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There are many things I wish I knew when I started writing: how to write, what to write, genre rules, what in tf a query letter was. But apart from everything I wish I’d known to be better at the process, I wish I’d know both the lift and the blow writing would take to my mental health, and how to avoid it. ...pinpoint what you love about other stories and fold them into your own writing...
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...a fun and effective way to gather your thoughts and lead a more organized life... The first of many posts geared towards advice for writers (new, old or returning) with a “what I wished I knew when I started out” theme. This particular one discuses maintaining your mental wellbeing while dealing with timelines, accepting criticisms, and engaging with the writing community. This is Writing is a Craft by L. Jo King. ...Always be willing to learn, while always being willing to teach... Happy new year! Yes, I am aware it’s February but January was spent getting over the train wreck that was 2020. What a year! 2020 was when we realize that it is always darkest before dawn and that dawn might be false, a lull to even more darkness. It also highlighted the need for human connection, kindness, and investing in humans and healthcare systems. Before going further, I want to know how you are doing. How are you holding up? If you need it, don’t be afraid to seek help. At the end of this post will be a list of resources that, hopefully, might help you as this year goes on. Without further ado, let’s dive into my promises for 2021. ...Life is never guaranteed. It is a collection of finite moments in a tapestry still being woven... Yesterday, I lost my cousin. He was a gentle soul and a dreamer whose life was much too short. Like I do, I wrote a poem to express myself. Dear E, this is for you. To all the ones I’ve lost...I have learned to catalogue the names
Of my loved ones on my soul Tattoo them in the chambers of my heart Because once their light goes out All that is left are the memories Frozen in color, sometimes in motion Often beneath the plastic sleeves of albums, A beloved phrase, and a half-remembered smile Because we all want a sweet life No one knows your struggles But I’ll collect your stories So I may find you again May your gentle soul Rest In Perfect Peace! This morning, I am alone again And in this silence, the doubts find me Close my eyes, swim towards the dream Where I am born again This post was about something else entirely but a lot happened in the past several weeks that made me want to talk about bullying. Bullying can be obvious and it can be subtle. It can be online or in the real world. It can be as simple as shoving someone or as insidious as ostracizing them or verbally abusing them. A word here and there is like a river, it will eventually erode a person’s self esteem if nothing is done to put an end to it. Persons in position of authority are either unaware it’s going on or often do not know how to handle it. The victims do not know whom to turn to. Left alone, bullying gets worse. Oftentimes, by the time it is addressed, the damage is already done. Please, be aware this post contains sensitive subject matter which might be triggers to some readers. ...be the spark that ignites a brighter dawn... your horoscope says: “Go back. The hour approaches. The number 7 will favor only the ruthless. Your Soul Mate hums an ode to remembrance. The shadow maker awaits.”
Darling Cluster, It’s that time again. *starts ugly crying* it’s not Friday but who cares. Life is all about making something sweet out of something bitter. It’s been two months since my last update. What have I been doing since then? A whole lot of nothing writing-wise. I have so much going on that I am drowning. A little bit of background: I work 40hrs a week at a fast-paced, non-writing job. I am helping #3 establish a time-consuming business, and I am battling self-worth issues. Yep, nothing new there. I have a newsletter now. I'm still working out the kinks and content but it's there. So, sign up. Without further ado, fall into autumn with me. Or, as I like to call it, going on when you can't go on. This is #fridayfrien d. ...all your mistakes might seem colossal in the moment but they are small in hindsight... This July, I want to invite you to come nano with me. We’ll have weekly updates, tea and cookies, and write-a-thons at three in the morning. Although we’ll wish we were on the other side of the finish line each and every moment, I want us to enjoy the process because the journey makes the destination. I want to chase the dream. I want to achieve it even harder. I want something real and true. Your Horoscope Says: "Your true love is on the third rock from the sun. You must meet your soul mate before to clear the path to them."
It is "officially" spring, my cluster. Time to clean out your house and any hindrance to achieving your goals. Let's talk about what you do when you hit a snag in your writing life. This is #fridayfriend To every road, there are bumps and pot-holes. It is your choice to let those stop you or let them be the launching pad to your next level. Your horoscope says: “When you reach for the stars, don't forget the ones lifting you up. Your character is your best advocate. Hard work pays off. What is paid forward eventually returns.”
