Celebrating 5th Anniversary

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          I cannot believe I’ve written a blog for five years. I’m so grateful Cheryl and I started it as it’s the best writing assignment ever.

          As I wrote on the first anniversary:

“If you want to be a writer or you are a writer, start a blog. Do it today. It's not difficult—and it is one of the best gifts you will ever give to yourself! I recommend following the easy step-by-step instructions in Publishing a Blog with Blogger (second edition) by Elizabeth Castro and the encouraging text of Are you There Blog, It's Me Writer by Kristen Lamb.

Start with a weekly post. That's not intimidating. A committed deadline motivates me like nothing else.

I recommend limiting yourself to a maximum word count like 500 per post. Again, that's not intimidating. However, it is fun work to make all the points on a given topic in that tight word count. You will be forced to stretch your vocabulary, but it will make you a better writer. However, as many famous writers have noted, it takes longer to write shorter.

Then share your thoughts on topics you love: books, authors--anything that inspires you. Since every writer has a different process, write about yours.

Writing this blog has meant I read more, too. I want to recommend writing books to encourage other writers. Also, I am always on the lookout for well written books to share with our blog readers. Writers can learn from authors even in genres we don't normally read.

Blogging has added so much to my life. I write more often. I write about topics and books I love. Writing about the things that make me happy, makes me even happier.

And when tragic and sad things occurred this past year, I had my blog to keep me writing in spite of the pain and anger. It is too easy to put writing aside for another day or week or year. I committed to Cheryl and this blog that I would publish a weekly post by midnight each Monday and I only missed that goal once by a few minutes due to technical difficulties (a frozen notebook). I take great pride in meeting my deadlines which is why I am so motivated by this blog.

I have written 53 posts now. I hope to write hundreds, even thousands more. Now that is intimidating as I cannot think of thousands of topics off the top of my head, but once a week I expect something to spark my imagination and inspire a post. That's all it takes to be a blogger. Now you know how to be a blogger, too!” ( from post on 9/2/13)

The pressure of this blog’s deadline pulled words out of me. I’ve now written 210 posts including some of my favorite pieces ever. I’ve loved writing reviews in the categories Reads for Writers and Masterclasses. I’ve loved sharing Personal Writing Class ideas. I’ve loved sharing my writing and, hopefully, inspiring others to write through my posts.

          I hope to write 210 more.

          Thanks for reading this blog!

Why Write a Blog?

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          I cannot stress enough how important a blog is for a writer. A commitment to fulfill assignments and meet deadlines is what makes you a better writer—a professional writer, paid or unpaid. Plus it’s a blast!

          When Cheryl suggested starting a blog, I was nervous, but excited. We both wrote down long lists of ideas. We thought we could write two or three times a week if we alternated days Monday through Friday. However, after discussing our jobs and family obligation schedules, we decided to write once a week at the beginning and go from there.

          Writing once a week turned out to be the perfect blog schedule. It gives me time to continue with book reviews. A two- or three-times-a-week blog would have cut into my reading time which would have meant posting reviews less often as well as made me resentful. I love to write, but reading is just as important to me.

          I get cranky when my To-Be-Read pile is low. Happiness isn’t just the good book I’m currently reading, but also knowing there are more good books waiting for me. Reading is relaxing and inspiring.

          I believe every book is a writing primer as well. It tunes our ears so we know when a voice works and when it doesn’t. We see when settings and characters are vividly alive and when they are flat. We get a feel for pacing, point of view, and plot, too. It’s the best kind of learning because it’s hidden in fun.

          I’m a writer because I’m a reader. I loved books as soon as my mother put them in front of me while we read together. I read early and often. If my mother wanted some quiet time, she put down a stack of books next to me. I stayed put turning pages until she called for me.

          I’m a blogger because I’m a writer. Writers write. Commit to writing and you will be pleasantly surprised at what you produce with the pressure of a weekly deadline. This is the 4th anniversary of this blog—and I’m often surprised by and still pleased with most of my posts.

Celebrating Third Blog Anniversary---Have Fun Starting Your Own Blog

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

          The Writer’s Crate is celebrating its third anniversary. I’ve written another 52 posts—well 54 if I count an updated post and a blog alert to read Kristen Lamb’s posts on her WarriorWriters blog. (After seven years, she was ranked as the #12 best writing blog by Writer’s Digest earlier this year so I highly recommend her posts.)

Since this blog is all about encouraging writing, I also highly recommend starting your own blog. Deadlines keep you writing. Set a goal to write posts for a year. See where all that writing takes you. Plus it’s creative and fun!

