L.G. Keltner is hosting the Beginnings Blogfest today. It's all about how you first began writing/blogging. Here's how it all began for me:
As a kid I was surrounded by people who inspired my love of words. My dad loved reading Dr. Seuss books to me backward, not just the sentences but each individual word. My brother and I had contests on who could guess the other person's backward sentences. My grandma would always be making up silly rhymes that she repeated over and over.
In fifth grade my teacher had us use our spelling words to create stories. This was my favorite part of the school day.
Then my mom and I started writing little picture books together. I remember more laughing than writing but it we loved sharing the creative process.
During my teen years, I spent every spare minute writing poetry and journal entries. My favorite place to write was up at my grandpa's cottage in Michigan. I would sit on the dock and let the rhythm of the waves guide my pen.
I wrote all through college and even into the beginnings of marriage and motherhood. I even started sending manuscripts out. But the constant rejection and the dwindling of free time as my kids grew convinced me to put it aside.
A couple years ago, I realized I wanted and needed to be writing again. The kids were old enough to not need me every second of the day so I picked up my pen again. And I'm so thankful I did. While I haven't had any major successes yet, I started blogging, I finished the first draft of my novel, I managed to get an article published in a small national magazine and I've met so many wonderful people. It's been a wonderful journey and I can't wait to see where it all leads!
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Upcoming events:
Nick Wilford at Scattergun Scribblings is hosting a blogfest called Overcoming Adversity. He will be putting together an anthology of the entries to help send his son, Andrew, who has cerebral palsy, to college.
And are you ready for the A-Z? It will be here before you know it. I'm determined this year to come up with a theme and write at least some of the posts in advance.
And don't forget the next Knights of MicroFiction is coming up on Tuesday, January 15th. Details to come on Friday
Where did your journey begin? Do you have an A-Z theme yet? Will you join us this month for the Knights?
Kathy :)
