Until now, if forced to select a hairstyle that would reflect my blogging history, I’d pick the reverse mullet: party in the front, business at the back end.
When my first post went live, I had no expectations of an audience other than my closest writing friends. I planned to mimic their blogging style by sharing the work-in-progress. Any subsequent conversation would be about critique, with boos and yeahs coming forth according to my skillset and the whim of my readers.
Blogging became much more when I ended up discovering an alter ego. She was a bit zany, a tad humorous, and all about the citrus. Somehow, the Tart made blogging feel like exploration. We had a lot of fun together.
Then something happened on the way to the computer, and by “something” I mean “family stuff.”
It no longer seemed consistently possible to access a clownish headspace. For the most part, my focus shifted to service. Could I provide something actually useful? In many ways, it was a return to my caregiver persona–the days of being Dr. Jan.
But you know what I thoroughly enjoy? The blogging equivalent of this hairstyle:
Fun and utility together.
If you’re interested, I think I’ve successfully accomplished that balance in my recent post for Writer Unboxed, When Dark Emotions Threaten Your Writing. (If you don’t write, I’m told it holds wisdom for the real world.)
For the sake of thoroughness, here are my other recent and as-yet unmentioned posts.
- Bring Out Your Story Scalpels–an introduction to a Writer Unboxed bookclub in which we dissect breakout novels so as to improve our writing. (If you share the same goals, you’d be welcome!)
- Plane Crashes and Writing: Six Sources of Common Ground–features the ToolMaster’s latest exploits and how marriage can influence the writing path.
- Politics: Infuriating, Inescapable, and a Writer’s Best Friend?–Politics can teach us about story structure, antagonists, and the use of backstory, among other things.
Zesties, has your blogging voice evolved with time? If your blog was a haircut, what style would you pick?
Cool hairdo, Boss! And, yes, it suits the new blogging you. I like the metaphor. 🙂
I think this last one on WU was one of your best, and that’s saying something. My day sort of got away from me that day, but you had me thinking all day. I’ve been chasing away bad mojo for months, and I think I finally found my way to honest-to-goodness momentum. For me sometimes it seems like there’s a “necessary brooding period” after a round of feedback comes in. And I have to find my way not just to what’s resonated, but to releasing the rest of it. Then, even when I get back on the page, it takes several sessions to find immersion. And it can seem like that immersion comes at the expense of best utilizing feedback. But when I’m in it again, I find I’m making decisions based on what’s resonated from critique.
Does any of that make sense? Probably not, but hey – at least it’s Friday, right? 😉
I’ve decided that your blogging hairstyle is Skolani – which is my story-world way of saying you’re kickass. Have a great weekend, Jan! Cheers!
It is Friday, Good Sir V! Even better, you’re writing again.
Believe it or not, I think I exactly understood your psychic process. The best word I know to describe that state is “bruised”. Brene Brown reportedly calls them vulnerability hangovers.
On one level, I can see and acknowledge where I need to go. I can be grateful for the guidance. Internally, though, it doesn’t feel very nice. It’s like a low-level tantrum where I can pull off acting adult, but inside I am small and wild and desperate.
For me, it’s impossible to move forward until that inner child is soothed and feeling positive. If I push her too fast, I only make it worse.
Anyway, onwards, right?
As for the hairstyle, your fantasy world sounds complex and well-considered, V. I’ll take that as a high compliment. Thank you.