Lunch w/ Jayne

Tomorrow June 21 EST

This is the third lunch with Jayne I’m doing but the first time with no topic. I like having an idea of what to chat about. Thankfully, since this is new, there’s room to grow and try new things. I also like how valuable every comment is at the stage. I’ve noticed the more comments I get, the less time I have to connect with each writer. If there’s one thing I learned at my first job it’s quality over quantity. It feels better when I can take time to value other writers especially if they take time to share their thoughts with me.

Are you on instagram? @jayne_press

Juneteenth

“Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining June and nineteenth, it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order by Major General Gordon Granger proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865. Wikipedia

Date: Monday, June 19, 2023

Observed for: 2 years”

Above taken from Wikipedia

Happy Father’s Day!!

I hope all the fathers out there enjoyed their day the best that they could. Well, whether you celebrate today or not, I’m going to leave a quote here from a man Einstein called the Father of Modern Science, Galileo Galilei.

I love the stars too much to be afraid of the night.

https://www.careelite.de/en/galileo-galilei-quotes-sayings/

Next time you feel fear creeping on you, I hope this quote can remind you to look up at the stars.

Cake Decorating Videos

I’ve spent the last couple days obsessed with cake decorating videos. So far, my favs are the ones with tons of flowers on top. I also love the ones with the decorative edges. I don’t know much about cake decorating and I don’t have much of an interest in doing it. However, I admire those who take the time to improve their cake decorating skills. I like to watch, look at, and eat their art. It’s not the same with writing. Nobody really cares about the amount of work you put into details. They don’t want to watch writers add remove and add lines over and over again. They do want the finished product. So that’s good.

Here’s a compilation that got my attention.

Journal Collector

I’m one of those writers who collects journals and writes in them. I want to fill them and replace them with new ones. That is a part of my writers life, to have writing everywhere. Mine, others, quotes, letters, journals, an online cloud filled with poems, thoughts, books, inspo, and all things writing. What about you? Are you more of a blank journal collector or do you write in yours?

Art of Writing

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.

Ray Bradbury from Zen in the Art of Writing

You know what, I’ve been thinking about this post. The question I’m left with is, “What if you enjoy your reality?” There was a time when I wrote to escape my reality. And for where I was, it was a good choice. I have no regrets, but I’m not in the same place today. I like waking up. I like coming home to my family. I like my job and the things I do to serve my community. I like my bed and my pillows. I live a content life. Not that I want to live stagnantly. Not that I’m not driven to achieve my goals. I am ambitious and I am driven.

On the flip side, when it comes to editing my novel, I function best when I’m working on it everyday. Reading, rereading, closing gaps, and filling in blank spaces. When I’m curious about it, and thinking about how to fix the problems throughout the day. That is where this quote lives in my head. Stay drunk on writing so that reality doesn’t pull you away from finishing your book.

What are you working on?

Drunk on Writing

One more lunch with Jayne in the bag.

Today I asked, what you would do uninterrupted? I know handsdown, I’d read and write. I’d go hard for a couple days then sleep and go out for food, but mostly I’d read and write. If I did anything else it’d only be for my writing. What beautiful writing it makes to live that way. Imaging living a life worth writing about everyday. So intentional. So present. That’s what we do.

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you”. 

Ray Bradbury from Zen in the Art of Writing

Lunch w/ Jayne

Tomorrow June 14 at 12:15est

I was feeling a little under the weather today so I’ve been cruising social media and watching Star Wars today. A video came up and the woman in the video asked, “What would you do uninterrupted?” What would you be still working on if you never got interrupted? Whether it be interrupted from those negative voices in your head, something someone said to you, or whatever else it could be. What would you be doing if you were never interrupted?

That’s what I’d like to discuss tomorrow 😀

https://www.instagram.com/jayne_press/ <— This is where you’ll find me at 12:15 est

On Writing a Daily Journal

I have been working on journaling everyday for years. At first I journaled all in the same place whether it was a novel journal or a daily thought, or research effort. Then I separated them all. And now I have a place where daily journaling is it’s own thing. This year I was really digging all the new journals coming out so created a handwritten template with questions to get my wheels turning. I love the template I came up with but with all the questions, it took a lot of paper and time. That’s when I created an online template. It was colorful with check boxes and made me happy to use. I enjoyed doing it that way for a while. But progress is good, right? Now, I’m using Google Forms. It’s working ok. The only thing is sometimes I forget to click the submit button. so I didn’t get a couple days tracked. However, it does save my answers if I leave the browser and return later or if I switch over from my phone to my computer. That’s actually really nice since part of my journaling is food tracking.

Journaling helps me keep in touch with and learn myself. It helps me prepare for my day ahead and helps me work through my tough days.

How do you journal? Even with my google form journaling, there are days when I pull out my pen and paper because it just feels better that way.

Support Other Writers

Writing Groups 101

This is one of the most important parts. I’m not going to lie, I have points in my life where I can read tons and tons of things from comic books to Journal articles. BUT with that comes struggling through even just a few pages in other points of my life. It’s important to be mindful of what you have to give. And to set time aside where you can give intentional and thoughtful feedback. It’s not just receiving tips to improve your writing that helps with your craft. Teaching and giving mindful guidance to your peers is one of the best ways to learn. So make sure when you sign up for the group, that you will be able to invest the time needed to support your fellow writers.

It’s not just taking time to read and support other writers, it’s also respecting their boundaries. One of the things I learned in college is that it is important to be clear about what type of feedback you’re looking for. I say this to remind you that it’s important to honor boundaries when giving feedback. If someone isn’t looking for grammatical correction focus on what they are looking for.

With all that being said, there are different types of reading groups. Some read their work while they are there. That’s a great option, for people who don’t want to read at home between groups. Find a group that best fits your lifestyle.