Lately I've been having some serious issues with writer's block. It seems like all the time I have so many ideas just floating around my brain until I sit down to actually write. The second I pick up a pen/pencil, or sit down at the computer my brain just empties. It's beginning to make me insane. I have all these things plotted out and notes written down, but when it comes time to turn them in to something -- *poof*.
Sometimes I get lucky and can get a few words down, but then if I look them over I am horrified. I start wondering who on earth would read this? It's worse than the worse thi...
Hi everyone!
I'd like to apologize for the long hiatus. Many things have been going on in my personal life. I won't go in to too much detail, but I've had a lot of health issues and a couple of surgeries in the interim time. I've also lost three close family members in the space of the last couple of years that have thrown me and I have still not really absorbed their loss.
Another reason that I have been absent so long is that I've also had a lot of self-doubt as a writer. I have actually gotten some writing done, as well as a bit of my first novel started. After the first bit I was hi...
Just recently I began submitting my blog to various blog related listing sites, and found I had a small problem. All of them ask me to classify what this blog is about. Uh-oh. For some reason they all seemed to lack the proper category. The neglected to add the "whatever strikes my fancy" category.
That led me to sit down and really think about what this blog is about.
I've been told it's a "mommy blog" since I have posted parenting relating things, or it's a "contest blog" because I post giveaways. Ok, I can get with that, sort-of. Those are parts of me, but I have a problem with cla...
Many of you don't know that I have both a sister and a niece with special needs. My sister suffered brain damage as a result of her belirubin climbing to record heights as an infant. Her functioning level was put at that of a six year old, even though she is 30 years old. She is the sweetest person, but has had a very rough life due to this and other unrelated problems. My niece has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, and I have been learning all I can about this very common Autism Spectrum Disorder.
As a result, I am a proud supporter of sites and causes that promote information and f...
Well, I have officially started a new addiction. Yes, you heard me correctly. I joined Second Life. Like I didn’t have enough to do before between work, my family, writing, World of Warcraft, and whatever else life threw my way. Now I have this amazing virtual world where I can be and do whatever I want.
If anyone wants to join me feel free to come on over and let them know that Merydithe Tepper referred you. (I get virtual money if you upgrade your account.)
I also have started another blog on the subject as a way to keep up with my in world shenanigans. You can check it out here.
As always, please let me know what you think. If you have heard rumors about it post them here. I’ll tell you the truth as I find it.
Have you ever seen a sentence that was just so well put together that it’s the equivalent of a beautiful painting? The sentence just flows and hits something deep within you. It’s such an amazing construct that while it is something that inspires you as a writer, it also terrifies you. You feel that every word that you write has to compare to that glowing work of art.
I’ve personally spent years justifying my lack of writing with the fact that I felt what I would write just couldn’t measure up. My subconscious told me again and again that if my words weren’t comparable to one shining example or another that it just wasn’t worth my time or effort to compete. What I finally realized exactly what was stopping me and thought it through, I had an amazing realization. My writing doesn’t have to be perfect! Now, that may seem like a simple, easy to realize concept to everyone that reads this, but I guarantee that MANY struggling writers can relate.
The feeling becomes so ingrained in our minds that unless what comes out of our heads is perfect then it shouldn’t be recorded. Not only is it supposed to come out perfect, but it should come out perfect the first try. It finally dawned on me that I would never know what my writing could become because I was censoring it before I even wrote it. My mind was so wrapped up in the concept of perfection that it was strangling the creative side that puts the words together. That then virtually guaranteed that whatever I wrote, if I ever got past the terror enough to actually write, would be the exact thing I feared.
I came to the conclusion that the only way I would ever fulfill my dream of being a writer would be by silencing my inner critic, and just writing. If I didn’t worry what came out the result was not only a relief, but also amazingly freeing to my creativity. I found that sentences came to me during the strangest time. The most spectacular thing was that not only would they come to me, but they would stick around until I got somewhere I could actually write them down. Those sentences led to more sentences, which lead to paragraphs, and lo and
behold — I was writing!
