The Writing Process -Blog Tour

What is ‘The Writing Process’ Blog Tour?
It is a fun way to connect with other writers and readers to authors they wouldn’t otherwise come across. (An excellent concept!) A cyber version of “word of mouth” J You answer 4 questions about your writing style on your blog, along with posting links to 3 other writers and a brief bio about each of them and in turn they answer the same questions and do the same on their blogs and on and on it goes…  (A great writing exercise too and allows your readers to gain some insight on you as a writer)

Best of all, it didn’t cost me anything! Okay, it did cost me one thing; my time. J I thought that was a small price to pay for being able to meet all the wonderful and talented writers that I encountered on my journey.

Even though I am not a published author yet, (unless you count the poem I wrote many, many years ago and was published in some obscure book with a lot of other poems…) Anyway, I love to write, and I think that my adventures that I write about might appeal to one, maybe even two of you out there - wink

I had just started my blog in February of this year (2014) and was very ‘green’ at the whole process. (Still am J) So I jumped at the chance to be involved.  I also thought that it would be a creative way to explore myself as a new writer, meet other writers and on a more selfish note, gain some exposure J

The Blog Tour was introduced to me through Amy Morse: http://ideaism.blogspot.co.uk/ 
a writer, artist, enterprise coach and entrepreneur. - I found her by chance from a post in a discussion group on Linkedin as I continued my quest to serve the masses my blog. 
A talented author I might add J (Thanks Amy!)
Check out her book! The Bronze Box (writing as Amy C Fitzjohn)

I have chosen to feature a few other talented writers Salvage Sister and Mister, Ty McDuffie and Ani Manjikian who were adventurous enough to tackle the questions and to continue the cyber thread of ‘The Writing Process’ Blog Tour.  You can read more about them at the end of this post and I hope that you will at least take the time to check them out! 


So lets get this started…

My Writing Process…

1.  What am I working on? 

I am working on fine-tuning my writing skills. I had left them on a shelf many years ago, so I figured now was as good as time as any to pick them back up and brush the cobwebs away. (I’m not getting any younger!)

Seeing I consider myself a complete ‘newbie’ when it comes to blogging, my first project is working on my blog of course; it is mainly about my experiences as a Canadian (Snowbird) wintering in Florida and exploring the area on my motorcycle. (I just love to ride!) It is going on six years since I started riding a motorcycle (never was on one before that – it was a ‘bucket list’ thing) See you are never too old to try new things! I thought that starting a blog about my adventures would be an interesting way to get my creative juices flowing as an aspiring writer. (And it is working; the tap is on! - I even have the first paragraph written for a short story I am working on!) 


I also have extended my blog to include my opinions and observations – an eclectic collection of the things I have encountered. There are so many things to write about who knows where this will go.

I admit, my writing still has some ruff edges and may need to be sanded down and shaped but it is a start and I am enjoying discovering myself as a writer in the process. I hope that you enjoy the ‘ride’ and find entertainment as well as a bit of useful information along the way with my journeys. I caution you, it is a work in progress as I spread my wings and test the air currents – So please, take some time to browse through some posts and don’t be shy to leave a comment. J 

I am also in the works of putting together a collection of my poetry and want to open a new section for my blog. I have written poetry on and off for most of my life and have shared the majority of my prose with only my family. It was with their encouragement over the many years (better late than never) that I have gotten the courage to finally share it in a public setting. 


In the mean time, while I discover my passion to write again, I still need to make a living. So between writing I continue to work on graphic and web design projects,  (designing has been just as much a part of my life as writing has) which also just happens to let me get a bit of creative writing in, just in a slightly different way. J

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre? 

I really have struggled with this question. I am just not sure what genre my blog falls under, or at least I haven’t discovered one yet. I have read all kinds of blogs that are about travel and travellers, but I don’t exactly consider myself a “traveller”.  Sure, I have visited a couple of places abroad, and I spend the winter in Florida, but a traveller? No, that just doesn’t sound right…. 

