writers

My Writing Process Blog Tour

Posted by Barbara Techel

IMG_2067Feeling like I am part of the outside world with lots of windows and light is important to me for my writing process

I’m honored that I have been asked to take part in this blog tour called #mywritingprocess. It’s a tour that includes many writers of different genres and a sneak peek into their lives. Don’t you just love peeking in on what creatives are doing? I know I do because it never fails to inspire me! Each writer participating is answering a few simple questions.

I was invited by Linda Hoye who blogs over at A Slice of Life Writing. She has also written a touching and brave memoir called Two Hearts, An Adoptee’s Journey Through Grief and Gratitude. Linda has helped many who have been adopted and wrestling with the many emotions that often comes with this. I hope you will stop by her blog and learn more about her.

Without further ado, here are my answers to questions for #mywritingprocess!

What am I working on?

One of my passions is sharing with others the lessons our animal friends teach us. I’ve especially grown in ways I never imagined because of the dogs I’ve had the last twenty plus years. I often credit them for how far I’ve come in my personal development because of the many wise lessons they’ve taught me.

After two children’s books written about my dachshund, Frankie, who suffered from a disc disease and in a dog wheelchair, I went on to write a memoir about my journey with her called, Through Frankie’s Eyes which I released last February. Frankie taught me to stand tall in the woman that I am and make choices that matter to me without worrying what others may think.

In loving and caring for Frankie, and after she passed away, I knew I’d want to nurture another special needs dachshund. I was led to adopt Joie (pronounced Joey) from a rescue in the state of Washington. Sadly, she was only with me for short ten months before I had to give her the gift of letting her go due to numerous complications that had her in severe pain.

Currently I’m working on the story of what I learned from Joie. Many days I feel good about my writing process and where I am at with this book, there are some days I don’t like what I’m writing. But that is part of being a writer. I’m learning to trust the process, to accept where I am at with it, and to let it unfold as it is supposed to.

I continue to blog frequently for my blog writing about the human-animal bond, living an authentic, meaningful and simple life, and what inspires me. I also publish a newsletter twice a month, and am pursuing more guest post opportunities.

Why do I write what I do?

What I write about is what I am passionate about which are dogs, the human-animal bond, living simply, being authentic, and finding meaning and joy in our lives. I also want to be a positive light in the world, though yes, I’m not always positive, but I try to learn from each moment that is challenging and look for the blessings. I just feel there is enough bad news in the world. I want to make a difference by being a beacon of all the good that there is if we open ourselves to it.

I’m fascinated by what animals share with us if we are awake enough to observe and take in those lessons. I left the corporate world years ago because I didn’t like the hustle and bustle or how politics so often plays into world. I wanted a simpler life. I also wanted to live from my own values and choices and not get caught up in society expectations.

Often I find myself being still with my dogs and this helps center me in this place of just being and of being aware of what it is that makes me happy. And then doing what I can to live from that place. They are my daily reminders of choosing to live with joy. These are the things, moments and observations that I love to share and write about in hopes of helping others live from the center of who they truly want to be.

How Does My Writing Process Work?

When I left my full time J.O.B. almost 15 years ago (and wow just thinking about this now, I didn’t realize it was that long ago!), I had a challenging time finding what fit for me in terms of a schedule. The nine to five time frame was so ingrained in me. Still is, in many ways.

I thought there was maybe this “magic” formula by which all writers wrote. So often I’d read about the process of other writers and think, maybe I should do it their way? But over time I’ve learned to follow my own intuition. And honestly, there are some days that I don’t want to write. Those are the challenging days to plant my butt in the chair and write anyways. And usually what happens is I’m so glad that I did. It helps me to work through my thoughts which in turn helps me in special kind of therapy all just for me. But what I’ve also gained is a trust that I will come back to the page, my blog, the book I’m working on, or whatever project I have on my list.

My ideas and thoughts come to me most often while driving, in the shower, or out walking, so I try to have pen and paper with me to capture them. I also carry a small recorder for when driving since it is not a good idea to write while driving!

While there is much thought to writing by hand, for me, I have to use a laptop. My thoughts tend to come so fast that my fingers can’t keep up with pen and paper.  I do much better with my fingers flying across my keyboard!

Now I’m happy to share with you three writers I’ve nominated  to be a part of the #mywritingprocess blog tour. Please be sure to visit their blogs next week to learn about their writing process.

peg-kelly-full-body-shot-small2Meet Peggy Frezon and her writing companion, Kelly. Peggy Frezon is an author, pet columnist, and multiple award-winning freelance writer from New York. She contributes regularly to Guideposts and Angels on Earth magazines and is published in more than a dozen Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Her work can also be seen in magazines such as Woman’s World, Teaching Tolerance, Pockets and others, and in books including The Ultimate Dog Lover, Miracles and Animals, Soul Matters, and David Jeremiah’s Grace Givers. She writes two web columns, Pawsitively Pets and Animals 4 People, is a staff writer for Be the Change for Animals, and blogs at Peggy’s Pet Place, which will soon be relaunching as “The Writer’s Dog.” Her first book is Dieting with my Dog (Hubble & Hattie, 2011).

deanne001Meet Deanne Schultz who is a freelance writer and blogger. She specializes in human interest stories, newsletters, and proofreading. My work includes over 400 stories written for the Sheboygan Press, Herald Times Reporter and Lakeshore Living, a magazine distributed by their parent company, Gannett Media. She is currently working on a series of humorous essays titled The Green Hornet Suit and Other Musings.

kimMeet Kim J. Gifford. She used to describe herself as a writer and teacher by day and a mild-mannered pug owner and photographer by night, but then realized that’s not true. Yes, since she graduated from Middlebury College in 1990, she has been writing as a career on just about any topic imaginable including the kitchen sink, literally! And, she’s been teaching writing classes in Vermont and New Hampshire, particularly memoir writing, for almost as long. But, in recent years she returned to a love of art that began in childhood and also branched out into photography, realizing that both are just new ways of doing what she has been all along – telling stories. She has exhibited her photographs, art and collages throughout Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington County in New York state. She blogs over at Pugs and Pics.

