I haven’t even opened my blog since the end of March and even then I only posted two catch up posts about Aaron and Faith.
I guess I sort of lost my writing mojo. I was happier just to read other peoples words than create my own. But the last few days I’ve found myself opening up a fresh post, getting ready to write and then closing the post.
Today, I figured that in order to get back on the horse I should just write a few words, something to get me going again.
Darling Megan posted a 52 weeks of blogging prompts list and a few people including Cassey and Cupcakemummy (who also designed the fabulous logo) are also joining in.
I’m trying to up my creative writing game so I may not post factual, nonfiction posts with these prompts but rather fiction stories, poems and other ramblings.
Here’s the list:
What do you want your great-great-great-grandkids to know about you?
What DIY projects are on your spring to-do list?
What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?
What do you lie about?
What are your top 5 pieces of clothing?
Share a DIY Tutorial for handmade Valentines.
List the best movies and TV shows for binge-watching on a rainy weekend.
Create a series of date night guides for your city.
What do you love about your current life?
What are you looking forward to right now?
Share your goals and resolutions for 2016 and discuss what you want your life to look like one year from now.
What is one new thing you want to learn this year?
What are you ready to let go of this year?
Share your best soup recipe.
Write the beginning of a scary story and let your readers decide what happens next.
Show your readers 5 different ways to decorate pumpkins.
What are your biggest long term dreams?
If you were to run a kickstarter campaign, what would your project be?
Keep a gratitude journal for a week and share the entries.
Share some old family photos.
Do research on your family tree and share what you find.
What is one holiday tradition you want to start in your family?
Share things you have pinned that you want to try before the end of the year.
Best on-the-go breakfast recipe.
10 songs I love right now.
Pet peeves.
Whats in my handbag?
Whats in my fridge?
If I won the lottery…
An average day.
My 5 favourite blogs
Half way through the year, how are the goals coming?
Happy Fathers Day! What is awesome about your dad and your kids’dad?
What tips do you have for a newbie gardener?
Favourite coffee recipe
What books do you want to read before the year is over?
What about people’s cellphone habits drive you nuts?
Share a home made ice cream recipe
What’s in your beach bag?
24 July is national tequila day! Share a recipe for a tequila cocktail!
Share a Christmas DIY tutorial.
Share a series of photos that tell the story of your Christmas.
What is on your giving wishlist for this year? What cool things would you want to give to someone else?
What do you do when you are home all alone?
Things I would do if I was brave…
Other lives I would want to live if I had nine lives…
A picture of you, last year and now, what has changed?
What three things do you want your children to learn from you.
Five ways to win your heart.
Post your zodiac sign and whether it fits you.
If I could have any celebrity chef prepare dinner for me who would it be?
List 3 things I would like to do differently for Christmas this year…
I’m looking forward to all the writing and to reading everyone’s posts!
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Because that can become quite expensive, I try to read as many free books as I can. Mostly from Amazon/Kindle and also from a few of the independent publishers. The free books are usually the first book of a series or a novella from an existing series and if I like the book and the author I won’t hesitate to pay for future books. Especially from the independent authors/publishers, the fact that they are not waiting for a ‘big’ publisher to notice them, that they are taking the plunge and putting themselves out there is very very brave. I respect that and want to support them.
The biggest draw back to reading books like this is that a lot of the independent authors are just starting out, they are first books and often times haven’t been proofed or edited properly. I totally get that everyone has to start somewhere and some of those starts are going to be a bit rougher than others.
One of the things I cannot stand however is when an author tells you what happens. I once read somewhere that an author should always show, not tell their reader what is going on. When I come across a book that is filled with telling and has very little showing I’ll stop reading. I find it cold, impersonal and often feels as if the author was rushed or couldn’t be bothered to put effort into their writing. That being said, writing is hard, and I figure I should put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. So below is my example of ‘show, don’t tell’.
I’ve been telling myself stories in my head since I was a little girl. Wild tales of romance and danger, princesses and dragons and even a few Die Hard adventures. I have huge butterflies in my tummy thinking about publishing this blog post. It’s the first time I would have put those words, a part of one of those stories, onto ‘paper’. Please be gentle.
Tell
He took her hand in his, she looked up at him and he led her into the bar.
Show
She felt the warmth as his fingers slowly entwined with hers, the callouses of his palm sitting flush against her hand. He gave a gentle squeeze, waiting for her answer. She hesitated, just a second, then tightened her grip on his hand. Looking up, she caught the wicked gleam in his eye as he smiled down at her before giving her hand a tug and leading her into the bar.