Most blogs I have come across have very specific topics from technology to cooking, to how their cat affects their life decisions. Maybe I am just ‘the world through my eyes” type of blogger. However, I don’t think that is an actual genre J. So for now, I have yet to find where I fit in… (If you know please fill me in)

I do believe that no matter what specific genre a writer originally is associated with they would agree with me when I say, “I prefer not to be forced into a narrow space leaving me no room to explore the vast universe of creative writing”. (Personally, small spaces make me claustrophobic) 

I imagine my own idiosyncrasies… {Meaning; a mode of behaviour or way of thought peculiar to an individual. – ex: "one of her little idiosyncrasies was always leaving the radio on even when she wasn’t home"} – hmmm, sounds vaguely familiar …create my unique brand of writing distinguishing me from the masses – but then again, I figure it is like that for every writer - grin. 


My blogs are just my way of expressing my musings by adding a dash of poetry, a dollop of humour and adding a sprinkle of interesting information into the mix. (I think I may be hungry)

3. Why do I write what I do?

I never was much of a talker, (so public speaking was definitely out of the question) I am more of the solitary, silent type (I heard those are the ones to watch out for - grin) but put a keyboard in front of me and all of a sudden I have something to say. It is like turning on a faucet full blast and multitudes of ideas that had been swirling around in my head flood out.

Writing was always been my outlet where I could articulate and explore my thoughts, passions and fears. It then morphed into a platform where I could incorporate my unique personal twist on my experiences and inject them with my interests all the while entertaining people in the process. 


Simply put, it brings me joy J

4. How does my writing process work? 

I was asked a similar question in a discussion group that I had recently joined: 
“Sherlock Holmes once said: "I need to go to my mind palace". If you were to build your own "mind palace" to help with creative inspiration, what would it look like? 

My answer: “My mind palace is not really a specific place or location, it becomes a vortex where the world just dissolves around me and my thoughts flow - a gradual transition of twilight as it melds into the night - while light glides into the darkness and the shadows stretch, dancing along with the invisible currents - as the moon reclaims the darkening midnight sky and the stars journey along the universe...”  


It kind of works like that – I am sure that has totally cleared things up and answered the question. -wink

So to continue the cyber thread in ‘The Writing Process’ Blog Tour I pass you onto my adventurous and of course talented writers: (Happy Reading J)

Salvage Sister and Mister:  www.salvagesisterandmister.com

Salvage Sister and Mister is a site all about making the most with what you have.  We are a husband and wife team bringing ideas with this principal in mind.  Our site has posts ranging from thrift store finds and "dumpster diving" to using liquid gold (bacon grease) in the kitchen.  Anything that could have another life, we want to find it! 



Ty McDuffie: http://daddysdoinghair.com  (Husband. Daddy. Author. Serial Entrepreneur).
I write stuff to help Daddies build better relationships with their daughters. Sometimes it's funny. Sometimes, it’s a little sad. Sometimes it's serious....but it's ALWAYS straight from the heart with no chaser.

My unique perspective on Fatherhood ("Daddyhood") comes from years of raising two very beautiful daughters. It all started with a rocky adoption in which one of them wouldn't even SPEAK to me, to getting love notes left on my office whiteboard from them that I REFUSE to erase.  All in all, the work it took to win their hearts and to raise strong, independent, little women is a poignant testimony to the power of the journey from father to Daddy.



Ani Manjikian:  http://rightthewriter.com/  
I have strong design, development, and writing skills and an innate sense for composition and functionality.  I combine the technical knowledge and analytical mind of a programmer, the creative and detailed orientation of a writer / editor, and the aesthetic instincts of a designer / photographer in any project that I undertake.

There are two very important things that I want to do with my life. I want to own my own large multimedia company. I also want to become a published writer and make a movie or two out of the books. To that end, I’m working on, and have been, for several years, a novel series called Stars of Heros.