Still Learning by Lynn J Simpson

I am a starter.

Definitely a starter.

Things new feed my energy.

So when I embarked on my first blog back in 2011, I was excited. I'd been thinking about it for while. And finally with the push of a few attendees at a personal development seminar, I started. Actually, it was more than I push.

I became accountable to these people to get my first post completed within a week or my 'consequences' would be an invitation to my ex-husband and his wife for dinner.

Total truth. (The concept being to complete goals with either a reward or a consequence. I learned rewards work for me too, thankfully. The next time I was held accountable, I got to buy myself a Lulu Lemon jacket. And to this day, I am still reminded how I completed, got done what I set out to do, every time I wear that jacket. It reminds me that I can be successful).

So I did my first post.

And then came my first comment! How exciting!

And I wanted more.

So I read up on how to blog, how to create a network. I spent a couple of hours a day commenting on other blogs. I set up a blog schedule, having read the importance of consistency in your blogging. I joined blog-hops, had guest writers, and wrote and wrote.

I also was up at 4am every morning, with the goal of writing 500 words a day toward my first novel.

I also was posting daily on my photography blog as part of a 365 Days of Photos blog project.

And there was my full-time job, life and kids, and bills and laundry. The 'not so exciting' stuff, but necessary none the less.

And then I got side-tracked with something more tangible, enticing, Eve's apple.

And I bit.

And that became the new excitement, even though it turned out to be the wrong direction.

But one of the many good things about God?

He is a God of second chances.

So, once again I take on the business of writing through building a platform with the help of online mentors such as Michael Hyatt, Donald Miller, Jeff Goins, and Darren Rowse.

I'm still figuring this all out, this 'business of writing' and feel the constant tension of where to focus my time between the craft of writing and building my platform.

And thinking a bowl of Easter M&M's may be the perfect reward for completing my writing goals for today.

And maybe. for excitement, even try whipping up this new Easter dip a blog buddy posted the other day that includes M&M's!

My Writing Blog

My Joys and Challenges As God Opens Doors by Alan Anderson

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119;105 NIV). 

I know this is a rather brief blog post this month.  In spite of the brevity I trust that it is still up to the standards of our InScribe group. 

I’m not skilled enough in writing to give people advice or insight regarding “the business end of writing.”  Quite frankly, my life and that of my family, is consumed by challenges right now.  I have not taken time to keep up my blog scarredjoy@wordpress.com for a while either. My concentration is not what I would like it to be.  I do, however, encourage anyone who has a passion to write to keep writing.  Write what you can as you can and love it.

Not too many months ago Sheila Webster, the editor of FellowScript magazine contacted me and asked me to write an article.  The topic was to focus on an ethical approach to human pain.  I entitled the article “An Ethical Approach to Human Pain and Writing”.  It was included in the Nov. 2015 edition of the magazine.

I mention the opportunity of writing an article not to brag but to thank God and Sheila for the opportunity.  To me, it came out of the blue so to speak.  It is the first time I have been published. It is a door God opened! My hope is that an experience like this would encourage other people not to give up!  Keep working away at your writing.  Gather the words that you love and that love you to see what a gift your writing will be to others.

At this juncture in my life I am plugging away at my writing.  Words I love are coming together to help produce something meaningful I hope and pray will bless others.  My work and a ministry I am directing at my church for grieving people are taking a lot of my emotional energy.  Our family also needs my wife and I at this time.  The wonderful thing is words still find their way on to a page reminding me that I am a writer.  The words have not forgotten me and bring me comfort!

Dear InScribe friends, I pray you will continue to bless each other and your readers.  You are a blessing to me and I thank God for you!

Blog: ScarredJoy@wordpress.com

Social Media Circus … by Jocelyn Faire

Social Media, is like managing a three ring circus.

