Tolkien Birthday Toast, IWSG Day, and Photos!
appy New Year!
Wednesday is Insecure Writer's Support Group Day!
I'm posting early because today is the Tolkien Birthday Toast!
"Each year on 3 January, the Tolkien Society encourages Tolkien fans from across the world to celebrate the Professor’s birthday with a simple toast-drinking ceremony.
At 9pm your local time, simply raise a glass and toast the birthday of this much loved author. The toast is simply:
The Professor!
All you need to do is stand, raise a glass of your choice of drink (not necessarily alcoholic), and say the words “The Professor” before taking a sip (or swig, if that’s more appropriate for your drink). Sit and enjoy the rest of your drink."
Insecure Writer's Support Group Day
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns
without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire
can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of
all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure
Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog.
Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your
struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling.
Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen
new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!
You ready?
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
The awesome co-hosts for the January 5 posting of the IWSG are Erika Beebe, Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster, and Chemist Ken!
One thing I've regretted in the past couple of months is not being able to finish NaNoWriMo, for the first time in all the years I've participated!
But I felt a lot better after reading this message from the NaNo Executive Director:
"I want to address a somewhat inaccurate word we use at NaNoWriMo. We call people who reach 50,000 words “winners.” They are winners, of course, and I never want to diminish their achievement in any way, but what I don’t like about the word “winner” is that it implies that everyone who wrote less than 50,000 words isn’t a winner.
You’re a winner in my book. Here are some reasons why:
• To put your voice into the world is to win.
• To encourage another writer to write is to win.
• To tell yourself that your story matters is to win.
• To simply imagine a story and interrupt a day’s mundane, inglorious tasks is to win.
• To ask “What if …?” is to win.
I wrote 31,633 words. Do you know one reason why I’m proud of that? Because I wrote each day this month when I could have easily quit."
Now I'm all excited to set some goals for this year! I'm going to do a couple of writing and other hobby recap posts, then jump right in on some goals!
I have a few photos from the past season (and there was one other RIP I didn't get a chance to mention in December: Anne Rice passed away. I've only read The Witching Hour and then I lost my copy when my parents' basement flooded. But I remember being awed and impressed by the breadth of the writing):
A couple of months ago I left Switzerland and got on a plane for the first time in two years, for a long weekend to see family I hadn't seen in two years. I turned out to be very lucky, travelling on the last weekend before regulations began to tighten again.
Comments
He said it so well. Whatever the word count, it was still more than if you'd not attempted NaNo.
Happy New Year!
Yes, YOU and the OTHERS are winners for accomlishing the word counts that you did. Writing daily is an amazing feat. I hope to wrie at least three or four days a week this coming year; that would be an amazing accomplishment for me since I don't write as often as I would like.
I know you will accomplishment many things this coming year because you are a DYNAMO! Nothing keeps you from your tasks at hand. I so admire that in you!
Hugs, Michael
So pleased you were able to get away and see family and friends ...
We just need to do what suits us - not compare ourselves to others. Happy New Year to you all and all the best in 2022. Cheers Hilary
I loved the NaNo statement from the director. So true.
Wishing you happy-writing in 2022.
And I know writers who won't do Nanowrimo because of the high word count. A big miss.
Thanks for the reminder about Tolkien's birthday. I'm very impressed by your REreading of The Silmarillion. I adore Tolkien, could only get halfway through that one. Maybe this year...and after alcohol, eh?
Happy New Year!
Julia Quay
The Warrior Muse
My mindset is that whatever wordcount someone reaches while doing NaNo is amazing and should be celebrated.
Happy New Year!
Love the holiday traditions - we do a lot of Scottish things because one of my BFFs is Scottish.