My Journey to Become a Writer 01/10/2024 Post #10

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What Did I Accomplish Today to Be a Writer?

I journaled on through the 100 Words a Day Writing Challenge 2024 through LA Writer’s Lab before the sun was up.

I keep getting more ideas for other tunes; but am trying to have self-control and just finish one at a time, instead of winding up with a stack of scribbles and nothing complete.

Stuff I find myself saying:  Candy is clutter for the body.

-Jody Susan

How Am I Balancing the Different Aspects of Being a Writer?

Still trying to maintain chunks of time for each area, so I don’t overload in one and neglect the other. 

I’ve got a kitchen table that I moved into this farmhouse; but I’ve yet to find the hardware to go with it.  I’d given the movers a box of sandwich bags and a roll of painter’s tape and asked them to stick the hardware for each furniture item into a Ziploc, and tape it to that piece. 

Instead, they happily announced, “We stuck all the nuts and bolts for everything into a bag, so it will be easy for you to find them.”  

I was too polite to say, “Well, you really screwed up those instructions, didn’t you?” but I wasn’t too happy.    

Anyway, about that table – it’s nearly toppled over a time or five – when I’ve overloaded one end or the other.  Managing tasks seems similar.  I do best when I don’t hyper-focus on one aspect of life to the neglect of another. 

Little by little, seems to be the best motto for me these days.

What I’m Doing About Building a Body of Work as a Writer

Still writing those songs and staying current with my journaling.  Making contacts with people who are interested in helping me with my manuscript.

What I’m Doing to Complete My Manuscripts as a Writer

I set an appointment for tomorrow with someone to go over my rewrite, and reached out to another person who is interested in editing. 

I also ordered a printer, so I can get myself a hard copy, and go over this last story with a pen.  If I reread it on a screen, I tend to start editing too soon and get myself all in a tangle taking things out that truly belong, or adding things in that are already there. 

Writing Tip: A three-ring-binder helps keep rereading my manuscript from becoming a three-ring circus.

What I’m Doing to Grow My Website as a Writer

I watched some videos today on Search Analysis and writing titles to draw in traffic.

What I’m Doing to Build My Blog as a Writer

Still trying to stay consistent with these posts and making tentative plans to finish the neglected drafts I’ve started for others.

Not so Fun Fact About Me:  My friend just sent me a picture of an opossum sitting on her front porch. 

One time, when I was young, I was driving my little barely red Mitsubishi truck, when an opossum crossed the road in front of us.  It scared my friend (not the one with the front porch – another one) so badly that she grabbed my steering wheel and swerved.  Thankfully, we weren’t hurt, and the creepy critter with the pale, carrot-like tail didn’t become roadkill that fateful day.

What I’m Doing About Networking as a Writer

It was fun to help connect someone with a manuscript for a children’s story to a potential illustrator, and that encouraged me that things could fall into place on my projects as well. 

I just need to keep pressing forward. 

I set up the phone appointment for tomorrow, to see about having some help with my manuscript, and I talked to someone else about meeting more often, with the idea that we could mutually swap work and share our skills.

What I’m Doing About Monetization as a Writer

Spending it. 

I signed up for internet service today, and I went ahead and ordered a printer, spare toner, and several thousand sheets of paper. 

This concept of my outflow exceeding my inflow tends to stress me out; but I need to remember that I did step out in faith, intending to focus on my writing for a while, whilst relying on my savings. 

Fear is the biggest hurdle, and it seems I have to overcome it every day.

Could I get by without a printer and buying internet access?  Yes; but…

Today I remembered the account from Exodus about how the Israelites were trying to make bricks for Egypt, when they had no straw to do so. 

God heard their cry. 

When it comes down to it, the Creator of the World is pretty practical when it comes to knowing we have needs and wanting them to be met.

So often, I try to accomplish tasks with as few resources as I can get away with, because I’m cheap; but this often backfires on me. 

To read my post on admitting this, and why I haven’t purchased access to ChatGPT, you can click here and scroll down to the conclusion.

I’m trying to trust that if I’m being called to write, the resources will be provided. I ought to be a wise steward; but that doesn’t mean being miserly toward myself and pinching every penny. 

What I’m Doing About Social Media as a Writer

I posted another video on Instagram today.  I don’t like to write words like, “Ugh”; but there it is. The sound of my own voice actually startles me when it starts playing:

I was going to share the link; but my hotspot has grown cold. I guess I’ll have to save it for a later post.

I’m still toying with the idea of adding in a series on my Tiny House cargo trailer conversion; but for now, it’s been a bit too cold and windy.

I’m hoping to use my trailer as a dedicated studio and office.  Every time I’m in there, I just love it – especially my stand-up desk.

What I’m Doing About Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a Writer

I’m thinking through whether I will write with AI in mind, knowing it recognizes and recommends certain styles. On the other end of the spectrum, part of me wants to ignore artificial intelligence and just assume the technology will eventually catch up with my writing style.

I do want my focus to be my readers, not some algorithm.

What I’m Doing to Stay Organized as a Writer

I realized I much prefer to write these posts in Microsoft Word, and then transfer them to my WordPress dashboard and deal with the headings, images, indentations, and all. 

I do best, if I’m only doing one task at a time.

Looking Back at My Writing Journey

When I look back through boxes of letters, journals, thumb-drives, old phones and laptops, I wonder how many words I’ve written over my lifetime.  I’d guess it’s a lot, and there’s no way I could ever gather them all together into a story of interest.  

I’m glad my memory is selective. 

It’s much better to string together the more interesting bits and pieces from life than include all the mundane.

Any Other Thoughts on Becoming a Writer, Random Rants, Tales, or Trials…

I started late again. 

I think it was Ben Franklin who said, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man, happy wealthy and wise.” 

I tend to say to myself, “Late to bed, but early to rise, makes a girl, with tears in her eyes.” 

Another not so fun fact about me:  Anytime I get up before 5 a.m., I pretty much always end up crying by the afternoon, so I make myself stay in bed, even if it’s 4:59 a.m. I’m much less likely to need a nap. 

– Jody Susan

Fun fact about me:  5 a.m. is my favorite time to wake up.  I’m a nine to five kind of girl – and it’s 8:59 p.m. now, so I’d better sign off. 

– Jody Susan

What about you? How would you rewrite this Benjamin Franklin quote, if you were writing it for yourself? Leave your lines in the comments section down below.

Thanks for reading, Jody Susan