 

Between the blog, Facebook, tweets, twittering, linking in, linking out, podcasting, Instagram, webinars ... The jugglers throw so many balls in the air, I am kept in constant activity of spinning wheels, needing to add one more hula hoop while maintaining the balance of a tight rope walker. My father used to get anxious watching the trapeze artists fly through the air without a safety net. He thought they should just lock them all up and put them in prison. He did not want to see anyone plunge to their death while he sat on the bleachers with his popcorn. Social media has moved the circus from being a spectator sport to a participatory one

Social media experts say the blog is 20% about what you write and 80% marketing. (Stats vary with site) You may write well, but if the marketing is not put in, few will read what you wrote.

And how can one person manage all the acts? The novice writer is a one man show. Social media appears the way to go.

At a job interview, I was asked if I found large projects overwhelming, and how did I manage them. I cannot remember my exact response ... although I went over it for a few days, kicked myself for not seeing that question coming. My response should have been: “I break big projects down, and do them one step at a time. And I relegate tasks to others as well.”

As a mother I learned to do many tasks, I was chief cook, bottle washer, domestic engineer with a flair, social worker, encourager, therapist, buyer and seller of goods. Who could argue that I have not managed three ring circuses before.

But this business of Social Media seems like another game.

Perhaps I don't have to buy into the whole package. I need to focus on the aspects of what works for me, and be willing to move and grow in the other areas.

I also believe this world needs more genuine communication as opposed to more noise. Social media often adds noise without adding value. In my travels, I have picked up a few foreign language greetings ... that led me to pen the following lines.

Guten Tag, wie geht es dir?

Danke es geht mir gut.

La Bess? Bon Jour,

Konichewa, Salemm alla Kum

And you? How are you?

We learn the greetings by rote

And the answer is all the same

The universal language

of that familiar greeting game.

'How's it going? It's good'

Needn't bother to listen

the answer will be the same

Cover up with pleasantries

Just add a different name

With all the new technology

Everyone can keep in touch

In touch without touching.

A smiley face symbol

And a texted XX

Meant to let someone know you care.

But can we care enough to

hold a hand, give a real hug, pick up the phone?

When the going gets tough

I'll take someone who cares over a

Forwarded message of hope.

Chain letters of encouragement

oft veiled with a threat

if you don't pass it on

something worse to expect

The sea of faces have blurred with despair

All wanting to know, someone does care.

The more time we spend interconnected via a myriad of devices, the less time we have left to develop true friendships in the real world.”
― Alex Morritt, Impromptu Scribe

The traveling circus I grew up with may have moved out of town, but Cirque du Soleil is the Social Media version—great ideas taken to a new level. And many are running away from home to join the circus, while I'm still munching popcorn, like my father. 

Jocelyn blogs at:http://whoistalking.wordpress.com

She is author of Who is Talking Out of My Head- Grief as an

Out of Body Experience

 

Tooting My Horn by Joylene M. Bailey

http://mrg.bz/l63i37

Last night my husband and I went to a music gig. When we arrived, there was a jazz band playing, and the young sax player was GOOD. 

                                                                                                     

The place was full of university music students, most of whom stood 2 feet away from the low platform where the saxophonist stood centre stage and did his thing. He was so obviously in his happy place, revelling in the music, that it made me smile.                            

But he wasn't the only one revelling. I sat in my seat and watched the audience close to the stage. Almost to a man, they stood completely still, except for the bobbing of their heads, in sync to the beat. Yeah, they were into it man.

I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t enjoy some form of music. We all appreciate it in one style or other. But these were music students. That’s a tough crowd to play your music for. And yet, the young musician on stage was completely at ease sharing his art.

I am very new to the marketing game. I still often trip over the hurdle of sharing my writing, period. 

I learned something from this sax player, though. He was just sharing his gift, and in so doing, making that first step in marketing himself. His audience really enjoyed it, and I imagine at least one of them will tell someone else about him in the coming days.

Just like that, he has begun to build his platform. 

Maybe in future I won't be so afraid to toot my own horn.

statue photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26179964@N07/5194790386">Girl playing a horn in downtown Breckenridge, Colorado</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">(license)</a>

Joylene toots her horn at www.scrapsofjoy.com








photo by jak, Regal Princess, 2016