Story Circle Network Conference

SCN Gifts The writer within nags at me (yes I do have one of those).While I planned to only post A to Z challenges this month, I can’t stop from posting this one. I can’t wait to save it for my “S” word.

Yesterday turned out to be an exhausting day of travel as I returned home from the Story Circle Network conference in Austin. Note, I was already exhausted. In a good way. I’ve commented in several places that “this is the best gift I have ever given to myself.”

This conference is an amazing immersion into writing wisdom, new friendships, laughter & tears – more than anything I could have hoped for. Everywhere I went I heard the word “Takeaway.” I took away a bag full of goodies, a set of goals, a journal of new beginnings, an armload of books (if yours is not pictured here, it probably resides on my Kindle), a new confidence and regenerated enthusiasm. Many thanks to all the organizers, presenters, volunteers, and those who invited me into their worlds. Special thanks to Susan Albert Wittig for launching this compassionate community of women writers.

I joined Story Circle Network in the year 2000 but this was my first conference. I never understood what I was missing until now. God willing I’ll be at the next one in April 2018. Hope to see you there too.

Obelus

The memoir manuscript grows to 100,000 words. How could I be so self-centered to expect an audience to appreciate such a lengthy narrative? The next step becomes a task of removing the redundant or insignificant passages – or those which may be doubtful memories. The obelus symbol used to mark these passages in ancient manuscripts is now commonly used as a division sign ÷ . Divide and conquer – final execution.

Your Turn

It’s National Scrabble day and I’m at a loss for words. I’ll spare the excuses for not blogging recently but I’ll give you one small hint. Maybe I was a bit overzealous when I decided to divide my blog into two parts. One blog all about me. That would be Mz Bull.

The other blog is meant to present a more professional image of the wannabe me, the one with business cards prematurely imprinted Marjorie Witt, Author. Yes, prematurely – you won’t find me on Amazon yet. But while you are waiting, perhaps between turns on Words with Friends, you might want to check out my current A to Z Challenge on Witt Bits.

Meanwhile, I’m off to a writing conference to gather inspiration and meet my Story Circle Network friends.

Jejune

Another fear of writing has surfaced recently. The fear of staying within my current state of verbal bankruptcy. The A to Z list of words becomes an unwelcome daily prompt. My blog seems dull, naive and boring. I borrow motivational quotes from Cow Pasture Chronicles and hang them above my screen, retaliation to my inner critique. This is not jejune. It’s my sixty-seven words a day commitment.

Inkhornism

While Anne Lamott suggests writing a “sh*tty” first draft, I struggle with this task. If feels risky. What if I die before I have a chance to revise and remove the pedantic diatribes of my first draft? Will my headstone read “Master of Inkhornism?”

I say, write it all. Password protect. Hope to delete before you die.

Marjorie Witt 19XX to 20XX “She Deleted It All”