Your horoscope says: “I do not know where I am. I do not know what I am. I cannot comprehend the essence of reality. A revelation will make you falter. You must persevere.”
February is gone and March is here with a promise of spring and warmer days to come. #FridayFriend is back with an update on my dreams, goals and how to get to the next level. Last time, we talked about goals, its importance and how to set it. Today is all about how you have to be willing to adjust and revise your goals to find the path that leads to your nirvana. Let's get started. Your creativity has to be nurtured to stay ignited... Your Horoscope Says: “A stranger carries a suitcase full of possibilities. He is a man detached from the present. Your True Love briefly flirts with time. Pour water on the road to set him straight.”
Your Horoscope Says: “Madness is progressive. You must be firm and resist the pull of distractions. Explore the options opened to you. Cleanse yourself of the toxic fumes of negativity.”
This post is an elaboration on the promises I made myself as this year came into being and updates regarding each one. The plan is to post monthly updates on my progress (or lack thereof), identify the contributing factor, and ways I can improve. This is under the blanket of #FridayFriend because it is also about keeping on track in your writing life. I will have tips and tricks to take us to the next level. January is gone and February, the month of love, is here. Show some love to yourself and to your work and keep on reading. Today is all about goals. You must be a visionary to guide your dream into actuality. Goals bridge this divide. Your Horoscope Says: “A friend is on a journey. The stars are watching. Do not approach the angel at the intersection. The one on the side walk will prove friendlier. Your True Love contemplates the weather.”
If you ever get lost
Look to the north star It will bring you home Guide you back down to earth If you're ever wanting Rub a lamp on its side It will grant your wishes Wealth flows with the tide So wake your dreams up Shoot for the moon Make the first move It will all end right If you so believe, then it will be What is opened on Earth will open above The skies will open and you will see That the falling water are showers of blessings Come to wipe your tears clean This new year is going to be something different
We leave all the bad energy of the last behind All our failures, pain and mistakes To remind us how lucky we are To make it through the turbulent times A fresh new wind is blowing My sadness far, far away A bold new me in the making Built on the blueprints of my yesterday And you will know me For I am born again I'll blow you kisses of love instead Of the blood I used to cry In honor of #MLKDay and current events, here is "I dream in English," a poem I wrote years ago that is, sadly, even more relevant today. Let us never forget the brave men and women who fought--through words and their actions--for a better tomorrow. As long as there are laws, words, actions and beliefs that still proclaim the superiority of one person over the other, the Dream is still not realized. We must pass the torch to the next generation because this battle is not yet won. While I hope we can dream a better tomorrow, I hope we can work towards it with great fervor and love.
20172017 was a year of disillusionment: regarding authority; love; and self-proclaimed heroes. It was also about disillusion with the self and our collective ability to affect change. It was a year of fatigue: with the constant erosion of our believes and the belief that each person deserves dignity and respect as individual regardless of creed or color. 2017 was a year of hope: a revelation that even in the darkest recesses of human depravity, light can be found. It was a year where people found the voice they lost and the strength to carry on. It was a year where we were truly stronger together. 2018: new yearMy hope is that 2018 is a year of revival in both our personal and professional relations and capacity. That politics will highlight the strength in unity rather than becoming a knife to further divide us. That we find the strength to love even the flaws. new promisesI don't have resolutions this year, I have promises. A vow for a better me, better life, and a spring of wellness.
remember The sky is a stepping stone to reach the stars. Dream unlimited. Imagine different. Be kind. Be better. Love yourself. Love others. Love more. Love selflessly. Love endlessly.
Welcome to 2018: endeavor for more. Happy new year! As the year ends, I rise
To the occasion of the new one Ashes are templates upon which To build your new dreams on I pull out all my rotten parts Salted the earth so they may grow no more I reach for a new dawn Climb up the walls of ivory-plated tower of failures To seek anew the dreams of my forebears The cohesiveness of my past with my future To render a more unified present Which I present to my newborn self And as the year ends, I rise Your Horoscope Says: "Your True Love is on the third rock from the sun. You must meet your soul mate before to clear the path to her.
The color blue will favor you but, first, it demands a sacrifice. Please, do not stargaze tonight. The stars will be awake and gazing down." |
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