open invitation no. 82: own your joy

A flower blossoms for its own joy.

[Oscar Wilde]

Make a list of your joys. Here are the guidelines.

  • Be specific. The color of the horizon just before sunrise.
  • Be ordinary. The squeaky-clean feel of my teeth on my tongue after I brush, floss, and rinse.
  • Be small. The smell of a just cracked banana peel.
  • Listen. The sound of first footsteps on the stairs.
  • Be aware. The moon hung low in the hazy night sky.

If it is fun for you, make this a photo essay. Otherwise, chose another genre that is fun for you.

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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open invitation no. 81: scent of spring

Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring?

[Neltje Blanchan]

Give it a try. Use words to describe the scent of spring.

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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open invitation no. 80: be lyrical

I’m always looking for instances of people doing things for and with each other for pleasure, for passion, for camaraderie, from kindness. It’s the anthropology of people figuring out how to punctuate life with the lyrical.

[Debra Granik]

I like to make words dance. I’m drawn to the lyrical nature of writing, the fun of making words bend and hearts swoon. I’m constantly on a quest to shake words to form a giggle or a sigh. This is not something that happens by luck. We can be intentional about being lyrical. Try it in your writing.

  • Think about the sound of a sentence. Repeat sounds if possible.
  • Play with the cadence by changing the length of sentences.
  • Reach for a fresh comparison.
  • Include small details that others may never notice because they are in a rush.
  • Select a topic that is about doing something with or for others. This is sure to be lyrical.

Topic selection is a lyrical choice, and I can think of nothing more lyrical than serving others.

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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open invitation no. 79: turn toward the light

Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.

[Jim Carrey]

Stand still and turn. Open your eyes wider and look for the light. Name it. Name the light in your corner of the world. Now turn toward it.

The invitation is to turn toward the light and write about how it makes your life beautiful.

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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open invitation no. 78: a writing habit

First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not.

[Octavia Butler]

I forgot how much I love to write when the sky is dark. In the wee morning hours the words swirl. Under the dark night sky the words wobble and bend.

I write for work, completing tasks and creating content. It is satisfying work.

Yet, I miss writing for me when the sky is dark. The habit slipped away, likely in the darkness of my journey. The irony is not lost on me.

The invitation I am accepting is to claim a habit that will sustain my writing life. You are welcomed to accept this invitation, too. What habit allows you to stack words?

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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open invitation no. 77: a smile

Nothing shakes the smiling heart.

[Santosh Kalwar]

I think a lot about what stories are mine to tell. We are all connected, and yet, there are some stories that are not our own to share. It matters to me that I tell stories that are mine to tell.

I also think a lot about telling an authentic story; a story that is real and raw, honest and true. Snippets of stories told in public ways on social media feeds often skews the authenticity of the whole story.

Sometimes it is hard to find a space to write where I hold true to both of these storytelling creeds.

I want hope to arise in my storytelling, and I can think of no better way than to look for the smiles. Want to join me? Consider a smile and write about it.

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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open invitation no. 76: the kind of writer who…

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

[Helen Keller]

Recently I recorded a delightful podcast conversation about running and teaching and writing. One of the magical threads of the conversation was the kind of person who…

We talked about giving kids lots of low-stakes writing opportunities to become the kinds of people who can articulate an opinion. My friend on the podcast is the kind of writer who is exceptional at writing how-to articles. I want to be the kind of person who runs several miles every week.

It’s good to define the kind of people we want to be; the kind of writers we want to be. The invitation is to put in writing the kind of writer you want to be.

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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open invitation no. 75: quiet

The quieter you become the more you are able to hear.

[Rumi]

The invitation is to write so we can hear the quiet. This is an invitation to consider the way you will craft your words. Here are four ideas to allow quiet to take the stage.

1

White Space

Use white space to slow the reader by create empty spaces for quiet to fill.

2

Alliteration

Repeating softy sounds will sweep in quiet.

3

Color

Muted, subtle, and soft colors will create a sense of quiet.

4

Punctuation

Consider the way punctuation can create space for silence.

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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open invitation no. 74: snow

Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.

[attributed to John Boswell]

You are invited to linger in your winter memories, reach deep and pick a golden moment to share. Embark on a sentimental journey, and most importantly—enjoy the time while you write.

*Remember, you don’t have to accept this invitation…but I do hope you will accept the invitation to write. Sharing our stories is magical.

PS—There is a Facebook Group for the #sosmagic community. Join here.

invite others to join us

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

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