The nerdy girl in class with the broken glasses, that was me. Not good enough at sports to always be included, or more often chosen as a last resort, and usually too smart for her own good. It’s hard having a good memory. I’ve learned over the years to at least keep my mouth shut. Very few people recount a story the way it really happened. That’s not always a bad thing. Oh well, that’s not the true meaning of the title of this blog.
I participate in things, yet so many times, I find myself coming up short. Still, like Dora, I keep swimmin’ or at least writin’.
In 2006 I attended my first writers’ conference, the now defunct “Maui Writers Conference”. It was an awesome conference and I began to learn the craft of writing. That’s not to say that I hadn’t been writing all of my life before that, I had. I just really didn’t understand what I was doing, or at least I didn’t know that I did. One of many really great things about attending writers’ conferences is that you get to do workshops with men and women who really know and practice their craft. Another thing is talking writing with other writers. It’s a different language. What a great time I’ve had at each and every conference that I’ve attended.
Still I feel like a kid at a candy store, on the outside with my nose pressed to the window. So many other kids on the inside enjoying all the fruits of the their labors. They have the proof of their talent and ability. Oh, I’ve been told, by a best selling writer that I can write. It felt good and I share that comment with my friends. But as I’m want to say when something feels beyond my reach, that and $5.00 will get me a large latte at the local coffee shop.
Many times it’s so much easier to whine about my short comings and inabilities, even though my cats can drown me out. However it does not stop me from sitting in front of my computer, getting to know a new character or tackling a scene in one of my stories. Sometimes I spread myself very thing. With a forty hour a week day job, a second part-time job, community activities and writing, there’s seldom enough time in the days and weeks to fulfill my ambitions.
Oh well, I am very aware that things could be much worse. I’m not going to try to name them here. What I am going to do is read through and edit this installment of my thoughts. Then, after I post, I will go home and work on my writing.
Keep the coffee flowing.
Respectfully submitted,
Jodi