I've been writing this weekend, but not in the way you might think. Instead of a book, I've been working on a booklet. I've been creating a booklet about Scotland to leave with my daughter.
It details what we'll be doing each day, has instructions for some Scottish kids crafts, and includes pictures, some of which she helped me find on the Internet. She really enjoyed cruising websites of interactive castles and searching for pictures of Nessie. I had fun talking with her about my trip, and hopefully making her feel more comfortable with where Mommy will be when she goes away. I've found it rewarding, relaxing and inspiring to create this little thing that wouldn't amount to a hill of beans in the publishing world, but will mean a great deal to my child. I hope it will create almost as many memories for her as I'll have from the actual trip, and something for us to talk about when I return home.
Many of us tend to think of writing in the book format, but we use writing in all kinds of ways. And writers love to use their skills with variety and creativity. Trust me, the many different ways this group can put together To Do lists is astounding. Just scanning the various formats of our packing lists for Scotland has been eye-opening. :)
Other than novels, we write lots of different things. Playground Monitor and I are published in short fiction (she's the queen of this!). All of us have published non-fiction articles. On June 6, when we visit Romance by the Blog, we'll talk about how we each utilize writing in our day jobs.
And don't get me started on journaling... Those of you who have heard me talk about it before know I consider it to be a sort of therapy.
So what is the most favorite thing you've ever written? Not for publication, but just from the heart. A short story in school? A letter to your loved one? A poem? A journal? Inspire me today with your tales...
Angel
10 comments:
Angel, this was such a wonderful idea. My kids are too old for this, but it brings back happy memories of their younger years.
As for things I've written besides my books that I'm proud of, I wrote a letter to my son when he turned thirteen that makes me teary-eyed even now when I read it. Sniff. He's growing up so fast....
Well, I think everyone knows how much I love to write letters of complaint/rants. There's something very challenging about getting my point across without resorting to lots of !!! and angry words like "you suck."
And for a girl who doesn't like confrontation at all, it's good therapy...
The Scotland book was an excellent idea, Angel!! And I really appreciate you sharing it :-)
Sweet Pea was given her first journal for her Kindergarten graduation. She went around to everyone and asked them to write something to her to get it started. My message to her is what immediately sprung to mind. I imagine in 10 or 20 years she'll pull the dusty thing out of a box and begin flipping through it. I hope my words will make her smile and let her know how proud I am of her - always.
Instigator
Angel, what a great idea!
When our first cat, Graycie, died a few years ago, I wrote up an obituary for her that was both heartfelt and clever. I said she was the CEO (Chief Exterminating Officer) of Rodent Rooters. Then I mailed it to friends and family, especially the friend who has found her for us when Graycie was just a 3 month old kitten. I think that obit is still on my harddrive or on a disk somewhere.
The booklet is a great idea, Angel, and I know DQ will treasure it always because it came from the heart.
Wow, Angel! You really invested a lot of time in that little book. DQ will be greatly comforted by it while you're in Scotland. Can you make me one? :-)
I write poetry. To me, poetry is my way of journaling my experiences, feelings, observations, rants, and both the beauty and injustice of the world around me.
Check your list and check it twice. :-)
Kathy
(pfpytow)
Nice idea about the booklet! That's so cool.
Hmm, I don't know what writing I'm proudest of. I, like PC, love to write complaint letters when I'm good and mad. I once got a 10 yr old television fixed for free because of a complaint letter, so I was pretty proud of that. I call that TV the world's oldest big screen, because it's still going strong 6 yrs after the fix. In fact, we're sick of it because it's so big (and it's been around the world with us, all 250 lbs of it). I want a nice flat screen, but darn it, this thing still works. :)
When I was in college, we had an assignment to write a letter to our children that would be opened when they went off to college. I had fun writing it, although I'm horrified now to think what might be in it. Its sealed.
How cool! So neat to see what everyone has written that stands out for them.
Thanks for all the comments on my idea. I'm having a lot of fun with it and hope it will mean a lot to Nicole some day.
Don't forget that readers will be able to follow along on our trip too. We'll be posting daily blog happenings while we're gone. Y'all will have to keep Playground Monitor company!
Angel--The Scotland book will not only give you and your daughter something to share when you get back, but it will be a wonderful keepsake for her. After my mom died, I found a booklet of short stories and poems she'd written in college. That added a whole other dimension to her for me. After she died--I'm an only child--I had to sort through 45 years of belongings and sell the house that had been my childhood home. I think some of the most important writing I ever did was in a notebook while I was sorting. I sat in each room and wrote down as many memories as I could think of about that room. It was definitley therapy for me, but one memory would lead to another that I'd long ago tucked away. Each and every one of them were gifts.
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