Friday, March 1, 2019

March Slice of Life Challenge Day 1: Eleven Things About Me As a Blogger

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 1: 
Eleven Things About Me As a Blogger


In celebration of the first day of the 2019 Slice of Life Challenge, I decided to write eleven things about me as a blogger: 
  1. My husband helped me come up with the name Trinarrative for my blog. This is a mash-up of my first name (Trina) and the word narrative. I wanted a name that had to do with writing with a bit of pizzazz. 
  2. I began blogging in the summer of 2017; I am still learning what it means to be a good blogger. Click this link to read my first post. 
  3. It is only my second year participating in the Slice of Life Challenge. After I heard Ralph Fletcher promote the Slice of Life Challenge at the Annual Wisconsin Reading Association Convention and read about it in his professional book Joy Write, I knew that I wanted to try it. 
  4. My big brother, Brian, helped me set up this blog. My friend and colleague, Jeremy, has also helped me figure out blogging. 
  5. I nearly always write my posts out by hand first in my writer's notebook before I type the post in Blogger. 
  6. Last December I challenged myself to write a Haiku-A-Day and publish it on my blog. Among many other bloggers (including my friend Elisabeth), I accomplished this.  
  7. Initially, I began this blog to reflect mainly about teaching and how I was learning as a teacher. To my surprise, I ended up writing a lot about myself as a writer, about my children, and even posting my own poetry.
  8. I am often long-winded as a writer/blogger. I know that most people do not take the time to read anything long (like this post), especially in a digital platform. It is challenging for me to be a concise writer.
  9. Blogging has helped me to be a more reflective person. It has made me notice more and when I look back on my published blog posts, I am almost always grateful that I took the time to write. 
  10. I used to be incredibly self-conscious of every slice I posted on Blogger. I worried that someone would read my writing. I worried that no one would read my writing. Confession: I am still often uncomfortable with this. However, receiving and rereading comments has helped me keep going when I feel self-conscious about my writing (check out the gems writing pals left me in this post).  
  11. Blogging has helped me have an authentic purpose and audience as a writer. I never knew how much I needed this.



Open this link to read my post from last year about my list of eleven things about me as a reader. 

18 comments:

  1. Love this and amen to #11. I do love our audience of friends who write together.

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    1. Thanks! SO true! This has been the best fit for me in writing friends, so far!

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  2. What a great idea for a post! It is amazing that you write your posts in long-hand first. I bet this gives you a wonderful record of your writing. Happy SOLSC!

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    1. Thanks Maureen! I think that I think better on paper... Happy SOLSC to you too!

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  3. Great list! I feel like I know you already :)

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  4. Great list! I feel like I know you already :)

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  5. Hey, guess what format I'm borrowing today? Looking for my own slice, I found yours! And now I have mine! Love it! I really appreciate how blogging in general makes me slow down and notice and capture my thinking. I love the community of bloggers whose work I read and who read mine. I've made good friendships through blogging! I really was feeling a little apprehensive about the challenge this year, not having anything to write about, so thank you for inspiring me with your post today! I've already got my own draft of 11 Things About Me as a Blogger started!

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    1. I am SO honored, Elisabeth!

      I loved your post as well.

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  6. What a wonderful window into you as a wrier/blogger. Love Amy Krouse Rosenthal's books.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa! I have used AKR as many mentor texts... She's one of my favorite author!

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  7. I smiled when I saw #8. I don't think you are long-winded--I think you are a 'narrator', just like your blog name suggests. I enjoy reading a blog that moves the reader through the blogger's thoughts and insights, and sometimes that requires more rather than less writing. I'm also glad that your form inspired my daughter Elisabeth's form because '11 things' is perfect for both of you!

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    1. Thank you, Juliana! And I love that you and Elisabeth have your own little book club! Elisabeth helped me SO much when I first started blogging last year.

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  8. Number 5 is both the most fascinating and most expected insight into your writing life, Trina. I, too, have been thinking about my posts and their length. Ultimately, I have to think about my blog as more for myself and my need to reflect and practice my craft. My posts are often esoteric and odd in comparison to many I read. Blogging depresses me if I have expectations others will read or care about what I say, and even after blogging many years and participating in this challenge several years, I still feel like an outsider.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Glenda. I have been thinking a lot about how my writing needs to be for myself, too...

      I am glad that you are still showing up as a blogger. I hope that those outside feelings diminish.

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  9. Anything inspired by AKR is excellent by me. I’ll pocket this idea for a stumped day though I’m not sure I know 11 things about myself as a blogger.

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  10. Well, I had to come and read your post since Elisabeth stole the idea for her post. I loved learning about you AND the mentor text. Now I'm off to write my own post for tomorrow!

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  11. I ventured over here because of I'd seen a post that you inspired. Great list. I have several connections, but this one is the most glaring:
    I am often long-winded as a writer/blogger. I know that most people do not take the time to read anything long (like this post), especially in a digital platform. It is challenging for me to be a concise writer.

    I guess I'm a narrator, too, but unlike Glenda, I'm very interested in what my audience thinks. I often have to temporarily block it out so that I can start writing, though.
    Thanks for this. I may be trying it myself.

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