I am sitting here in my living room, trying to figure out how to resume my daily writing for my blog.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve read lots of other people’s writing, first in my online class where I responded to 14 students, 6 days a week for 4 weeks, and then working with my high school and college students who are writing their essays for their college and graduate school applications. I have also critiqued a song for my brother, helped my 7-year-old granddaughter Luna compose her weekly stories and have been working with a 9-year-old boy who is writing a novel. Plus, I continue to coordinate the Story Circle Network online classes, which requires a fair amount of correspondence with potential or current instructors. So, it’s not that I haven’t been surrounded by the written word or even doing a lot of writing myself, it’s simply that the writing has been for other people’s projects, not my own.

The daily writing class is over, but I am just beginning my new year of college and graduate essay writing. I am a seasonal worker – very busy with this from July – January, then less busy for the other 6 months. I coordinate the SCN classes all year long and teach one each term. This is work that I love so I’m definitely going to continue doing that. So, how do I fit in my own writing while I do my other writing jobs? That is the question. Hopefully, along with the inclusion of a weekly writing meeting with my beloved writing friend, Michael. That is at least part of the goal.

I think the resumption of my writing routine with my students may be the key. I am writing right now while one of my students is busying writing her essay while I wait to read what she’s written. This is part of my process. I do not write essays for my students who are applying to programs. They write them and I help them strategically edit them. So, maybe, just maybe, I’ll get back on track, ironically, as I get busier with students. That sounds like a good plan. Plus, I need to set up a dedicated time to write with Michael for 2 hours at least once a week.

All right, I’m feeling better about this situation. I realize this isn’t the most scintillating blog post to read, but it is helping me process my thoughts, which is one of my goals for writing. So, bear with me, my friends, and hopefully as I get back in the saddle, I’ll come up with a few stories to tell along the way.

Thanks for listening. I hope to be back again tomorrow.

Until then, wash your hands frequently and wear your mask. We need to bring this damn pandemic to an end.