On a whim, I logged into the world of Blogger today. I was surprised to see that it has been a year and a half since I have blogged. Where did the time go? Where did the motivation go? Two published posts and three saved drafts do not a functional blog make!
Regarding writing in general, I felt appropriately chastised in a recent graduate class I am taking to be a better English teacher. So many of these other teachers talk about their own writing with such passion and excitement. They are blogging and tweeting and submitting to journals and applying for conferences. I'm just relieved that I managed to keep a journal in 2013. It took YEARS to maintain that New Year's resolution for the first time.
I have gone from a reluctant writer, who only wrote when required by teachers, to a competent writer, who has some interest in exploring the world of creative writing. There were many phases in between, but the best has been the year of the journal. The reflective process of journaling gives me a sense of control over life's unexpected twists and turns. I now reach for my journal out of eagerness to write rather than a sense of guilt that if I let this resolution fail for the 15th year in a row I am a total schmuck.
But, I want to expand beyond reflective writing to more creative writing.I finally have some interest in writing on my own just for the pleasure of it. Part of me felt like a sham for being an English teacher who loved to read but dreaded writing, but that is changing. With the help of my graduate class and a great book by Kelly Gallagher called Teaching Adolescent Writers, I am well on my way to my goals of writing for myself and being a better teacher of writers. Perhaps I will post some of those writings here.
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