A writer friend on Instagram asked recently if people had met their writing goals for 2021. I haven’t met my writing goals, but I was pleased with everything that I did write. I’m proud of the pieces I published. I wrote a lot this year - but nothing publishable in the last couple of months.... Continue Reading →
10 Reasons I Write (Hint: It’s Not for the Money)
Why do I write? Why do I do this day after day? Another question: why do I read? That's easy. I read because I love learning. I love a good story. Plus, books can give an escape from life. But reading is easy and enjoyable. Writing is difficult. So why do I do it? It’s... Continue Reading →
I’m Still Writing, Even If It Looks Like I’m Not Doing Anything At All: Searching for My Tribe of Fellow Ponderers
This follows the post I wrote here about the passing of time and my lousy time management skills. I wondered if I would take full advantage of my spare time once I had my solitude back - once elementary school resumed in-person, in the building. I was looking forward to my son returning to school.... Continue Reading →
The Evolution of a Writer’s Identity
"I like journaling a lot." "I write a blog." "I'm an aspiring writer." "I'm a penniless, unpublished writer." And then. Finally... "I'm a writer." Said out loud. Without modifiers to weaken it. In the privacy of my own home. To my then 10-year-old son. A small step of confidence, but confidence nonetheless. I’ve already written... Continue Reading →
A Peek Inside My Meandering Thoughts About Time (or What Superpower Would You Want?)
“I could’ve written the great American novel in my spare time!” My husband and I joke to ourselves when we think about the years before our son was born. We must’ve had so much spare time back then! What did we do with all that time? Wasted much of it, most likely. I think of... Continue Reading →
Instagram, Children’s Books, and Third Grade
What’s new in my life? The title sums it up. Instagram I started an Instagram account a month ago @sarahmcinneswrites. It focuses on what I’m reading and writing with a few lovely landscapes and gardens mixed in. I like that Instagram invites bite-size pieces of writing. Unedited, I tend towards verbosity, but Instagram forces me... Continue Reading →
Becoming Leo: Creating Fictional Characters
My Sweetboy pauses outside the café’s door and points to a young child toddling alongside her parent. Sweetboy stops the girl’s mother. What's her name? This is June. And what's your name? Leo. Hi Leo. It's nice to meet you. Sweetboy, whose name is not Leo, grins with satisfaction. I nudge him to respond with... Continue Reading →