.  I have come to see that although my first attempt at a picture book was wholehearted and thorough, perhaps it was not the most riveting topic.  Yet, it was a start.  After I felt it was polished enough to leave the house (yes, I let it sit a while before I came back to edit it and yes, I had some non-family eyes read it and critique it), I researched submission policy and procedure, how to write cover letters and query letters, made myself a list of potential publishing houses that might consider it, and just learned a bucketful in the process.  It's been a great year of gaining knowledge in an area that I previously new nothing about, and I now feel equipped to continue moving foward as time goes on.

   But in amongst all of that researching and editing and learning and asking and blogging, I discovered something within me - a writer that I hadn't fully realized was there.  Indeed, I'd had glimpses of it in the past, but over this previous year I see that it came fully to the surface and now remains a substantial part of me.  I found I love to write, plain and simple, be it picture books (man, that is an art form and a difficult one at that- a whole story in under 1000 words...not easy, folks), retelling and creating stories from real life happenings in my little corner of the world, or blogging my thoughts to all of you about the Every Dayness of Life.

 I almost feel like I should apologize for this blog taking a very different direction than originally intended.  While I'm still very interested in one day writing a children's book and having it published, I realize I need to spend time finding my (writing) voice.  I shall find it by writing, and reading, and writing a whole lot more.  I'm learning to spot where I have a natural flow of how I write and what I write about.  I have learned to recognize writing's therapeutic qualities, its self-induced quiet time, and its naturally inward perspectiveness.  It speaks to the very heart of me and I'm glad, so very glad, that I found it.   Like a treasure buried in the sand, it's been fun to unearth it, recognize it, and welcome it home to my soul.

  For those of you who have been following this blog and read what I write- thank you so much!  There is no greater honor for me.  Please stick with it; go on this journey as I find my voice and continue writing, no matter what the format.  It is what I so very much love to do.