*Despite the technical (and other) problems that plagued my blog this past weekend, more #fridayflash is in the works for this week. In the meantime, please enjoy my #Mondayflash (written for the contest at MadUtopia).
Full Circle
I never dreamed of being a writer. Visions of bookdeals and author signings never entered my head. However, I’ve always loved books and voraciously consumed the dreams and adventures of others. My own dream was something quite different – to be a mother. Even as a little girl I wanted to care for a child of my own. After I married, my husband and I waited over a decade to have a child so that I could stay home. It was worth the wait.
After several happy years, I tried National Novel Writing Month on a whim. Thirty days of intense novelling struck me as the ideal opportunity to write down stories I’d created for my little boy over the years. That first November taught me something about myself I’d never known nor suspected; I love to write. I didn’t need to be perfect, plan ahead, or even have a plan at all. The only requirements were my butt in a chair and my fingers on the keyboard.
Then my husband talked me into joining Twitter. My tweets concerned inconsequentials – what was on tv, what time I went to bed, where I was sitting in my house. My husband wanted me to join so I humored him; I failed to appreciate the power of quickly and easily connecting to people of similar interests. Then #fridayflash crossed my radar, and Twitter suddenly became useful. #Fridayflash provided a deadline and a goal – writing quality fiction on a weekly basis. Other writers read my work, encouraged me, tweeted links to relevant articles, made recommendations, and gave advice. My writing evolved, and I became part of a community.
Which brought me full circle. My love for my son led to my love of writing. My love of writing led me to #fridayflash, and #fridayflash led me to realize that I could create fiction that pleased others as well as myself. I now hope to become a paid and published author. I discovered a community that I love, a goal that’s within reach, and a newfound sense of direction. Almost every week since I started #fridayflash I’ve written faithfully, and now my son has begun writing on his own. He posts stories on his fiction blog and enjoys the feedback and encouragement of this wonderful community.
Often over the years, my son’s expressed different dreams for his future – painter, missionary, movie maker. He has several career paths in mind, but only two things capture his interest consistently – art and writing. He tells people that he’s written books and stories, and when asked why he says, “I think it’s mostly because of my mom.” While I’m sure that his goals will change as he grows older, if he chooses to be a writer he knows that career need not be a solitary one. It’s possible to find a sense of community and support. This shared experience with my son nurtures and encourages our creativity. Writing is something we can participate in together as we both learn about the craft, and it’s largely thanks to #fridayflash.
