Small Moments

This week Chuck Wendig wrote a piece and posted it on his blog, Terribleminds.com, called “Dear Writers: None of us Know What the Fuck We’re Doing.” If you can get past the language (and it’s not horrible) this is a fascinating piece. You can find the entire thing here.

As I’ve put together my blog I’ve struggled with how to create, build and market myself. I’ve taken classes and read endlessly, I’ve even bought a book about blogging for writers. I’ve wondered about the “right” way to do this. I’ve wondered that about a lot of things. This blog post spoke to me like none other. I could see things clearly.

There is a plethora of information about how to write, blog and generally anything you would ever want to do online. People who have knowledge want to share that knowledge. People who need to know, go to google. It’s a win-win situation.

I’ve long suspected that every road to success in any area is varied and individual. Writing is no different. It is thought that there are some relatively specific rules for writing, though when you truly look at them, there are writers who have achieved success by breaking them, even in spite of the rules. The question is how do you know. Which rules do you follow and which do you ignore. This is the struggle.

Chuck has a bit of advice that I would like to share with you. These are what he calls the Five Constants for writing:

1. Write a lot (and to completion)
2. Read a lot (and read critically when you do)
3. Think about writing and storytelling
4. Talk to writers
5. Go live a life

I think I am going to print these constants out and put them on my bulletin board for whenever I need a reminder. Especially the last one. I forget that one sometimes.

I will continue to go to classes because I enjoy interacting with others and learning new things. As a general rule I learn something from each and every one.

I will also continue to read other writers and their blogs. I believe we can always learn something from others. Whether we attempt their same path or one close, encouraging and upholding each other is the best thing we can do.

And we can live our lives. This is the one that I will be thinking about this week. When I am focused on writing everyday, keeping things going, struggling with my daily job I forget to just live.

We are meant to be and not just do. I forget this with all of my to-do lists. The tasks will always be there, this moment won’t. It’s this moment in which we live. This moment and none other is where we find our joy.

The challenge this week is to find joy in the moments.

I want a life well lived, not well intended.

It is in the small moments like seeing the first hummingbird at my new feeder today. I look forward to an entire summer of watching them as stand at my kitchen sink. Hopefully they will get used to me and won’t fly away any time I move.

It’s the small moments that I want to remember.

What are the small moments you want to remember?