The (Ultimate) Blog Challenge

Somewhere and somehow, I heard about this blog challenge a couple of weeks ago.  And a love a good challenge so...

I know very little about why this is considered the ultimate blog challenge.  But from the looks of this little sheet I printed off to keep track of my progress, it looks do-able, while still challenging.  Basically, during the month of January, I am to post a new blog every single day.

That's a lot. But it's not so overwhelming that it sounds out of the realm of possibility.

I've written 50 songs in 90 days several times through another challenge, which wasn't even labeled ultimate.  So I feel like I got this.  There's no reason I can't, and so, there's no reason not to do it.

What I know for sure, is that if you don't practice something regularly, you start to get rusty.  And fortunately, the opposite is true as well: If you practice something regularly, you will get better at it. I will get better.

Do I have enough interesting things to say over the course of 31 days straight?  To be honest, probably not.  But this will help me "re-discover" my writing voice, as I'm a little out of practice these days.

And what better time of the year to re-establish an important habit?

So here goes.  Starting January 1. A new post for this blog every single day.  31 days straight.

On Songwriting- Good Enough

1950s repurposed earrings

For the past year or so, I've been very distracted by shiny things.  Shiny, vintage jewelry things in particular.  I spend loads of time running all over town, finding vintage jewelry in need of repair and redesign.  I spend lots of hours making the jewelry.  And then I spend at least that much time photographing the jewelry and listing it in my Resparkable Vintage store on the Etsy website.

repurposed... and shiny!

Partly due to that, my songwriting muscles have gotten a little out of shape.  Next month, I'll be attending a songwriting workshop in Nashville, so I figured I better get back into the groove of songwriting so I'll have something to take.  In the past week or so, I've spent a little time just sitting down with my guitar and noodling around.  The sparkly things around me in my studio are still a bit of a distraction, but I am trying to divide my time a little differently, at least for the next few months.


Fortunately for me, I'm not a perfectionist.  I never have been.  I am not setting out to write 10 amazing, blow-everybody's-socks-off songs.  I just need a few new songs to bring to the workshop.  Songs that are decent enough to share, but not so good that I'm married to them, and can't take constructive feedback on them productively.

In other words, all I need is good enough. 

So, I'm working on making a regular practice of songwriting again.  And I intend to make a lot of big, bad, ugly messes.  Forced rhymes, cheesy sentiments, tired cliches, lines that don't quite work, etc. Because I know from past experience, that's how you get to the good.  Or at least, the good enough. Practice has never made me perfect.  But on a good day, it's made me good enough.

Writing In November

Did you know November is National Novel Writing Month?

November 1st-30st, "The world needs your novel"

I guess, depending on where you live, November might sound like a great time to take on the big endeavor of churning out your next novel- It's cold and dreary, and staying inside at the keyboard, dreaming up a story might just be the best way to pass the time.

But I live in Dallas.  The days have only just begun to cool off enough that I can walk my dogs even after 9am and not have to worry about any of us suffering from heat exhaustion for the remainder of the long day. 

The beginning of Fall is my favorite time of the year.  For sure.  Crisp cool days, cooler nights, falling leaves, the occasional downpour, sweaters and Uggs, and holidays in our near future.... Ah!  I LOVE IT.

However, I also love a good challenge. 

But writing a novel... in a month?  I don't think so.  I'm not really sure I've got a novel in me. 

But I'm pretty sure I've got a few decent short stories.  And maybe even a brief memoir.  And most definitely, more consistent blog posts!

My favorite time of the year might just be the perfect time to get myself back into a regular writing practice.  These days, writing has been on the back burner, while jewelry making has taken center stage.  But I love to write!  And I think it helps my jumbled mind to do it regularly.

So on these beautiful Fall days of November, I will be writing about an hour a day.  If it's a rainy day, or a little chilly, I'll put on a pot of tea and go nuts with the writing (probably while eating nuts)!  Or, if it's sunny and beautiful outside, I can take it to the streets-- or I can even write in my hammock if I feel it necessary! 

There's a nice little website here where you can get tips, support, track your progess, and connect with other writers online if you want.  I'll be one of them.

The world needs our novels, or short stories, or whatever...