Just Keep Writing: August 22, 2023 - Tuesday Tracts & #AboutTheAuthorAugust Week 3, Day 2

 Welcome to the scenic route! I hope you're ready to create something awesome. I know I am. Whether I get to or not is going to remain to be seen. My mom is still recovering, though she is much better today. Many thanks go out to those who prayed. God is good! Let's get to today's word prompt and challenge response.

Just Keep Writing: Tuesday Tracts

If this is your first time participating in this kind of writing exercise, you're in for a treat. If you've done this with me before, just keep scrolling for the prompt.

Rules:

1. You can use any/all of the words and/or the photo in the prompt below to create a unique written work. Fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, even lyrics are acceptable.  
2. Please keep the material you write clean (i.e. nothing R-rated or worse) if you wish to share the link to your work here, as well as if you link back to my site. I strive to keep my site free of such things. My readers know and expect this. I respect your right to write whatever you feel you need to write. And you're free to use my prompts. But if your material is graphic, I'd rather not view it, and most of my readers will not wish to. 
3. Have fun! This type of exercise is perfect for growing in the writing craft, or for helping through a rough patch in your current WIP. If you're looking to push your author limits and you normally write in nonfiction prose, try a whimsical collection of lyrics. If you normally write poems about real life events, try your hand at a fanfic. Give yourself some room to explore.

Don't forget to leave a link to your creation (unless you're writing graphic material) so my readers and I can check out your work. I'd appreciate a link back to this post to help me reach more readers, but it's not required. 

What do you think, creatives? I hope you have fun with this random selection. 

Writing Challenge: #abouttheauthoraugust 2023 - Week 2, Day 3

Today's prompt tells us to share a writing strength and/or weakness. Of course, I'm going to share each of them with you. Maybe my struggle is your strength. Maybe you'll share some tips to help me over that hurdle in the comments below. I'd be grateful for ideas to try! I'm going to share a gif and a meme for these. 

My writing strength is beginning a story. 

As much as I despise Disney these days, I had to use this gif for describing my feeling when I nail the beginning of a story. When I sat down and used a writing prompt/challenge to write a scene, that's how Surge began. I'm still using the same basic beginning and I'm still certain it's a winner. 

Here's a picture of the original scene as I first wrote it:

I hope you can read my handwriting. This is a good reason why I type everything. When I'm in a hurry, my writing is terrible. If you come back to visit on Friday, I'll share the first chapter as it stands right now and you'll see the similarities, as well as how I've altered some of the spelling to be a bit more readable. 

My writing weakness is, I bet you'll never guess, ending a story. Are you shocked? No? Neither am I. Here's my meme for that one.

Just saying, I do not have a therapist. I'd probably benefit from having one, but I'm not spending the money. My insurance wouldn't cover the type of therapist I'd feel most comfortable talking to, anyway. Also, this meme fits any part of my life in which I struggle. 

"Oh? There's a problem?" 

"Hmm...it's not life-threatening." 

"Ok. Let's have coffee instead."

"Yeah. We can solve it tomorrow or the next day." 

"Yeah. Sounds like a plan."

Endings are so hard for me. I struggle and struggle. I'd compare it to seriously strenuous labor that lasted far too long, resulting in emergency C-section, except, there's no way to /make/ an idea come out of your head. At least, I haven't found one. I just keep writing until I settle on one that fits well, flows well, and is comfy on my soul. 

I can't share the ending of Surge with you, but there is an ending and it was /years/ in the making. I want to say I didn't have an ending until 2021 or 2022. I'm still uncertain how readers will receive it. But it fits well, flows well, and is fairly comfy on my soul so the criteria is met. It'll likely stay. I want to get Surge published sometime this autumn or winter. It will all depend on what's going on with my family and our health. 

Thanks for stopping by today! I'm so happy you spent a little time with me on the scenic route. I hope it was a pleasant trip and useful to you. 

Visit again tomorrow for a fresh word prompt and another challenge response.

Until next time,
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