Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Slice 1 of 31-#SOL17: At the Edge of the Diving Board

This is the 10th year that Two Writing Teachers has hosted the Slice of Life Challenge. Thirty-one days of writing during the month of March, here we go!



I feel a little like I'm standing at the end of a diving board on this 28th day of February. A high diving board. I know I can complete the March Challenge, and I know that I grow as a writer in ways I don't expect because I've done this for several years. (Full disclosure: I can't remember if this is my fourth or fifth year, and I don't have time to go digging for the answer! I think it's my fifth...)

This year feels different because I have SO many other writing responsibilities--a critical thesis to finish (supposed to be 35 pages, shudder, shudder), a book review, and several curriculum projects. There may be days this month when the writing I share is about settings and their potential for deepening readers' experiences of middle grade novels. I know you can hardly wait to read those posts! I'm also working on a novel that has dragged on for too long. I need to finish it. Maybe you'll get a few snippets from some chapters in progress. 

I've actually contemplated a routine throughout the days this year. Maybe on Monday I could get back to what I'm reading, Tuesday a true slice of life, Wednesday something explicit about teaching, Thursday a daughter story (I have four of them so there's always a lot of fodder!)...you get the idea. This feels too rigid to me, though, so I'm approaching the challenge as a free-fall from that diving board. That high diving board. 

In the past, I've learned a lot about myself as a writer and as a person. I love Alan Wright's mantra that writing enables us to live life twice. Writing every day is exhausting, especially when the writing is for an audience, regardless of who the audience is. The Slice of Challenge inspires me to present and reflective throughout the month. Despite the height of the diving board, I'm looking forward to it. 

Welcome, Welcome Back, and Happy Slicing,



6 comments:

  1. Looking forward to reading some of those "free-fall" entries! Isn't it amazing that we often worry about not having enough ideas for writing, and then, when we really think about it, there are so many it is hard to decide where to start. Happy writing this month!

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  2. I appreciate the juggling. I am working on a writing project in addition to teaching a very challenging first grade. You can do it. I will keep moving forward knowing I'm not alone!

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  3. Here we go again! The thing is you are not alone. We are all lined up next to each other at the poolside and the gun has gone off. Except that it's not at all competitive. I look forward to this ride together.

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  4. I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't remember how many years it's been : ) I like the idea of a routine for each day of the week - I might have to steal it if I get stuck!

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  5. I like your ideas for routine, Melanie, and always love hearing about the daughters. Best wishes in ALL that other writing too!

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  6. One of the best things about this challenge is that we're all jumping off that diving board together. Can't wait to hear how your book is coming along!

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