For the month of March, each day I am writing and posting a slice of my life, hosted by Two Writing Teachers.
March Slice of Life Challenge Day 25:
Two Things I've Learned in Two Years of Slicing
Two Things I've Learned in Two Years of Slicing
This post was inspired by Elisabeth Ellington's Four Things I've Learned in Four Years of Slicing and Lisa Keeler's Six Things I've Learned in Six Years of SOL Writing.
- Beth Moore's post is sticky in my mind. This year I have made a conscious effort to slice about small daily moments/story. Writing a daily small moment story has been challenging, as I always feel that I have nothing worthy to write and share. Who would want to read this, my mind always asks. Yet, writing small moments/stories nudged me to notice more and write about it. I am amazed at what I notice and decide to write about. It's kind of magical. Last week I came across this quote by Jhumpa Lahiri on a Writer's Digest Daily Calendar page, and it reminded me so much of slicing: "Stories come out of living, and looking, and reacting, and observing and thinking. I can't explain what the source is...That's the experience of being alive and trying to render it coherent somehow."
- I have deeply appreciated the community of bloggers in the Two Writing Teachers Online Community. Although I hadn't blogged much prior to participating in my first Slice of Life Challenge last year, it was rare to receive a comment on one of my blog posts. I seldom left any comments on anyone else's in fear that I would do it wrong. I didn't realize how great it felt when someone visited your blog, read your writing, and actually said something about it. It's so encouraging, and I did not know what a strong impact that could make. This reminds me that an authentic audience and purpose is essential for the students I teach, but it also helps me as a teacher and writer. In addition, I have continuously felt welcomed and encouraged by other slicers. So many bloggers inspire me in how they craft their posts and in their ideas.
Two good lessons from the two years of slicing. I have this format bookmarked and I hope to use it before the challenge finishes.
ReplyDeleteWow- you've highlighted two really important lessons for all of us. Beth's post has also stuck with me and I've tried to be more conscious of really zooming in on a moment. And yes- having a community who encourage and support makes such a difference. Thank you for reading and commenting on my posts. Your comments have inspired me on days when I feel completely stuck.
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