You may only be read by friends and family at first, but if you stick to it and your writing style and topics are good your audience will increase. Kristen Lamb went two years before one post got more than 50 readers. Now she has tens of thousands. She also started a series of online writing workshops with other authors to encourage her readers to become authors. Kristen published her third book this year.

The key to my blog success is planning posts and writing them in advance. I have a running list of all the posts I have written so I don’t repeat myself as well as ideas for the next few months. Usually, I write my posts and schedule them for publication three weeks or more in advance. This way, if I get sick or have an unexpected crisis, the blog goes on without any stress on my part.

As new ideas come to mind, I slot them into my schedule. Sometimes they are seasonal so I may not write them for months. Sometimes I write them when the ideas are fresh and save the completed posts until the appropriate time. Sometimes ideas are timely so I reorganize the publishing dates to fit it in earlier—all good problems to have since a new idea is required weekly!

I also find writing posts in batches helps. Once I’m in the writing groove, it’s easier to keep going. This makes my running list of future posts indispensable. I don’t have to think up new ideas on the fly although sometimes I do. I can just look at my list, choose a topic, and start writing.

The subconscious is an amazing tool for writers. It’s always working—inspiration by day while writing, doing chores, taking a shower, etc. and in dreams at night. Any idea I’ve added to my list has been bubbling in the back of my mind so when I start to write I have something to say. It feels a bit magical when words come pouring out.

If you want to be a writer, just write. Fill a spiral notebook a month as recommended by Natalie Goldberg in Writing Down the Bones. Read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield to overcome resistance. Start you own Personal Writing Class as I recommended in my post on 6/1/15.

Whatever inspires you, follow your dream and write!

Thanks for reading The Writer’s Crate. Here’s to the next 52 posts!

 

Celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of The Writer's Crate

From Cheryl's Writing Crate

Blogging is not only fun and a true passion, it's also a way to measure time.  

We started the Writer's Crate two year's ago--and thanks to the support and good humor of my blogging partner, Kate, I see many more years of "blog" in our future!

Happy 2nd Anniversary to one heck of a great blogging partner!  (Uh, that would be you Kate!)

Six-Word Memoirs(R) to Celebrate Second Anniversary

From Kate's Writing Crate…

 

        Since I enjoy writing Six-Word Memoirs®—and it's been my most popular post topic—I thought I'd write them to celebrate the second anniversary of this blog.

 

 

        Blog idea.

Write regularly.

        Great satisfaction!

 

 

        Beginning: fun, fear.

Now: fun, fulfilling.

 

 

        Blogs pull writing out of you.

 

       

        "Forced" to write.

        Write with force.

 

 

        Met  deadlines.

        Created body of work.

 

 

        Posting makes perfect practice for me!
 

 

Happy Second Anniversary Cheryl!

 

 

Happy 1st Anniversary

From Kate's Writer's Crate…
 

        Happy Anniversary Cheryl! We accomplished our writing online goal! Now, while continuing with our blog, we will accomplish our other writing goals to become novelists.
 

        If you want to be a writer or you are a writer, start a blog. Do it today. It's not difficult—and it is one of the best gifts you will ever give to yourself! I recommend following the easy step-by-step instructions in Publishing a Blog with Blogger (second edition) by Elizabeth Castro and the encouraging text of Are you There Blog, It's Me Writer by Kristen Lamb.

 

        Start with a weekly post. That's not intimidating. A committed deadline motivates me like nothing else.
 

I recommend limiting yourself to a maximum word count like 500 per post. Again, that's not intimidating. However, it is fun work to make all the points on a given topic in that tight word count. You will be forced to stretch your vocabulary, but it will make you a better writer. However, as many famous writers have noted, it takes longer to write shorter.
 

Then share your thoughts on topics you love: books, authors--anything that inspires you. Since every writer has a different process, write about yours.
 

Writing this blog has meant I read more, too. I want to recommend writing books to encourage other writers. Also, I am always on the lookout for well written books to share with our blog readers. Writers can learn from authors even in genres we don't normally read.

Blogging has added so much to my life. I write more often. I write about topics and books I love. Writing about the things that make me happy, makes me even happier.
 

And when tragic and sad things occurred this past year, I had my blog to keep me writing in spite of the pain and anger. It is too easy to put writing aside for another day or week or year. I committed to Cheryl and this blog that I would publish a weekly post by midnight each Monday and I only missed that goal once by a few minutes due to technical difficulties (a frozen notebook). I take great pride in meeting my deadlines which is why I am so motivated by this blog.
 

I have written 53 posts now. I hope to write hundreds, even thousands more. Now that is intimidating as I cannot think of thousands of topics off the top of my head, but once a week I expect something to spark my imagination and inspire a post. That's all it takes to be a blogger. Now you know how to be a blogger, too!

 

 

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