Writing to Heal the Heart.

Posted by Barbara Techel

won't you play with me oct 2012One of my favorite photos of Joie. October 2012.

Yesterday  on my blog, I shared how I just couldn’t bring myself to write on Monday. While I am pretty disciplined for the most part, there are days when I just don’t want to write. Even though I don’t feel as good when I don’t write, I accept this and know I’ll return to my writing.

I’m 41,368 words into my book, Joie’s Gift. I’m finding it interesting that when I began this book, I wondered if I’d have enough to make a complete book. Now I’m thinking perhaps I may have too much as I’ve not even gotten to part of the story that was the very reason I began this book. But ah, yes, the editing stage will eventually come, so will see what transpires from that. For now my job is to keep writing. Get it all out. Leave nothing behind.

After I wrote two chapters today it suddenly occurred to me why I may have not wanted to write on Monday. What I wrote about today is about when Joie had to go to a neurosurgeon. For those that know part of Joie’s story from reading my blog, you know this was a difficult time. I had a heart wrenching decision to make in August of 2013 – one I never saw coming. But then, do we ever really see these coming?

As I wrote about this time in my life, the words flew effortlessly from my mind through my fingers and onto the blank page of my laptop. The cursor didn’t have a chance to blink!

When I was done, I looked out my window next to my writing desk, and the tears seemed as if they came out of nowhere. As hard as that decision was to let Joie go, I realized writing about it, that it was absolutely the right thing to do. It confirmed for me once again, that I did the right thing. But how interesting we carry doubt in our heart even when we think we have let go.

Writing about this time in my life, I realize is another layer of healing for me. Another chance to let go and trust that everything unfolded out just as the Divine had planned. I never had any control over the situation. But I did have control over how I moved forward and and I allow myself these moments to continue to unfold as part of my healing process. Writing is therapeutic for me and part of that process.

Writing about emotionally difficult times clears the way for my heart to open even more. To let out what needs to go and to let in what needs to come next. To experience more of life. To expand. To know that this is exactly right where I am to be in this moment in time.

The Courage it Takes to be in the Public Eye.

Posted by Barbara Techel

IMG_2030This was the view out my writing cottage window this morning. Yup, that is snow you see on the ground. I thought the tulip lamp against the snow background was an interesting photo. I’m wishing we could actually see tulips blooming instead of another blanket of snow – but it isn’t expected to last long, and already starting to melt. Today we tough Wisconsin birds carry spring in our hearts once again.

Yesterday afternoon John and I went to our local art theater where they performed a series of skits from the Carol Burnett Show. I really enjoyed it and thought the cast did a good job. They did about 15 different skits – not an easy task to accomplish.

Afterwards we ate at a local restaurant. The owner had been in the audience at the theater so I asked how she enjoyed the performance. She scrunched her face is disapproval, but was too busy to stop and chat.

It made me think about writing. We can’t please everyone. There are always going to be critics. Constructive criticism is helpful and needed, but many times in this day and age with the internet and hiding behind computers, people can say some pretty nasty things.

Earlier yesterday I listened to best selling author Dani Shapiro doing an interview on a podcast. She has been writing for over 20 years with eight books to her name. Her latest, one of my now favorite books on writing, called Still Writing.

She talked about the very fact that she never reads her reviews — good or bad. She knows she isn’t going to make everyone happy. She also talked about the courage it takes for those in the public eye and putting themselves out there. It’s not easy. But if you know you are doing your best, and you share your story in hopes you can help others, than that is what you do. You can’t cave into the critics.

I thought about this not only in regards to my own writing having myself “out there,” but also those volunteer actors I watched yesterday afternoon. I was in a few plays in my lifetime also and I understand the commitment  that goes into it.

For the most part, I believe most people in the art world put their hearts and souls into their work. It is who they are. It is what makes them breathe. And while there will be critics, I also think it speaks to perfectionism in our world. Art is not perfect – whether writing, painting, acting – it is all a work in progress, just as the person creating it.

While I can’t speak for any of the actors last night, or other artists or writers, I can say I write to try and make a difference in this world. I will not be perfect in my writing, grammar, or punctuation. But you know what? I genuinely care and try. Many times I stick my heart out on the line knowing someone may not agree with me or may criticize me.

But you know something else?  It has made me grow and evolve as a human being —and I continue to grow which I am so grateful for. Writing each day whether on my new book, my blog posts, or for an article, it’s another opportunity for me to say what is in my heart and to speak my truth. It helps me to appreciate my vulnerability and to see it yet again as a gift.

Being an actor on a stage, especially local in front of so many peers, is what I find courageous. The Carol Burnett Show was a top notch one-of-a-kind show never to be duplicated ever again. But they performed for the love of performing, for bringing back sweet memories for the audience, to connect with the audience heart’s. I felt that.

There will always be critics and many have stomped out the spirit of a writer, actor, or artist which I find incredibly sad. Art, like life, is not perfect. But it is in the creating that I believe we are here for.

To all the writers, actors, and artists that put themselves out there each and every day, I say bravo and thank you! It paves the way for more to step forward to be who they authentically are and live from the center of their creativity which I believe is vital to our world.