Slice of Life 2017.
I pondered whether or not to tackle the 31 day marathon of writing for an audience this year. My life is full. Do I need one more thing to add to my plate?
“Your life will always be full,” I hear a voice say.
So, I tried to think of other reasons.
The reasons filled up several pages. (If you’ve done this before, you know what they are.)
I migrate to my desk to write every morning, but, even my notebook is bored of my same old tales. It’s an audience that pushes you out of your ruts. Good heavens, you could never write for an audience, day after day, about how pathetic you are because you didn’t exercise. . . again. Or, tiredness. Please. Or, how filthy the kitchen floor is. Or, how you wish you could get more done. Or, how you promise – tomorrow – no sugar.
Sometimes, I wish my notebook could play a recording that repeats, “You said that already,” every time I write the same old stuff.
I’m excited for where I hope to push myself to this year.
New structures and voices – deeper wonders and more detailed noticings. Experimenting, sharing and connecting with others.
I discover so many new ways to write from other slicers. And, the community of writers who take the time to read my words and comment are amazingly kind. Never a drop of criticism for a word spelled wrong or a verb tense issue (I do that a lot). I know my weaknesses. I discover more every day.
And so, I’m taking the pledge.
To 31 days of putting it out there. 31 days of committed writing.
31 days.
Giddy-up ~
Shari 🙂
I’m participating in twowritingteachers March Challenge of posting a blog post every day for the month of March. To check out other writers, visit here.
Islands of My Soul 
I have the same problem of writing “the same old stuff.” I joined the challenge for the first time this year to hopefully push outside that comfort zone. Cheers to 31 days!
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Welcome to the challenge, Missy! You will love being a part of this fabulous community of writers. And, yes, it’s so easy to keep playing the same records over and over, isn’t it? I’m looking forward to reading your posts this year!
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I always enjoy your writing and am glad you are joining in again this year!
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Thank you, Sonja!
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So glad to see your back! Me too! Your writing is always of interest. We are our worst critics. Give yourself a pass – at least you are here!
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Totally agree with you. The more we write, the more we learn to ignore our critical voice. 🙂
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I’m so glad you chose to participate! I had similar thoughts but you express them so well! Let’s do this!
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Thank you, Patricia! 🙂
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I love you, Shari. That’s it. I love you. Oh, and I LOVE 29 Gifts. I see your little notes on the sides of the pages as I read and I somehow can feel that you are with me, reading, savoring, being. Best wishes on your 31 days!
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Thank you, Joy. I love you right back my dear soul sister. Just knowing you are reading those little notes makes my heart happy. It’s just a little response from you that makes swell with gratitude for the gifts that writing brings.
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Yay! It’s a challenge worth taking so I agree, giddy-up! I love how writing every day gets me to think differently about those everyday events, suddenly one of them becomes a story! Good luck!
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It’s the every day gems that we miss when we are not looking for tender moments to put into our notebooks, don’t you think, Suzanne?
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Totally agree! Great way to put it!
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Wouldn’t that be an interesting recording to have? At the same time, there are probably good reasons we revisit certain forms, phrasing, structures again. Maybe we aren’t done with them yet. I love that you will be slicing. Your blog was one of my very favourites last year.
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Isn’t that the truth, Carrie? We keep revisiting those places that we just have not seemed to learn our lessons in yet. And, I have the same feelings about your blog as well. Here’s to March 2017!
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“Your life will always be full,” I hear a voice say…
I know that voice. I love how you share that voice so effortlessly here. It’s so light and entertaining, yet I think I can speak for many when I say ‘that voice’ is a total drag! She’s a real snit when we need a pick-me-up. Let me be one to make clear to you that when that voice strikes, please just tell her to shut it, and write something anyway. You are such a great inner monologist. Such a creative reflector in your posts and in your commentary. You were definitely one of my favs last year and I’m so happy to see you back again this March! Great first slice!
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So glad you’re linking up with the team. Giddy-up indeed! I can’t wait to see where this month of committed writing takes us.
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Glad you decided to write. It is easy to write the same old stuff. I am also working to find new words this year! Happy Writing.
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I laughed reading this! I am so guilty of all of this–of writing the same old thing and also of worrying that my audience wants/needs something new from me. I nearly didn’t slice this year too–because I didn’t feel I had any more stories to tell. And my first three slices revisit territory I have mined many times. Lists of what’s in my notebook, little prose poems about where I live, and of course and always my son. But I’m with Carrie–there’s a reason we return to the same ground again and again. Now I think I’m looking for that little moment of surprise within the familiar. In any case, this is gorgeously written, comical and rueful at the same time, and wise. I am so looking forward to the treat of reading your writing each day this month!
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