8 Minute Writing Challenge

This time last year, I participated in Sarah Arrow's 30 Day Blogging Challenge--one month, thirty posts, a lot of writing.  I wrote about comic books, local business, and issues important to me personally. Sometimes I had trouble choosing what to write about, other times words flowed naturally from my finger tips and onto the screen.  What's important here is that I was writing.  And daily!  After this exercise, I tried to continue the habit, but received less than desired results.  I tried to keep a "chore chart" type record, rewarding myself weeks I wrote 150 words everyday, but nothing worked.  Since then, I've fallen out of my habit of journaling, the blog I was writing and editing for has gone kaput, and I find myself less excited to share my words with the world.

Then I discovered Monica Leonelle's book The 8 Minute Writing Habit: Create A Consistent Writing Habit That Works With Your Busy Lifestyle.  I want to write!  I have a busy lifestyle!  I have $17 in my bank account, but the book is free on Amazon!  Gimmicky, "You too can be a great writer!" aside, it seemed like the perfect fit.  The book is a quick but meaningful read outline Loenelle's nine strategies for writing all based around her idea that if you put aside eight minutes each day to write, you will write in a truly meaningful (and enjoyable) fashion.

I hope, for the next eight days, to follow Loenelle's model.  I hope it does help me as a writer.  I hope that I provide meaningful material that is a pleasure to read, as well as a pleasure to write.

I've set out several rules for myself in order to achieve these goals:

• Anything I write during my eight minutes I will post to this blog.  However, that is not to say I will post something everyday.
• Leonelle suggests that if you are writing a book or story, you read writing from the genre you hope to achieve.  Since I am writing, I will take this time to read and revisit some of my favorite books about writing.
• She urges her reader to attend events regarding writing and books, or at the very least stepping foot in a bookstore.  This will be easy as I will never pass up a chance to visit Avid Bookshop.
• Leonelle advises you to visit with friends or colleagues who originally inspired you to write.  I will set aside time to share my project with those who originally inspired me to write.  
• Because, I am writing from the perspective of a pre-service teacher and future elementary educator I will also revisit the author who originally made me fall in love with reading and writing, Roald Dahl, by reading Michael Rosen's biography on the great writer.
• If I miss a day in the challenge, I will not stress over it.  I will just give it a go the next day.

So, follow me on this week and some change long adventure, as I try to fall back in love with one of my favorite pass times.