Just what the web needs–more articles written by wannabes, telling other wannabes how to write.

The thing is, we bloggers like to blog about our passions. And writing is a passion for me. Thinking about how to write great children’s books is almost as enjoyable to me as reading great children’s books. And I need to tap into that passion to make myself get back to my neglected blog.

My parents are needing more and more help. My brain is crowded with thoughts of what we called in the nursing home, activities of daily living–taking baths, getting dressed, brushing teeth. All things that most of us do without thinking but that take some thought when you are assisting someone else with them. My energy goes to laundry and dishes–things I always managed to avoid before now, and there’s little room left for blogging for fun and fellowship.

So I’ve decided to set myself a schedule, to force myself to write. And the first thing I’m going to schedule is a weekly writing tip. I’ll post it on Fridays.

I won’t start today. I’m just telling you about it today.

OK, that will be my first tip. If you want to write, go public. Tell someone you’re writing. Let them nag you. Ask them to pray for you. If you prefer staying in the closet, find a writing friend who can encourage you.

Otherwise it’s too easy to let the activities of daily living sap your energy. It’s too easy to let the soaking bedclothes dampen your creativity. The work you do, whether it’s taking care of aging parents, or answering phones and making nice with cranky customers, or serving lattes in the hospital lobby, is fodder for the writing. Examine it from the outside. Mine it for meaning. Use the emotions you find in your day and give them to your hero.

If you tell someone you are writing, you’ll be forced to look at life and come up with something. If no one knows, some of you may still write. But most of you won’t. Most of you will sit down and watch the latest episode of Lost because it’s easier to be entertained after a tiring day than to look into the day and find something of value to document.

So tell someone. Tell me. Write me an email or leave a comment here.

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