Star-gazing

In between my teacher and mom duties, I’ve managed to read a few more articles and posts. A theme is forming. So many writers say the same thing: They are afraid to put themselves out there. “Oh, I could never do it!” I see variations on that sentiment everywhere.

Why? Why do we (I include myself in the ‘fraidy-cat group) think so negatively? Is it because we are ashamed of our grammar? Or did we lose something on that trip through high school and maybe even college? I don’t think it was then. I remember being pumped up about writing in high school and college. Man, this stuff is easy, I thought. Then I graduated and had to earn a paycheck. Writing seemed like some wonderful but impractical far-off star,... that faded over time.

Over the past several years I’ve become a semi-hermit. I drive to work. I interact with the students. I enjoy the faculty. I drive home. I look at the world through a little window, driving my view with a mouse. But that’s it. Do spirit and energy leak out of you over time? I am beginning to think so. So much of what I’ve read talks about how wonderful it is to be around others who write, how helpful it is, how energizing.

Lately, I’ve been opening my eyes, and my ears, and my mind to what is out there. I’ve been listening more when my mom, sister, or friend says something. I’m focusing more on the outside and learning more about myself on the inside as I go along, stuff I had forgotten in my daily drive to work. I think I will try to reach out. I still see the outline of that star.

Good night,
Laura

My hips hurt!

I sat in this chair researching for hours yesterday, and my body is complaining this morning. I think I'll sit a little longer, though. My mind is too full of stuff and my spirit is wide awake. My keister's just gonna have to deal with it!

I went to www.wellfedwriter.com yesterday. It was most interesting. I read a piece on Peter Bowerman in my 2006 Writer's Market and ended up at the website. Commercial copywriting sounds scary, but when I thought about it, I realized I'd done it before. I used to write for The Pan American, the student newspaper for UTPA and I worked in the University Press. I did layout and design on several pieces and wrote quite a bit of content. After college I did two direct mail pieces. One was layout only (and it really looked good) here in Austin for an attorney who was giving a seminar. The other was copy and layout in Edinburg for a mailbox service. Unfortunately, I cleaned out my files about three years ago and decided I'd held on to them long enough. (Kick, kick, kick...)

So, today I turn to my teacher duties. *sigh*

One last note on The Well-Fed Writer. The book talks about marketing yourself. A few of the reviews I read on Amazon were turned off by that. However, as I read it, I felt that it was possible. I have enough confidence in my abilities to pull this off.

Okay, NOW to teaching stuff...


Sparked,
Laura

The Adventure Begins!

This is my first ever post. I am excited and a bit nervous. Can I keep up with it? Will I see it through? These are the same questions I ask myself about writing for a living. I'm just going to have to keep plugging away and see how I do.

What brought me to this point? It began when I signed up for a a free class at Barnes & Noble University called "Writing for Quick Cash." I bought the books, signed on to the boards, and began to read my little heart away. I was hooked! Some of my research assignments lead me to wonderful places, like Deborah Ng's Freelance Writing Jobs blog. What a treasure! Between that and Jenna Glatzer at AbsoluteWrite.com I have tons of information to sort through in the categories of writing support and potentional jobs.

I have been researching extensively and have a marketable idea I am ready to work on, so I am going to keep this short.

I have found that working full-time as a teacher and being a mother of three children ages 6-12 doesn't leave a whole lot of time for writing. I've been exhausted, but I really don't want to stop. The desire to succeed overwhelming.

Fascinated,
Laura