Before my post here’s a note to remind me I have a goal these days. ROW80 GOAL: short by a few hundred words, but I have tomorrow! 🙂 Good luck to Sheri Larson, Margo Berendsen, and Susan Kaye Quinn on reaching their goals this week.
And now . . . .
It’s interesting how sometimes you’re trudging along, asking yourself, “What am I doing? Why?” And kapow, the answer is right there. It always was; you just didn’t pay attention.
Usually, those kinds of answers come from seeing or hearing something, and then connecting that to what’s been niggling at you. I had that happen yesterday and from two unrelated sources.
I’d just asked myself the “What . . .Why am I doing this?” questions when I joined a chat group called #ntchat (New Teacher Chat). Most of their exchanges were about sharing information among colleagues and how that influences teaching.
Boiing!
I remembered how much I shared with teachers both when I first started and when I became a mentor. A lot of influence going on all those years–a lot of learning. So I jumped into the chat fray with something like how much I loved learning, experimenting, teaching old things in new ways.
Boiing!
There is went again and LEARNING flashed in my brain. That was why I’d enjoyed teaching.
#ntchat ends at the same time #yalitchat begins, so being totally jazzed with chat already, I joined the second group. @gregpincus was hosting. His topic was Creating Opportunity–Your writing career: climb outside the box!
BOIING!
And there it was–the connection, the answer to:
“What am I doing? I’m trying to be a good writer.
“Why?” I love to learn.
Since I started writing YA fiction I’ve learned so much, and I continue to learn every time I try to put a new story down. In the next few weeks, on my Thursday posts, I’m going to share what I’ve learned. I hope you’ll join me and maybe share some of what you’ve learned as well. After all, I’m in that learning-how-to-write-stage– will always be there, will always be open to hearing what you have to teach me.
Next week: Marking your characters’ cultural and social backgrounds.
Lisa Gail Green says
Oh I LOVE that! 😀 And that's why I share what I learn all the time on my blog. That's what finally ended up working for me, and hopefully it helps out others too.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I love all your comments. Every time you stop by I either learn something about you or I get an idea from your comment that will help me in some way.
Thanks a bunch.
Christa says
Good luck on your writer challenge. Interested in hearing how NTChat goes.
Catherine Stine says
Good that you reached your latest writing goals! I just finished a draft of YA 93K, so I'm feeling good too. Will need some cutting, but that's okay.
I teach lit & writing, and I always get inspired by talking with other teachers. Last week, we had a faculty meeting and discussed the possibility of moving the lit segments from chronological to themed. We tossed out lots of great themes! It's almost as much fun to chat about lit than to teach it!
Beverly Stowe McClure says
Looking forward to Thursdays because it's never to late to learn. I did have a poster in my room when I was teaching, however, that said "But sometimes it's too early" and showed a picture of a sleepy kitten or puppy, I forget which.
khashway says
I'm ready to share what I've learned–and maybe more importantly, learn from others. I'm looking forward to it.
Susan Kaye Quinn says
I love the boiing! 🙂 And learning – I'm one of those perpetual learners, always craving something new. That is, indeed, one of the things I love about this writing journey. Looking forward to your Thursday posts! 🙂