The amazing thing about the technical age is the delete button. If something doesn’t come across the way I meant it, I can delete and try again. If what I write is in fact horrible and I wouldn’t even print it out to line a litter box — delete. I can even save it and go back to it another day if I want. Maybe after working on it a little bit subconsciously I will get inspired to change it to something that is worth reading. If not, I don’t worry about it. I look at it as practice for when I find something I am truly passionate to write about.
The bottom line is this — if you let yourself get so wrapped up in fear that you can’t even think about writing without hyperventilating then you have failed without even trying. Who knows – you may be the next master artist of the writing world. You’ll never know until you try.
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Heather Quarnstrom is a work at home mom of five beautiful children. She is a mother, wife, web/graphic designer, writer, and entrepreneur. If you would like to see what she is up to now, or browse a really great collection of diverse resources on the web, please stop by her site at http://www.heatherquarnstrom.com.
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Well, I have once again made a vow to being writing. What does this mean for the handful of people that read this? I will be blogging again. Yes, that’s right. I’m gonna do it again. (I can almost see the sarcastic comments rolling in as I type this.)
That being said, I have posted a new blog, and will probably be visiting my millions (ok, only three or four) of blogging pages I have to update them. Don’t worry though, you won’t see the same post many times over. What I am going to do it try to write a post announcing my posts to my main blogging site.
So, for those of you that haven’t had your coffee this morning, we get to the “meat and potatoes” of this post:
I have updated my main blog. You can view the newest link by going to one of two places:
If I feel I have a really great post, or have a lot to say I will be posting multiple posts to multiple sites. (Figuring that most people that read these little blurbs may not take the time to actually visit my main blog, I want to make sure my most important thoughts are seen by the largest number of people.)
Well, it seems that my lofty ideas for my budding writing career have been put on hold.
In the past couple of years that I started this web site I have been going through some serious life changes. Both of my maternal grandparents passed away within six months of each other. I had a surprise pregnancy and miscarriage, followed by another pregnancy and new baby boy. I’ve also had the joy of seeing my businesses actually start bringing some income in. (Slowly, but enough to rekindle my zeal towards them.) I’ve also started a new business with a brand new but very close on-line friend.
I haven’t given up the dream of writing for a living, but have just realized that somewhere along the way it got shoved to the side. With all of the craziness that has invaded my life I have made a new vow to make time to write at least every day. There are days that I feel no one listens to me, so at least this way I will get some feeling of being heard.
If anyone is interested in seeing what I have been up to, they can visit the following web sites:
As I said I have been very busy, but over-all I’m more content that I have ever been. Now that I have started paying attention to my creative side I am much happier. (Gee, imagine that. Those of you that know me would never have guess that’s an important aspect of my personality. )
That’s it for now. I hope that you are all happy and healthy.
Since this site is about me, I guess it’s only fair to post some information about myself.
As of this writing I am a 31 year old mother of five beautiful children. My boys are ages 12, 11, 6, and under a year, and my daughter is 9 years old. I have been married almost 13 years to the love of my life.
I live in Illinois and have all of my life (at least the parts I can remember.) I work part-time in a grocery store. I also am a web/graphic designer, web host, sell Herbalife, make natural bath and body products, and sell gifts and collectibles. All in all it makes for a very full (read – hectic) life.
I have always loved to write, and have done so in some form or another for all of my life. When the big 3-0 reared it’s ugly head I decided it was time for me to start to follow my dreams. As a kid I always wanted to become a writer and share some of the ideas/dreams/nonsense that went through my mind. It’s be very slow going, as I am finding that it’s hard to break through my own fear of failure, but I am determined to eventually produce something.
That dream is what inspired this site. I felt that I needed a place to post my writing for others to read. I may not become a conventionally published writer, but at least I will know that others will be able to view and comment on my work.
If you find something here that speaks to you, please let me know. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like something, please tell me why. I always want to know how my writing is received. I’m not asking you to be deliberately cruel if what I put on here is a big pile of steaming… Well, you know. *smile* What I am asking is for honesty in a constructive way.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and peruse my site.
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